The Aravidu Dynasty of Vijayanagara, Vol. I v1.c18.30

v1.c18.30

2. Penukonda was therefore the town where Ranga I ‘ruled in splendour with all insignia of royalty’, to quote the Vellangudi plates of Venkata II ¹⁰. Pemmasani Pedda Timmaraja seems to have been his minister ¹¹, or at least one of his ministers, because in an inscription of 1581 Ranga mentions Megoti Timma Nayadu as his agent and minister ¹. Another who seems to have been in charge of the matters of government is Timmaya Mantri; for the author of the *Charuchandrodayam*, his cousin, says that he "was the right hand of the Emperor Sri Ranga Raya and was presented by him with elephants, horses, palanquins and umbrellas" ². His dalavay, or commander-in-chief, was one Obala in 1572 ³; but nine years later, in 1581, Venkatappa Nayadu occupied this post ⁴. Rayasam Venkatapati was also one of his officers: in his poem *Lakshmi-vilasam* he informs us that he got the name of Rayasam after his office in the court, which was despatch-writer, and he was the manager of the Secretariat of the Empire. He was much loved by the Emperor, who presented him with a village and gold jewels ⁵.