Kaurwaki

Maharani Kaurwaki was a fisherwoman and later on became one of Ashoka's wives.

Legends says that Kaurwaki was daughter of a fisher man. It is said that she led an army of females against Ashoka in Kalinga. After Kalinga had no males left to defend it.^{[citation needed]} Unlike as depicted in some texts and movies, Kaurwaki was forcibly taken by Ashoka,^{[citation needed]} who was struck by her mesmerizing beauty, and was made his wife.

Kaurwaki converted to Buddhism and became Ashoka's first wife. She was immortalized in the Queen Edict which was one of the minor rock edicts erected by Ashoka. The edict identifies her as the second queen of Ashoka and mother to Tivala. Legend also tells of a daughter born to Ashoka who died not long after birth named Jo-sanne, born after Tivala (the origin of her name is unknown but said by some to be given by a Kalingan priest who had envisioned her birth and name). She is still venerated in parts of the Kalinga district as an immortal princess-protector of her father's throne.

In popular culture

In the Bollywood film Asoka, Kaurwaki is depicted as being an orphan princess from Kalinga, and leads an army against Asoka's invasion.^{[citation needed]}