ECHCHAMA THE BRAVE A HISTORICAL TALE FROM THE SOUTH No. 265 Re, 350 | a ' ty = ey ey zs er,The Vijayanagara Empire disintegrated following the defeat inflicted on its ruler by the combined forces of the Deceani Sultanates in the battle of Talikota (1565), Aliya Ramaraya, the powerful regent, lost his life in the battle. Hampi, the capital, was reduced to ruins, People were highly demoralis- ed, An atternpt was made to revive the Kingdom and lost glory by the Aravidu dynasty which ruled from Chendrein, near Tirupati. Venkatapati was the ablest of the Ts belonging te this dynasty, After him there was a struagle far the throne, In the events that followed, Echchama Nayak came off with flying colours Literary works like Ramarajiyanu, Bahulashva Charitamu, Raghunathabhyudaya and Sahitya Ratnakara bestow lavish praise on Echchsma for his bravery and fearlassness and his loyalty te his master. Echchama is alse known by the names, Pedda Yachama and Yachama Shuradu, His capital was Madhuranta- kam, near Chingleput in Tamil Nadu. In Karnataka Echchame's name has become a byword for loyalty. AMAR CHITRA KATHA means good reading. Mea Ee ta nee ane) © 1BH Publishers Put. Ltd. Bombay 400 O26. All rights reserved. Published by HG. Mire rdatti tor BH Publishers Py. Lid. 22. Bhulabhai Desai vd, Bombay 400.020 and printed by hinat IBH Printers, Marcl Naka Mathuradas Vissanj Road adber) Last, Bombay 4a0 058, Editor: Anant Pai Script by : Luis M. Fernandes and R.S. Ramarao Artworks : Dilip Kadamsit st B VENKATAFAT/, THE KING OF VIJAYANAGARA, LAY ON HIS FATHBED. AMONG THE ANMIOUS MEN BY HIS SIDE SUBDEMLY, THE KING BECKONED TO ||) SRIRANGARAYA TO COME CLOSER. |):STEADY, PRINCE . THE KING HAS APPOINTED YOU HIS SUCCESSOR. AND THE KING'S WISHES ARE ORDERS TO BE | cANNOT AccePT }4 THE THRONE ! |AT A SIGNAL FROM THe KING, THE | | MINISTER PUT THE ROYAL CROWN ION SRIRANGA'S HEAD. _ AS A IN ONE BY ONE, THE NOBLES AND THE CHIEFTAINS WALKED UP TO THE NEW KING AND | CLERGED THEIR LOYALTY TO HIM. PROMINENT AMONG THEM WAS ECHCHAMA NAYAK, THE POWERFUL CHIEFTAIN OF MARHURANTAKAM* NOW iit FAM NADL 2THE ONLY NOBLE WHO HELD BACK WAS ANP ULL SEE JAGGARAYA, THE BROTHER-IN-LAW OF ThE DYING KING. To IT THAT Ou OCCUPY IT. THE. THRONE BELONGS To YOU, CHIKKA f EVERYONE |S SURPRISED BY THE KING'S CHOICE ! AND WELL MIGHT THEY Be! WHAT’ MAKES: YOU S0 SURE THAT CHIKKA IS HIS sone\/ FOR YEARS, I'VE HEARD IT SAID THAT }] CHIKKA iS AN j ADOPTED CHILD... WITHOUT THE KING’s KNOWLEDGE? + ADOPTED BY THE QUEEN, THAT IS. THEY SAY IT 5 WAS DONE WHEN BBPryc al HE WAS AN : INFANT. APPARENTLY THE KING DID KNOW OR WHY YOU ARE SILENT, ECHCHAMA. IT IS FoR THE KING. To APPOINT HIS. ACCEPT HIS CHOICE.1 AMSOME Date LATER UAGaARaT> I CAME WiTH A FEW OF HIS MEN. ALL OF THEM DREW Pte SWORES AND |ANELT BEFORE THE KiNG IM THE [MORE OF MY MEN ARE WAITING OUT- a) SIDE.THEY. Too WOULD LIKE To PLEDGE THEJR ALLEGIANCE if MAHARAY, | PO W NOT LIKE THIS... - HE HAS BROUGHT TOO MANY MEN... FLEASE TAKE mY ADVICE AND GET INTO THE PALACE!