Pramāṇa · Search · About · API

The Aravidu Dynasty of Vijayanagara, Vol. I v1.c9: Chapter III. Administration of the Empire

The Aravidu Dynasty of Vijayanagara, Vol. I v1.c9

Language
English

Chapter III. Administration of the Empire

v1.c9.1

SUMMARY.—1. Rama Raya, Regent of the Empire.—2. First stage of his rule.—3. Wise activity of the Regent and his two brothers. 4. Second stage: Sadasiva imprisoned.—5. Rebellion of Tirumala and Venkatadri.—6. Elevation of the members of the Aravidu family.—7. Preparation of the forthcoming stage.—8. Third stage The usurpation of Rama Raya.—9. His rule as Emperor of Vijayanagara.—10. Conditions of the State Finance.—11. Maintenance of Hindu cult.—12. Religious offerings of the subjects. 13. Alms to the Brahmins.—14. Jurisdiction affairs.—15. Agriculture.—16. The barbers.—17. Other public affairs.—18. State of the capital.

v1.c9.2

CONTEMPORARY SOURCES.—1. Hindu inscriptions and grants. 2. Ferishta, Anonymous Chronicler of Golkonda. 3. Couto, Correa. 4. Travels of C. Frederick. 5. *Chikkadevaraya Vamsavali*, *Ramarajiyamu*, *Svaramelakalanidhi*, *Prapannamritam*.

v1.c9.3

SADASIVA was on account of his age unfit to manage the State affairs. Hence the anonymous chronicler of Golkonda states that ‘Rama Raya assumed the office of Protector’¹. The Muhammadan writer in announcing the assumption of power by the Minister Rama Raya describes him as Regent of the puppet Sadasiva. Accordingly all power was vested in Rama Raya, as the *Chikkadevaraya Vamsavali* recorded some years later². The only fact on which all the authors who have written on Sadasiva’s reign agree, is the supreme power wielded by the fortunate Minister who was helped by his two brothers. But the aforesaid chronicler of Golkonda suggests at least two different stages in his period of governing. “Ramraj”, he states, “first assumed the office of Protector, and subsequently usurped the throne”³. Is this usurpation of the throne supported by other documents? I have closely examined the inscriptions and grants of Sadasiva’s reign, and discern not two but three different stages in the Regency of Rama Raya.

v1.c9.4

¹ Ferishta III, 381.

v1.c9.5

² S. Krishnaswami Aiyangar, *Sources*, p. 302.

v1.c9.6

³ Ibid.

v1.c9.7

2. During the first stage Rama Raya is nothing but Regent on behalf of his Sovereign; even the influence of Sadasiva’s will over his Regent may occasionally be detected through some of the earlier inscriptions. In one of 1546 we read that Sadasiva ‘gave orders to Rama Raya, saying’; and then Rama Raya makes a grant according to the King’s orders ¹. The same is shown by another inscription of 1547-8, at Podili, Nellore District, in which Sadasiva is stated to rule Vijayanagara “under the orders of Sriman Mahamandalesvara Aliyagamarama Rajayyadeva Maharajalungaru who bears the burden of the kingdom” ². Finally in 1549 by order of Sadasiva, Rama Raya issued an edict for the barbers of Udayagiri ³.

v1.c9.8

¹ *Ep. Carn.*, XI, Hk, 110.

v1.c9.9

² Butterworth, III, p. 1195-7.

v1.c9.10

³ Rangacharya, II, p. 1051, 17.

v1.c9.11

The titles given to Rama Raya at this time are *Mahamandalesvara*, minister ⁴, ‘agent of Sadasiva’ ⁵ ‘agent for the affairs of Sadasiva’s kingdom’ ⁶ or at most ‘ruler of the great Karnata Kingdom’ ⁷. No other trace of higher authority can be gathered from the records of the first years of his governorship.

v1.c9.12

⁴ 472 of 1906; 5 of 1900.

v1.c9.13

⁵ *Ep. Carn.*, XII, Tp, 126; Rangacharya, II, p. 1073, 199.

v1.c9.14

⁶ *Ep. Carn.*, VI, Tk., 13.

