History Class 12: Vijayanagara

Vijayanagara Empire was founded in the fourteenth century, and in its heyday, it stretched from the river Krishna in the north to the extreme south of the peninsula.

An English East India Company employee, Colonel Colin Mackenzie (first Surveyor General of India) brought the ruins at Hampi to light in 1800. Initial information received by him was based on the memories of priests of the Virupaksha temple and the shrine of Pampadevi. Historians collated their information with accounts of foreign travellers and other literature written in Telugu, Kannada, Tamil, and Sanskrit.

The Royal Centre

The royal centre was positioned in the settlement’s southwestern corner. There are around thirty architectural complexes that have been designated as palaces. The distinction between these constructions and temples is that temples were built entirely of masonry, whilst the secular buildings’ superstructures were composed of perishable materials.

 The Dibba of the Mahanavami: The “audience hall” and the “mahanavami Dibba” are two of the most remarkable platforms in the “king’s palace.” The entire complex is enclosed by thick double walls, with a roadway running through the middle. The audience hall is a high platform with tight and regular holes for wooden pillars. The “mahanavami Dibba,” located on one of the city’s highest peaks, is a large platform rising from a base of around 11,000 sq. ft. to a height of 40 ft. It appears to have supported a wooden building. The platform’s base is adorned with relief decorations. During the fall months of September and October, rituals related to the construction most likely corresponded with Mahanavami (literally, the great ninth day) of the Hindu festival. On this occasion, the Vijayanagara rulers demonstrated their majesty, might, and suzerainty.

 Other structures in the royal centre: The Lotus Mahal, so named by British travellers in the nineteenth century, is one of the most magnificent buildings in the royal centre. While most temples were in the religious centre, there were a few in the royal centre. The Hazara Rama temple is one of the most remarkable of them.

 The Sacred Heart

The religious centre was located on the rocky northern end of the river Tungabhadra’s bank. According to local legend, these hills were home to the Ramayana’s monkey kingdoms of Vali and Sugriva. Temple construction in the region has a lengthy history, dating back to kingdoms like the Pallavas, Chalukyas, Hoysalas, and Vijayanagara temple.

 Rulers frequently supported temple construction to connect themselves with the divine – the god was either expressly or tacitly connected with the monarch. Temples were sometimes used as educational institutions.

Emperors and others frequently provided land and other resources for the upkeep of temples. Temples grew to be important religious, social, cultural, and economic centres.

The presence of the temples of Virupaksha and Pampadevi is thought to have influenced the choice of Vijayanagara’s location. The Vijayanagara rulers, in reality, claimed to govern on behalf of the divinity Virupaksha.

Nayakas, Rayas, and Sultans:

Two brothers, Bukka and Harihara, established the Vijayanagara Empire in 1336. This empire included peoples who spoke several languages and followed different traditions. The Vijayanagara kings fought against the contemporary rulers – including the Gajapati rulers of Orissa and Sultans of the Deccan for control of the resources and fertile river valleys. Some of the areas incorporated within the empire had witnessed the development of powerful states like the Cholas and the Hoysalas.

Earlier states like the Chola and the Hoysalas had enlarged funding to spend on the temples such as the Chennakeshava temple and Brihadishwara temple. The rulers of Vijayanagara, who called themselves rayas, built on these traditions and carried them forward.

Kings and Traders:

The import of horses from Arabia and Central Asia was important for warfare.

Arab traders initially controlled this trade, but later, local merchants, known as kudirai chettis (horse merchants), also started trading.

The Portuguese also attempted to establish trading and military stations. Vijayanagara was also noted for its trade in spices, textiles, and precious stones. Trade was regarded as a status symbol for such cities, where the population demanded high-value exotic goods, especially precious stones, and jewellery. The revenue from trade significantly contributed to the development of the state. 

The Rise and Decline of the Empire: 

The Tuluva Dynasty replaced Saluva military commanders in 1503.

The Tuluva dynasty was ruled by Krishnadeva Raya, and his rule was characterized by consolidation and expansion. The land adjoining the Krishna and Tungabhadra rivers was gained (1512). The rulers of Orissa were despondent (1514). Severe defeats were laid on the Sultan of Bijapur (1520). Though the kingdom went through several threats, Krishnadeva Raya is known for his exceptional prosperity. He built some fine temples and added alluring gopurams to many chief south Indian temples.

He founded a suburban township near Vijayanagar called Nagalapuram. Soon after Krishnadeva Raya’s death in 1529, the strain was visible within the imperial structure. His successors were threatened by military chiefs or rebellious nayakas. By 1542 control at the centre had shifted to Aravidu, another ruling lineage.

This led to an alliance of the Sultanates against Vijayanagara.

In 1565 Rama Raya, the chief minister of Vijayanagara, led the army into battle at Rakshasa Tangadi (Talikota).

His forces were routed by the combined armies of Ahmadnagar, Golconda, and Bijapur.

Although the Sultans were responsible for the destruction of the city of Vijayanagara, relations between the Sultans and the Rayas were not always hostile.

Krishnadeva Raya, for example, supported some claimants to power in the Sultanates and had the title “establisher of the Yavana kingdom.”

In the same way, the Sultan of Bijapur involved himself to resolve succession disputes in the empire of Vijayanagar after the demise of Krishnadeva Raya.

The daring policy of Rama Ray tried to play off one Sultan against another. It led the Sultans to decisively defeat him.

The Rayas and the Nayakas:

Military chiefs were very strong and usually ruled over forts and had armed supporters and were known as Nayakas.

Many Nayakas followed the authority of the kings of Vijayanagara, but they often revolted and had to be suppressed by military action.

A major political invention of the Vijayanagara Empire was the Amaranayaka system.

Nayakas were military commanders. They were given the responsibility to govern the territories.

They collected taxes in the area, of which a part was retained for personal use and for maintaining a stipulated contingent of horses and elephants.

They sent tribute to the king annually and personally, appeared in the royal court with gifts to express their loyalty.

Kings occasionally asserted their control over them by transferring them from one place to another.

Conclusion

The Vijayanagara Empire, also known as the Karnata Kingdom, was headquartered in South India’s Deccan Plateau area. It was founded in 1336 by the brothers Harihara I and Bukka Raya I of the Sangama dynasty, who were part of a pastoralist cowherd society with Yadava ancestors.