|SeiRANGA TRIED TO THE PALACE. GO BACK INTO a STAY WHERE YOU ARE IF YOU VALUE YOUR SONS HE WAS TAKEN AWAY AND IAPRISONED IN ANOTHER PALACE.UAGGARAYA CROWNED HIS NEPHEW KING BUT J REMAINED THE POWER BEHIND THE THRONE. : (| P je N ALL THE {| CHIEFTAINS HAVE CCEPTED THE J) \ EW KING 1 A a[THE LETTER WAS SENT BUT ECHCHAMA DID NOT RESPOND 7 \T 1S TRUE _— THAT HE TOOK aa | CAN'T | “| AN OATH OF UNDERSTAND ALLEGIANCE To WHY HE IS SO STUBBORN, TONLY HOPE HE DOES NOT -\_ATTACK us. TO BO 1S TO IGNORE HIM FOR THE Time &MEANWHILE AT MABHURANTAKAM, ECHCHAMA AND HIS TRUSTED LIEUTENANT, OBALA Bs es , Ane NAYAK WERE PLANNING THE NEXT MOVE. GUILELESS PLL wish 1 Hap BEEN IN WAGER. HE DID NOT! my) | CHANDRAGIRI WHEN KNOW WHAT WAS THAT TREACHEROUS , HAPPENING TILL JAGGA ABDUCTED THE LAST mz THE KING. é MOMENT. i JAGGA WILL PAY DEARLY FOR. HIS TREACHERY. Pe must HAVES Wf PATIENCE. QUR ay KING'S LIFE witlggee = BE IN DANGER. IF WE DECLARE 'y WAR ON JAGGA. [) FIRST WE mMuST <7 RESCUE THE KING AND THEN PUNISH THE TRAITORS.Ey Je HERE COME 3 THE SPIES 1 HAD PERHAPS, THEY CAN ANSWER YOUR, QUESTION. THE PALACE ONLY TWO PEOPLE , 1 HEAVILY GO IN AND OUT wiThouT GUARDED. NO BEING QUESTIONED. ONE CAN me . ENTER OR Zz LEAVE WITH- }} \ out BEING [1 WOULD Like TQ SPEAK TO THE DHOBI.WHERE SRIRANGA WAS HELP PRISONE) YOUR MAJESTY, I HAVE come TO } COLLECT THE SOILED LINEN. YES, YouR MAJESTY. INTHE MEANTIME HE HAS ASKED ME TO SMUGGLE ONE OF THE PRINCES out. [Some ERVS ETE arma palace | ( TAKE COURAG! YOUR MAUESTY, ECHCHAMA NAYAK IS TRYING TQ RESCUE you ANP YouR FAMILY. LOYALTY 1S LAUDABLE- But... +-4OUR TASK 1S A HOPELESS ONE. HOW WILL YOU _HOOPWINK ALL THOSE KEEN GUARDS OUT-THE ELI i{ 18 Too BIG FoR i\ ME TO CARRY-.;SOME TIME AFTER THE DHOBI HAD FORT — THE DHOBI! HE \ MUST HAVE BEEN CARRYING THE PRINCE BUT THE BI HAD ALREADY REACHED HIS DESTINATION. ECHCHAMA WAS | WAITING FOR HIM SOME DISTANCE AWAY POWN QUICKLY I Pe € fhe ie aTHAT'S A JOB WELL DONE. 1 AM GRATEFUL TO YOU. NOW KEEP OUT OF JAGGA'S WAY. IMA TOOK THE PRINCE TO MABHURANTAKAM. WHEN JAGGARAYA WAS INFORMED OF | SQ He was Too THE PRINCE'S ESCAPE, HE WAS FURIOUS. QUICK FOR US. ae sacle BOLTS! as oe THEN | MAY @/ AS WELL HAVE fe Seen PHOBIS WORKING fos FOR ME!i ECHCHAMA = HE WON'T COULD USE THE = DO_ANY THING PRINCE TO RALLY TO PROVOKE us THE PEOPLE E : AS LONG AS WE AROUND HIM- HAVE SRIRANGA! HE MIGHT TRY TO RESCUE SRIRANGA.. b nim [uaccARaya DOUBLED THE NuMBER OF MEN LET Hid \ | GuaeDING