v1.c9.15

⁷ Sadasiva’s grant, *Ep. Carn.*, IV, Ng, 58.

v1.c9.16

In the meanwhile Sadasiva mostly resided at the capital. This is frequently stated in the inscriptions ⁸. In 1548 he made the Kanuma grant, and in 1551 the Bevinahalli grant “in the vicinity of the god Vitthalesvara, on the banks of the Tungabhadra river” viz., at Vijayanagara ⁹.

v1.c9.17

⁸ Butterworth, II, p. 921-2.

v1.c9.18

⁹ *Ep. Ind.*, XIV, p. 353, v. 43; p. 231, vv. 43-45.

v1.c9.19

3. From the very beginning the wise activity of the Regent in conducting the State affairs surpassed all expectations. A grant of Sadasiva in 1558 exalts the virtues of Rama Raya as a ruler, ‘possessed of valour, liberality and mercy’ 1; moreover he is said to be ‘versed in politics’ 2, or ‘well versed in politics’ 3, ‘skilled in politics’ 4 conversant with politics 5, and to have ‘studied politics’ 6. One of the prudent steps he took in connection with the rule of the vast Empire was the division of responsibility. Couto relates that he at once secured the co-operation of his two brothers in the ministership; the administration of justice was assigned to Tirumala while Venkatadri took over the supervision of the State finances⁵. Several inscriptions justify the statement. Early in 1545, according to an inscription of Hampi, the Mahamandalesvara Tirumalarayadeva Maharasu granted to some person the village of Kotanahalli together with its hamlets⁶. In another inscription at Hampi, bearing the same date, mention is made of “Jangamayya, the Dalavay or general of Timmaraja, younger brother of Rama Raya” 7.

v1.c9.20

⁵ Kuniyur Plates of Venkata III, *Ep. Ind.*, III, p. 252, v. 13.

v1.c9.21

⁶ *Ep. Carn.*, XII, Ck, 39.

v1.c9.22

As chief minister of the Regent, Tirumala was given the most important province of the Empire to rule; this was Udayagiri, called ‘the chief fortress under the royal throne of Vijayanagara’ 8, owing its proximity to the Muhammadan frontier. Formerly it had almost always been governed by Princes of the Royal family, as Viceroys on behalf of the Emperor. In 1543 Tirumala was governor of Udayagiri 9, and in 1551-2 we find him fulfilling the same office 10; however, he did not stay at Udayagiri, because in the same year 1551, according to an inscription at Sangam, the governor of Udayagiri was Chivvakkaluri Bayacha Rajayya ¹, who ruled on behalf of Tirumala. Was this the same Tirumala who was governor of Udayagiri in 1535-6? ². His appointment at that time was not due to his brother, but either to Achyuta or to the ministers of the latter.

v1.c9.23

¹ *Ep. Carn.*, IX, Cp, 186.

v1.c9.24

² Mangalampad grant of Venkata II, Butterworth, I, p. 29, v. 15.

v1.c9.25

³ Dalavay Agraharam plates of Venkata II, *Ep. Ind.*, XII, p. 186, vv. 13-40.

v1.c9.26

⁴ *Ep. Carn.*, X, Mb, 60.

v1.c9.27

⁷ Couto, VI, p. 383.

v1.c9.28

⁸ M. A. D., 1920, p. 39.

v1.c9.29

⁹ Ibid.

v1.c9.30

¹⁰ Butterworth, III, p. 542.

v1.c9.31

¹¹ *Ep. Ind.*, XVI, p. 242.

v1.c9.32

¹ Rangacharya, II, p. 113, 477.

v1.c9.33

² *Ep. Carn.*, III, Sr, 95.

v1.c9.34

In spite of the great power which the governorship of Udayagiri naturally gave him, his subordination to Rama Raya was at all times exemplary: an inscription of Kalamalla records the remisssion of taxes on the barbers of this place by Tirumala with the permission of Rama Raya ³.

v1.c9.35

³ 380 of 1904.

