Chitradurga is a town situated amidst towering boulders and hillocks, in Karnataka, India. The Nayaka Dynasty once ruled this rocky terrain for about 250 years between the 1550s and 1700s. Its last ruler was Madakari Nayaka. During 1700s, it came under attack by the rising power in Mysore, named Hyder Ali. After many failed attacks, one day, one of the soldiers in Hyder Ali's army saw a person entering the fort through a small crevice between the rocks surrounding the fort. The hole was large enough for only one person to crawl through at a time. Hyder Ali put his spies to work to when does the sentry who guards this crevice leave his post. This sentry's name was Kahale Mudda Hanuma and his wife's name was Obavva. The spies came back and reported that Kahale left the post during the lunch hours to his home to have lunch. So, Hyder Ali planned to send his soldiers, one-by-one, through the hole and when they were in good numbers inside the fort, then they would attack.

One afternoon, when Kahale was at home, eating lunch, he asked Obavva to give him water. Since there was no water at home, Obavva went to lake to fetch water which was near the hole of the wall. While she filling water in the pot, she heard some noises coming from the hole. She realized that the enemy was lined up and was trying to enter into the fort through that hole. At that time only a big pestle stick (Onake) used for pounding paddy and other things, was available near her. Using her presence of mind, she hid near the hole with the Onake in her hand. The moment she saw the first soldier coming out of the hole, she whacked his head so hard that he died in the first strike. As she anticipated that more soldiers will be coming out of the hole, she carefully dragged the dead body and hid it do that no one could see it. In this way she killed many soldiers. When Kahale returned to the post having lunch, he saw many lifeless bodies strewn all near Obavva. Her clothes were completely soaked in blood. Understanding the situation, he blew the war trumpets and informed the other soldiers of the attack. In this way the fort was saved that day.

Obavva died the same day after committing the heroic act. Hyder Ali managed to capture the fort later, but that day due to her bravery, the fort was saved. The crevice where she stood killed so many soldiers, is named after her as Onake Obavva Kindi. KIndi means hole in Kannada.

This is a story of exemplary courage and bravery shown by her, which the coming generations will never forget. This also shows in this type of situations, even women take the form of goddess Kali to fight the enemy and women are no less valiant than men.