THE PALACE PRISON. TRY. NLL BE | WAITING PERHAPS A CAT COULDN'T... fe } / NOT EVEN if a cAT CAN ; GET PAST THOSE SOLDIERS NOW.WE'LL PIG A TUNNEL TO: BUT THE PALACE! | se [a SCORE OF MEN BEGAN AWAY FROM THE PALACE » LAND SLOWLY BUT STEADILY BEGAN | 70 BURROW THEIR WAY UNDER THE GROUND.ECHCHAMA NAYAK HAS SENT US TO TAKE YOU AND You! FAMILY AWAY FROM HERE. WE HAVE DUG A THE GUARDS HERE ARE VERY ALERT. s ANY, V'LL WAKE 1 aia || | THE QUEEN AND =U | | THE PRINCES. A TUNNEL® ae PSA HOTERDOUS £OUTSIDE, THE SOLDIERS WERE PATROLLING THE GROUNDS. THE GROUND SUDDENLY CAVED IN UNDER HIM.LET'S SEE IT’S A WHERE IT a TUNNEL! F Ga SOMEBODY eo ae: | HAS BEEN DIGGING A THE PRISONERS. ARE TRYING TO ESCAPE... WE'VE CAUGHT THEM REDHANDED. s |THE ROYAL PRISONERS AND THEIR ERSTWHILE | RESCUERS WERE TAKEN BACK TO THE PALACE. 1 TOLD You WE WOULDN'T SUCCEED.LeT’s THEY DISCOVERED GET OUT THE TUNNEL ! Ma OF HERE! THEY WILL SOON : | SHAKEN BY 7HE CARING PLANS OF ECHCHAMA NAYAK, JAGGARAYA TRANSFERRED THE | PRISONERS TO ANQTHER PRISON IM THE FORT. THESE WALLS ARE IMPREGNABLE (NO ONE CAN DIG BUT IT DIP NOT TARE THE FAITHFUL A TUNNEL THROUGH ECHCHAMA LONG TO BISCOVER WHERE THIS ROCKY GROUND. | |H/S MASTER WAS IMPRISONED. i WE'LL CAPTURE THAT PLACE.1 ECHCHAMAS MEN BEGAN TO INFILTRATE THE | IF Nor we] FORT IN THE GUISE OF PEASANTS AND | We’LL NEED DO IT MY WAY, THOUSANDS: LISTEN... TRADERS . OF MEN FOR THE TASK. 2 ANB WENT INTO HIDING LIKE THE REST q A OF HIS MEN. THEN ONE EVENING — JAGGARAYA 7 : 16 GOING OUT TOMORROW... TO MEET A CHIEFTAIN. is He'LL BE TAKING SOME OF HIS MEN : PN es WORD AROUND. fF) WITH HIM. 17's Al THE RIGHT TIME pr § FOR US TO Sais “ices, LET CUR MEN STRIKE. $ # ¥ BE READY.THE NEXT MORNING JAGGARAYA LEFT WITH ALMOST HALF OF THE MEN IN THE | FORT = : — [WHEN WE was Guy MEN ATTACKED. THE SOLDIERS WERE TAKEN BY SURPRISE ANP SOON THREE OF THE || COME QUICKLY FOUR GATES OF THE FORT WERE IW WITH THE REST OBALA'S POSSESSION. TELL HIM TOAS. THE MESSENGER RODE AWAY. [pearanae MESSENGER WAS ON HIS AY TO JAGGARAYA . ONE OF OUR MEN FROM THE FORT IS TRYING TO CATCH UP WITH MEN ARE IN EXCEPT ONE! é // THEY HAVE CAPTURED \ (A CURSE ON ECHCHAMA’S ALL THE GATES }\ THAT MAN! THE FORT!OBALA AND HIS MEN, JUBILANT WITH THEIR SUCCESS WERE WAITING FOR ECCHAMA TO COME.WHEN THEY SAW A CLOUD IN THE DISTANCE — a 3 HERE COMES « ECHCHAMA De NAYAK! He os | BALA AND HIS MEN FOUGHT BRAVELY | |Bur THEY WERE OCUTNUMBERED ANE SOON ALL OF THEM WERE PEAD. lsWHEN ECHCAAMA ARRIVED AT THE PORT ALL THE GATES WERE CLOSED... HOWEVER, ECHCHAMA'S BRAVE ATTEMPT HAD SHAKEN UJAGGARAYA'S MEM INCLUDING HIS OWN BROTHER. —S Se Gs. j-7 ONLY AS LONG J “| AS SRIRANGA YES. WE'LL IS ALIVE. I PUT Him OUT OF THE WAY! | FOR EVER! AND YOu witt| Dov.THAT