v1.c9.36

As to Venkatadri, the *Ramarajiyamu* mentions the town of KANDANOL, Karnul district, as the seat of his government ⁴. Accordingly in 1547 he remitted the tax on the Brahmins in the villages of Kanala, ⁴, Damagatla ⁵ and Bannum ⁶. These places are all situated in Karnul district. This probably was in the first stage of Rama's governorship, for we find Venkatadri governing the Chola country during the second stage.

v1.c9.37

⁴ S. Krishnaswami Aiyangar, *Sources*, p. 222.

v1.c9.38

⁶ Ibid., p. 947, 395.

v1.c9.39

Rama Raya, shortly after Sadasiva's coronation, showed his prudence as well as his decision, in an event related by Correa. Once when marching against the Sultan of Bijapur, a number of captains and nobles, discontented with the Regent's rule, proposed to him to abdicate, that they might proceed to a new election. Rama Raya apparently agreed, and invited them to return to Vijayanagara where the election was to be held. Then he assembled them in the royal palace, which was secretly defended by his relations and adherents. Once the rebel nobles were inside, all the gates of the palace were shut; the insurgent nobles were then seized by the partisans of Rama Raya. Many of the poor prisoners were slain; others suffered the amputation of their feet or the extraction of their eyes ⁵.

v1.c9.40

⁵ Rangacharya, II, p. 964, 532.

v1.c9.41

⁷ Ibid., p. 945, 385.

v1.c9.42

⁸ Correa, IV, p. 439.

v1.c9.43

4. Some years later, probably as soon as the King was old enough to assume the government of the Empire, Rama Raya put him in prison¹ and thus a new era was inaugurated. Frederick states that the three brothers were responsible for this, but Couto blames Rama Raya alone. Couto’s statement seems to be more probable, for it explains the rebellion of Tirumala and Venkatadri to which reference will be made later. Sadasiva’s prison was, according to Couto, a strongly fortified tower with iron doors and surrounded by sentries; nevertheless, his treatment while there was such as befitted a king².

v1.c9.44

¹ Purchas, *His Pilgrims*, X, p. 93; Gubernatis, *Storia*, p. 289; Anquetil du Perron, *Des Recherches Historiques, Description Historique*, II, p. 165.

v1.c9.45

² “E como era muito poderoso, e gran capitao metteo-se na Corte, e lancou mano do Rey moco, e o metteo em huma torre fortissima, com grandes vigias, e portas de ferro, aonde o teve em quanto viveo como huma estatua com o nome so de Rey; mas com todas as despezas, gastos, e apparatos que pudera ter, se fora, e estivera livre”. Couto, VI, p. 383. Anquetil du Perron, l. c., after relating the imprisonment of the king, says: “C’est la conduite des Peschwahs de Ponin, a l’egard des descendants de Sevaji renfermes a Satara, et d’Heider Ali Khan envers le Roi de Maissour”.

v1.c9.46

Couto does not say where this tower was situated. Several inscriptions of the time affirm that Sadasiva resided at Vijayanagara. But this is not a satisfactory proof; because even supposing he was imprisoned at Penukonda, his subjects could readily have been led to believe he was still at Vijayanagara. Nevertheless we are inclined to think he remained in his capital for the reason we shall now give, and on account of the events subsequent to the disaster at Raksas-Tagdi. All the records say that Tirumala after the battle ran to Vijayanagara to fetch King Sadasiva where he was ‘kept prisoner’, as Frederick states, and then fled with him to their final refuge.

v1.c9.47

Anquetil du Perron says that this *coup d’état* took place somewhere between 1550 and 1552; and since he subsequently states that Sadasiva remained in this prison thirteen years³ before the beginning of the third stage of Rama Raya’s government, we may suppose that the opening of the second stage was in 1550, and lasted till 1562 or 1563. The unfortunate Sovereign was shown to his subjects only once a year¹. This was the only occasion for them to realize that there still was at Vijayanagara a representative of the old Tuluva Dynasty seated on the jewelled throne. But, as a matter of fact, Sadasiva was only the nominal ruler. He was no more than a mere tool in the hands of Rama Raya, who was practically the Emperor of Vijayanagara.

v1.c9.48

³ Anquetil du Perron, l. c.

v1.c9.49

¹ Frederick, Purchas, o. c., p. 93.

