You guys must have heard about the Kingdom of Vijayanagar and its king Sri Krishnadeva Raya and the wily Tenali Rama: The court poet of Sri Krishnadeva Raya’s council who uses his wit to solve the problems.
Do you know that Sri Krishnadeva Raya won all the wars he waged and was never defeated? Know more about the Empire of Vijayanagar: The city of victory.
The Empire of Vijayanagar
The Empire of Vijayanagar was based and located in the Deccan plateau region in the southern parts of India. Harihara I and his brother Bukka Raya I of the Sangama Dynasty were the founders of the Vijayanagar Empire.
The Vijayanagar empire was founded in the year 1336 by the two brothers of the Sangama Dynasty. Vijayanagar empire was named after its Capital city Vijayanagar, which means the city of victory.
Harihara I and his brother Bukka Raya I established the Vijayanagar empire in the year 1336, they were inspired and supported by the Saint Vidyaranya or Madhavacharya to fight the Muslim invasion of southern parts of India. Saint Vidyaranya or Madhavacharya was the 12th head of the Sringeri Sharada Peetham established by Jagadguru Shankaracharya.
Sringeri Sharada Peetham is dedicated to Goddess Saraswati and it was established by Sri Adi Shankaracharya during the 8th century. There are 4 Peetham or Matha in 4 different directions, Jyotir Matha near Badrinath in the North, Govardhana Matha In Puri in the East, Kalika Matha near Dwarka in the West, and Sharada Matha near Sringeri in the South.
The Vijayanagar Empire was successful in defending the southern parts of India from the Muslims Invasion until the Battle of Talikota in January 1565.
In the Battle of Talikota initially, the Vijayanagar Empire had the upper hand but the tide turned when two Muslim Commanders of the Vijayanagar Army switched sides and turned their loyalty to the United Deccan Sultanates.
The Vijayanagar Empire was ruled by 4 dynasties until its fall in the year 1646. Harihara I and his brother Bukka Raya I of the Sangama dynasty established the Vijayanagar Empire in the year 1336 and ruled up to 1485. The Saluva dynasty was the second dynasty to rule the Vijayanagar empire, followed by the Tuluva dynasty.
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The last dynasty that ruled the Vijayanagar empire was the Aravidu dynasty. The undefeated king Sri Krishnadeva Raya of the Vijayanagar empire belonged to the Tuluva dynasty, the third dynasty to rule the Vijayanagar empire.
The Undefeated King Sri Krishnadeva Raya
King Sri Krishnadeva Raya was born in 1471 in Hampi, the capital city of the Vijayanagar empire. He was born to Tuluva Narasa Nayaka and Nagala Devi. Tuluva Narasa Nayaka was the founder of the Tuluva dynasty of the Vijayanagar empire.
Hampi, the capital city of the Vijayanagar empire was the 2nd most prosperous city in the world during the rule of King Sri Krishnadeva Raya. During the reign of Sri Krishnadeva Raya Telugu culture and literature flourished.
King Sri Krishnadeva Raya of the Vijayanagar empire was an undefeated king. He never lost a war he waged. He was the most successful king of the great Vijayanagar empire.
Sri Krishnadeva Raya reigned the Vijayanagar empire from 1509 to 1529 until he died due to serious illness on 17th October 1529 as per an inscription discovered at Honnenahalli in the Tumakuru district.
The same inscription that was discovered at Honnenahalli in the Tumakuru district refers to 21st October 1529 as the date of Achyutadeva Raya’s coronation after the demise of Sri Krishnadeva Raya.
The wily Tenali Rama of the Great Vijayanagar Empire
Tenali Rama was a Telugu poet and the court poet of King Sri Krishnadeva Raya’s council who uses his wit to solve problems. He hailed from a village called Tenali that’s why he is known as Tenali Rama or Tenali Ramakrishna.
Tenali Rama is famous for his wit and intellect even today among the people and for the way he used comedy to shed light on serious social issues. King Sri Krishnadeva Raya used to take a call based on Rama’s advice. He was also the advisor of Sri Krishnadeva Raya.
Tenali Rama was one of the Ashtadiggajas of King Sri Krishnadeva Raya’s council. Ashtadiggajas was the collective title given to the top 8 scholars of king Sri Krishnadeva Raya’s council.
He was so faithful to the Empire of Vijayanagar and its king that he saved Sri Krishnadeva Raya’s life many times from life-threatening attacks without caring about his own life. Tenali Rama died in the year 1528 due to a snakebite.
Hampi: The Jewel of Vijayanagar Empire
Hampi: The capital city of the Vijayanagar Empire is a World Heritage Site declared by The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in the year 1986.
Hampi is situated on the southern bank of the Tungabhadra river in the Bellary district of Karnataka. It was the 2nd most prosperous city in the world during the rule of King Sri Krishnadeva Raya.
Hampi has a series of temples and monuments which showcase the mesmerizing sculptural art, architecture, and artwork of the great Vijayanagar Empire. Some of the famous temples in Hampi are Vitthala Temple and Virupaksha Temple.
How to reach Hampi
Hampi is well connected to the rest of the country. Tourists can reach Hampi in a number of ways.
By Air: The nearest International airport to Hampi is Kempegowda International Airport Bengaluru, which is around 350 KM away from Hampi. Tourists can take a cab to Hampi or can continue their journey via train.