NIGHT JAGGARAYA'S BROTHER. WSITED THE PRISON. YOUR ATTEMPT TO ESCAPE 15 A CRIME. FIRST YOU LET YOUR SON ESCAPE BuT WE LET THAT PASS. THEN YOU TRIED Te ESCAPE WITH \ YouR WHOLE. FAMILY... | HAVE NO DEFENCE NOT ONLY YOURSELF, THEN | HAVE ONLY REQUEST TO MAKE OF You. YOUR WHOLE FAMILY STANPS CONDEMNED. LET MINE BE THE HAND | THAT PUTS AY FAMILY TO SLEEP.LIVES OF His WIFE ANP HG TWO SONS AND THEN TURNED THE SWORD ON HIMSELF. THE NEWS SHOCKED. EVERYBODY = INCLUDING SEVERAL CHIEFTAINS WHO WERE SUP2ORTING JAGGARAYA. : — HE Si IOULD ae ~ Hi ; aq NOT HAVE AFTER ALL, SRIRANGA WAS THE APPOINTED FAILED MY MASTER} you SHALL NOT ESCAPE MY WRATH, JAGGARAYA!LET ALL THE CHIEFTAINS KNOW THAT | HAVE SRIRANGARAYA'S LET ALL Hose | WHO ARE LOYAL TO THE RIGHTFUL! KING , JOIN FORCES WITH ME. WE SHALL, FIGHT FOR HIM! WE PID NOT KNOW THAT THE RESCUED PRINCE WAS.|: VAGGARAYA AND HIS NEPHEW -WERE DEFEATED. THEY s eee FORCED TO FLEE.™ BA on age E i leccHama ENTERED THE CAPITAL ANP | INSTALLED SRIRANGA'S TWELVE- giimm |YEAR-OLP SON ON THE THRONE. FOR HE HAS MADE GooD HIS PLEDGE To SRIRANGA- LOYALTY, GREATER THAN HIS, HAS NEVER Ym BEEN WITNESSED IN i THIS LAND.Een etre nme ccn tcc Rae PQVeee nti enti n Rar tag eRe en a Chat ts ieee | eC Ce Roni MCT te Ms ts yates 7 ‘The Adventures of Mahesh Historical Tales eae eke nial All About Birbal “the adventures of Zango & Eunicede Souza Ra 500° Zing Zing Bar ‘More About Birbat Simren Kaur a. 4.50 Bunion de Souza Rs. 5.50. The Long Thin Jungle Nana Phadinavis Jane Bhandari Rs. 3.00 ‘Su Paranjpye Rs, 4.00 ‘The Lost Fish Pages from Indian History Rita Gang Bs. 3.50 Shamsuddin Rs, 4,00 . The Tale of Lumbdoom Storigs from Ancient India: the Long-Talled Langoor shobha Gangolli Rs, 450 Uma Anand Rs. 6.00 q ‘The Tiser’s Club & Other Stories | Sa cnet A Suddon Mystery Leen Gea} Dilip Suri Be. £00 ‘A Sudcion Mystery (Marathi) ‘The Gever Fisherman abe sur ns 500 Dolat Doongaji& AK Lavangia Rs. 2.00 ‘A Summer Adventure Dariba, The Good Shashi Deshpande Tis./6.00 - (itle Eskaasn -Mystory In Ranipur Chitra Narendran Bs. 3.50 pias ne. 200 Echo Book of Fun Kidnappers at Nandipur Gs Krishnayya Fs, 4,00 ‘shobha Gangollt Rs. 3.50 ste Tece of Counege Benes terelo Gs Krishnayya Fs. 4.00 : Footprints on the Moon TE ore ee sao __MtNafabot al Fs, 4.00 ‘Thama and the Drum Friendly: Tales Karas Lax as, BA Mody fa.280 SS Great Musicians of India tardies fo ee ee ee ee ag as cuaterorcnin Rs. 5.00 6350 stiractes in Modicine and Beast Thame er te Guanes neaso WR Srinivasan, Bs 4.00 ‘The Never-Never Bird me EErenieisces Margaret Bhatty Bs. 5.00 Grandfather's Private 200 ce eneock Cae ee oecliat ‘Anita Desai As. 4.00 pes Eeaatinked M452 ny toured Soon apt ~ ee mas other ere ae Jim Corbett and