v1.c9.50

During this second stage the inscriptions put the power of Rama Raya on an equality with that of Sadasiva. In 1551 a private grant is made ‘for the merit of Sadasiva and Rama Raya’². Another inscription of Dasandoddi, dated 1554, states that “Badme Maluka-Odeya granted one village which he had been presented with by Sadasiva and Rama Raya”³. The Bevinahalli grant of Sadasiva (1551) gives both genealogies, that of Sadasiva and that of Rama Raya, in detail⁴. This illustrates the importance of the powerful Regent. Three years later, in 1554-5, Mangala Timmoja Kondojugaru, ‘having done service to Rama Raya and having made a request to the king’ obtained a grant according to his petition⁵. In 1557 the same Mangala Timmoja made a grant to the god Bhire, in order that merit might accrue to Rama Raya’⁶.

v1.c9.51

² *Ep. Carn.*, IV, Gu, 54.

v1.c9.52

³ *M. A. D.*, 1920, p. 39.

v1.c9.53

⁴ *Ep. Ind.*, XIV, p. 210.

v1.c9.54

⁵ Butterworth, III, p. 1195-7.

v1.c9.55

⁶ *Ep. Carn.*, XI, Mk, 1.

v1.c9.56

5. But, although the power of the Emperor and that of his Minister are on a level, the influence of Sadasiva is no longer felt. The only rulers of the Vijayanagara Empire are three members of the Aravidu family, Rama Raya and his two brothers. ‘They ruled at their pleasure as they liked’, says Frederick⁷. Nevertheless Tirumala and Venkatadri rebelled against the authority of their brother at the beginning of this stage, say about 1551, presumably because they disliked Rama Raya’s treatment of his legitimate sovereign. No other reason can be given for this disagreement between Rama Raya and his brothers. Precisely one year before, in 1549-50, Tirumala had requested and obtained from Sadasiva the Mamidipundi grant¹: his gratefulness towards the sovereign was no match for the audacity of his brother.

v1.c9.57

¹ Butterworth, I, p. 102, v. 62.

v1.c9.58

The fact is related by the anonymous chronicler of Golkonda; and although some authors consider his narrative untrustworthy², we cannot but admit its truthfulness considering the fact that in his own day several events connected with this rebellion occurred in the very capital of Golkonda. I shall quote the whole passage of the Muhammadan writer here.

v1.c9.59

"During the absence of Ramraj from his capital (to help the Sultan of Bijapur against that of Ahmadnagar, as we shall relate in one of the following chapters) his two brothers, Timraj and Govindraj, (sic) who were placed in the government of Adoni, taking advantage of his absence, not only usurped the control of Adoni, but, collecting a force, compelled several other districts to submit to their authority. Ramraj, on his return to Vijayanagara, wrote in the first place letters to his rebel brothers, which they treated with contempt, relying upon their own strength; and he, being unable to subdue them, was induced to send ambassadors to the court of Golkonda to solicit assistance. Ibrahim Qutb Shah immediately despatched Qabul Khan, at the head of six thousand infantry, to join Ramraj. On reaching Vijayanagara, Ramraj ordered his own troops into the field; and having directed Sidraj Timapa, Nur Khan and Bijly Khan, with their different corps, to join the subsidiary forces, he ordered them to march against the rebels. The insurgents, finding themselves unable to oppose the royalists, took shelter in the strong fortress of Adoni, which was besieged for a period of six months; when, being distressed for provisions, the garrison sent petitions to the throne of Vijayanagara. Ramraj pardoned his brothers, and recalled the forces to the capital; whence, after being handsomely rewarded, Qabul Khan

v1.c9.60

‘Ain-ul-Mulk’ ” received permission to return to Golkonda, where the King honoured him with the title of ‘Ain-ul-Mulk’ ” ¹.

v1.c9.61

¹ Ferishta, III, p. 397-8.

v1.c9.62

The pardon so graciously granted by Rama Raya to his brothers is inexplicable at first but after consideration it is not unnatural. He wanted to strengthen his power as the same writer points out—“by the reduction of many troublesome neighbours, and the elevation of his own adherents and relatives” ². On the first point we shall touch in the following chapter; but this is the place for examining some facts that confirm the second point of the preceding statement.