By Train: Hosapete Junction (Hospet) is the nearest railway station to Hampi, which is around 13 KM away. There are regular trains for Hospet from major Indian cities and towns.
By Road: Hampi is well connected with the road network of the country. Tourists can opt for state-owned bus services (KSRTC) or private buses to reach Hampi.
Tourist places at Hampi
Hampi has ancient temples, forts, and other groups of monuments but now there lie ruins of a lot of temples and other structures, which showcases the rich architecture and sculptural art of the Vijayanagar Empire.
Tourists from all over the globe visit Hampi to discover the rich history and ancient architecture of the region. Major tourist places at Hampi include Virupaksha Temple, Lotus Mahal, Vitthala Temple, etc.
Virupaksha Temple
The Virupaksha Temple in Hampi is dedicated to Lord Shiva and it has beautifully carved walls, each telling the story of Sanatana Dharma. The temple is also known as Pampapathi Temple and dates back to the 7th century.
Lotus Mahal
Lotus Mahal-the palace build for the queens of King Sri Krishnadeva Raya of the Vijayanagar empire. The palace is also known as Chitrangi Mahal, designed like a Lotus flower. It has an open design with long corridors having no walls, supported by 24 pillars.
Vijaya Vitthala Temple
Shri Vijaya Vitthala Temple is dedicated to Lord Vitthala, an incarnation of Lord Vishnu (The Preserver). Vitthala Temple is renowned for its musical pillars which are also known as ‘SAREGAMA’ pillars.
The fall of the Vijayanagar Empire
The fall of the Vijayanagar empire started with the Battle of Talikota, fought in January 1565. Rama Raya the ruler of the Vijayanagar empire on behalf of the de facto king Sadashiva Raya fought the battle of Talikota against the forces of the United Deccan sultanate.
Deccan Sultanate aligned with the enemies of the Vijayanagar empire to checkmate their biggest foe. The consolidation was achieved by marriages between various Sultanate families which helped in putting aside the inner conflicts between the Sultanates.
The forces of the Vijayanagar empire led by Rama Raya had the upper hand in the battle of Talikota. The tide turned when two Muslim Commanders (The Gilani Brothers) of the Vijayanagar Army switched sides and turned their loyalty to the United Deccan Sultanates.
Rama Raya was killed in the Battle of Talikota. The Vijayanagar empire was defeated by the united forces of the Deccan. The Sultans destroyed many temples and plundered their wealth and caused massive destruction. Hampi was looted and destroyed by the enemies.
For a period of six months, the people of Hampi were massacred and many temples were destroyed by the Sultans which shows the religious intolerance of Islamists.
The Empire of Vijayanagar and the Bahmani Kingdom
The Bahmani Sultanate was founded by Alauddin Bahman Shah in the year 1347. Bahmani kingdom is known for its perpetual wars with the Empire of Vijayanagar.
The course of history shows that the Vijayanagar empire and Bahmani kingdom had to contend with each other from the time Bahmani Sultanate broke away from the Delhi Sultanate.
Military victories of King Sri Krishnadeva Raya of the Vijayanagar empire led to the fragmentation of the Bahmani Sultanate into five independent states by the year 1518.
The Vijayanagar empire declined in power after the defeat in a decisive battle against the United Forces of the Deccan Sultanate in the battle of Talikota fought in January 1565 and lasted until 1646.
The tale of two Empires of Bharat (India)
The Empire of Vijayanagar was founded by Harihara I and his brother Bukka Raya I in the year 1336, they were inspired and supported by Saint Vidyaranya or Madhavacharya to fight the Muslim invasion of southern parts of India.
The Mughal Empire was founded by Babur in the year 1526 and ruled the northern parts of India. The Mughal Empire and Vijayanagar Empire were far away from each other, The Mughal Empire was ruling the Northern parts of India while the Vijayanagar Empire was ruling the Southern parts of India.
The Mughals were consolidating their power in the North while the Vijayanagar was fighting the Muslim’s invasion of southern parts of India. Both the Empires had their own challenges so they do not have to contest with each other.
Babur, The founder of the Mughal Empire named King Sri Krishnadeva Raya of Vijayanagar Empire as the strongest ‘Kafir’ (Infidel) king in India in his autobiography, Baburnama.
The Vijayanagar empire declined in power after the defeat in a decisive battle against the United Forces of the Deccan Sultanate in the battle of Talikota fought in January 1565 and lasted until 1646.
The Mughal Empire began to decline in the early 18th century during the reign of Muhammad Shah. Much of its territory was taken over by Marathas followed by the British. The last Mughal Emperor Bahadur Shah Zafar was exiled by the British for his involvement in the 1857 Mutiny.
Conclusion
As the old saying goes, There is nothing permanent except change. Hampi: The capital city of the Vijayanagar Empire is left with nothing but ruins. For a period of six months, the people of Hampi were massacred and many temples were destroyed by the Sultans of the Deccan which shows the tyranny of Islamic invaders of India.
History teaches us that an insider does the maximum damage. As in the case of the Vijayanagar Empire, two Muslim Commanders (The Gilani Brothers) of the Vijayanagar Army switched sides in the decisive battle of Talikota which lead to the fall of the Vijayanagar Empire.