His Tigers Ser hal ona Ghat pasacg) eles ot ina ae dongle Tals for children wo Pays for chldren mineth Anaiersin ‘Sai Paranipye i prraies pecciee nslsso. .,, SeVilay Tendulkar As. 4.50 850 rubbo Motawala, the Fat ‘The Aventures of an pamathe eu ‘Uma Anand Bs. 4.50 a Distributed by: INDIA BOOK HOUSE Bombay, Oelhi, Calcutta, Madras, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Patna, Trivandrum, Chandigarh,NOW AVAILABLE! Collections: a From ‘the pages of the | a ever popular children’ Ss fortnightly: :"BUILD YOUR LIBRARY ~ WITH. THE LET US KNOW INDIA SERIES © : EU Ree cna roe Mn Meier een rs on the ge Retest eat Renan ntelE Pa arctan a ere GS MutIMuCeC Cr eit el ree rsts Con ater Sree or k ne caer a erat Sitesi ent iil cia sr erste cs these: carefully rese PCM ate a) terest and wich Tae Fully illustrated in colour. No.i to 22-22 volumes available, Also available as: hard-bound collections with a comprehensive index. Let Us Know India Nos. 1-8 Re.40.00 Let Us Know India Nos. 7-12 Rs.40.00 Let Us Know India Nos. 19-18 _Rs.40.00 Pera a INDIA BOOK HOUSE CRC EEC oe Primer tle74 54 148 44 215 HEROES FROM INDIAN HISTORY = No. 200 171 37 134 156 236 53 223 Tithe AKBAR, AMAR SINGH RATHOR ASHOKA BABUR BAGHA JATIN BAHMAN SHAH BAJI RAG! BALADITYA AND YASHODHARMA az 241 SALBAN 43 BANDA BAHADUR 84 BAPPA RAWAL 182 BATTLEFOR SRINAGAR, THE 234 BHAGAT SINGH 248 BIDHI CHAND 154 CHANDRAGUPTA MAURYA 142 CHANORA SHEKHAR AZAD 41 CHHATRASAL 232 DARA SHUKOH AND AURANGZEB 64 DURGADAS- HAKKA AND BUKKA HARI SINGH NALWA, 239 . 175 GREAT WOMEN OF INDIA AHILYABAL HOLKAR CHAND BiB! NOOR JAHAN PADMINI PANNA AND HADI RANI HARSHA HEMU HUMAYUN JAHANGIR KRISHNADEVA RAYA LACHIT BARPHUKHAN PAURAVA AND ALEXANDER PRITHVIRAS CHAUHAN RAJA RAJA CHOLA 50 RAM SHASTRI 192 RANADHIRA 183. RANA KUMBHA 24 RANA PRATAP 106 RANA SANGA 49. RANJIT SINGH ‘264 RASH BEHARI BOSE 250 SAMBHAJI 204 SHAH JAHAN 165 SHALIVAHANA, KING 56 SHER SHAH 23 SHIVAJI 40. TANAJI 187 TIPU SULTAN 128 VEER HAMMIR 213 VELU THAMPI 28. VIKRAMADITYA MAKERS OF MODERN INDIA 188 120 206 219 136 BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR DAYANANDA JAYAPRAKASH NARAYAN LOKAMANYA TILAK RABINDRANATH TAGORE 132 RANAK GEV 77 SUBHAS CHANDRA BOSE 216 RANI ABBAKKA WASAGAR 104 RANI OURGAVATI M.. SHAH KANANDA 51 RANI OF JHANSI, THE No. 813, Dhobi Vaca a 166 RANI OF KITTUR, THE shmere Gate, Dai 96 SHARAN KAUR Niob: eS 110 SULTANA RAZIA Mob;- 92808272) 48 TARABAL A new title every fortnight. Over 290 titles are now on sale. eet BH For VPP orders write to: 2 INDIA BOOK HOUSE x 3-A, Rashtrapati Road, Secunderabad 3 ‘Send your annual subscription of Rs. 84/-(for,24 issues) Ravprebhet Chambers, ata Fl ayprabhat Chambers, ard Floor, Ransde Road, Dadar, Bombay-400 028