Bhalki

Bhalki is a town, and a taluka, in Bidar district in the state of Karnataka, India.HistoryFirst mention of the town was made as "Bhallunke" in the vachanas of 12th century sharanas. The sharana Kumbara Gundaiah was from Bhalki who was part of Bhakthi movement.The 1857 War of IndependenceBhalki's importance in the 1857 war is played out at the very end of the war, when one of Tatya Tope's followers is arrested and tried by the Nizam, in 1867. This person was Madho Rao, alias Rama Rao, the nephew of Shrimant Shahu Chatrapati, the Maharaja of Satara. He was also known as Jung Bahadur, as referred by Sir Richard Temple in his diaries. During a search, officials discovered that Jung Bahadur carried several papers in English and Marathi, translation of a deed of agreement and a seal saying he was the `Chatrapati of Satara'.Jung Bahadur raised an army of over 1500 people in and around the forests of Bhalki, spending up to 20,000 Rupees. and gave 200 Rupees to his follower Deva Rao to recruit 500 soldiers. A jamadar got a monthly salary of 40 Rupees, a sepoy 30 Rupees and a sawar 10 Rupees. He recruited soldiers in the villages issuing them Kaulnamas or appointment letters, in which he asked young men to join him in the task of "murdering the British and regaining the lost glory of the Royal family of Satara". Jung Bahadur and his followers moved on foot from village to village, disguised as mendicants.