The Aravidu Dynasty of Vijayanagara, Vol. I v1.c14.30

v1.c14.30

3. We do not possess very good information about the foundation of the Nayakship of Jinji. According to the above mentioned work of Narayan, the *Karnataka Rajakal Savistara Charitram*, the first Raja of that place was Ananta Kon, who about 1200 A. D. became the founder of the Shepherd Dynasty. At the end of the 14th century an army of Vijayanagara defeated the Raja of Jinji, named Kobilingam, and took possession of the country around⁴. This expedition must be the one of Kumara Kampana; because during Kampana’s campaign in the South we find his general Gopanaraya at Jinji as governor of the country⁵. He appears to have had jurisdiction over the South as far as Chidambaram, for according to the *Guruparampara* Sri Vedanta Desika, taking advantage of an internal commotion in Chidambaram, compelled Gopanaraya of Jinji to re-place there the image of Govinda Raja⁶. Later on, probably at Gopanaraya’s death, the Jinji country was delivered to Narasinga Udiyar to be held as a fief: he accepted it with the promise to send an annual tribute to the emperor ¹. Then we find Vala Krishnappa Nayakkan mentioned as Raja of Senji (Jinji); his son Vala Venkatapati Nayakkan in 1464, during the reign of Rama Deva Maharaya (?), drew up a document recorded in an inscription at Jinji ². According to Prof. Srinivasachari this Vala Venkatapati probably was the one who persecuted the Jains of the neighbourhood in 1478 ³. Nevertheless, Jinji was subsequently lost to Vijayanagara; for the Jaimini Bharata-mu informs us that Saluva Narasimha conquered Jinji during his campaign in the South ⁴.