The Aravidu Dynasty of Vijayanagara, Vol. I v1.c22.15

v1.c22.15

After careful consideration of all the sources, it seems that the Golkonda army, after having been repelled by the garrison of Penukonda, retreated northwards pursued by the Hindus. “Venkatapati Raya”, says the *Ramarajiyamu*, “collected his army and drove the son of Ibharam (Ibrahim Qutb Shah, *viz.* Muhammad Kuli Qutb Shah) who had invaded his territory, as far as Golkonda. He chased his army back and defeated it on the banks of the Pennar. The water of the river was crimson with the blood of the Muhammadan soldiers killed in the battle” ³. This battle was no doubt a remarkable event in the history of the Hindu Empire; for almost all the grants of Venkata make mention of it. The Vilapaka grant and the Dalavay Agraharam plates, besides two other grants, state that the Muhammadan ruler was “forcibly deprived of troops, of horses and elephants; weapons, white umbrella, parasols, etc., at the head of a battle by the excellent soldiers of the army of this powerful (king)” ⁴. The Vilapaka grant records moreover that the son of Malikibharama (Malik Ibrahim), Mahamandasahu (Muhammad Shah), reached his house in despair, reduced in lustre, ’ and ‘ thus daily, ’ it ends ironically, ‘ makes his name significant (or famous)’¹. It appears that there was more than one battle, because the Vellangudi plates say that Mahamandasahu was “defeated repeatedly by the army of this King, and used daily to return dejected from the battlefield after being deprived of his elephants, horses, arms and umbrella”². The defeat of the Golkonda Sultan is again mentioned in both the Padmaneri grant³, and the Mangalampad grant of the Hindu Emperor⁴.