v1.c9.63

² Ibid., p. 381.

v1.c9.64

6. In 1552 Tirumala is known to have ruled the Kochcharlakota-sima ³. Afterwards in 1558-9 a private grant was made, while Sadasiva was ruling at Vijayanagara and ‘Tirumala ruling at Kondavidu’ ⁴. This kingdom had been granted to him by Sadasiva, that is by Rama Raya in the name of Sadasiva, as we are informed by Ranga, son of the same Tirumala in one of his grants dated 1565-6 ⁵. But probably Tirumala never resided at Kondavidu. We frequently find him in Vijayanagara; for instance, an inscription at Munelli, Badvel Taluk, shows that Tirumala in 1557-8 was in the capital ruling the Empire on behalf of Sadasiva ⁶. In a copper-plate grant of the same year, Tirumala granted some privileges to Mahipati Yerrammanayaka for faithful service done to the State and for guarding the villages of Gutti, Tadpatri, Vellalura, Singanamala and Siyyada ⁷. In 1552 he made a gift of ten villages to the temple of Chennak-savaraya of Markapur, Karnul ⁸. This shows beyond doubt that Tirumala took personal charge of the Government of the State, whenever Rama Raya was absent for war or on business. He had an agent at Gudur, of whom we have two charitable edicts of the years 1555-6¹ and 1559-60² respectively.

v1.c9.65

³ 156 of 1905.

v1.c9.66

⁴ Butterworth, II, p. 952-5; Rangacharya, II, p. 786, 354.

v1.c9.67

⁵ Ibid., p. 946-50.

v1.c9.68

⁶ Brackenbury, Cuddapah Gazetteer, p. 37.

v1.c9.69

⁷ Catalogue of Copper-plate Grants in the Government Museum, Madras, p. 53.

v1.c9.70

⁸ 156 of 1905.

v1.c9.71

¹ Butterworth, I, p. 458-60.

v1.c9.72

² Ibid., p. 456-8.
3. 256 of 1894.

v1.c9.73

We know likewise that Venkatadri ruled the country around Tiruvaiyar near Tanjore in 1559³. A year or two before the disaster of Talikota, he is stated to have been "ruling the whole kingdom", and in this capacity to have conferred the government of Barakura-rajya (Barkur) on Sadasivaraya-Nayaka, the founder of the Ikkeri Nayaks⁴.

v1.c9.74

⁴ H. Krishna Sastri, o. c., p. 179.

v1.c9.75

One of the relations of Rama Raya elevated by his power was his cousin Vitthala⁵. He was appointed Viceroy of Sadasiva in the southern country and Ceylon⁶. In another chapter we shall speak at length of his activity in the territory of his Viceroyalty. A nephew of Rama Raya, Kondaraja, was also exalted. He was the grand-son of Peda Kondaraja, the brother of Rama Raya’s father, Ranga⁷. In an inscription of 1556 he is called "Mahamandalesvara Komara Kondarajayyadeva maharasu"⁸. He is likewise mentioned in two inscriptions at Badami⁹. His influence at court is shown by the grant of Sadasiva, recorded in the British Museum plates, for fostering the cult of Vishnu. The grant had been requested by Kondaraja from Rama Raya¹⁰. In 1558, Sadasiva made another grant on the application of Rama Raya, Kondaraja having again made the petition¹¹. Finally another inscription of 1561 records a grant of Koneti Kondarajadeva to the spiritual preceptor¹². Jillela Rangapatirajayyadeva Maharaja, related to the Aravidu family on his mother’s side, was also elevated by the powerful Regent. He was appointed Mahamandalesvara and governor of Ramadurgam-sima, where he had an agent called Amarinayani Vengala-Nayaningaru ¹. A nephew of Tirumala, and probably also of Rama Raya, is called in 1554, Mahamandalesvara Madraju Nagappadeva Maharaju ². Moreover Rama Raya “was so generous”, according to Manucci, “that it is remarked in the chronicles that he never refused any favour asked. He confirmed any grant he made by a record on golden plates... The fame of this Emperor’s liberality spread far and wide, and many men of different nations entered his service, principally foreigners” ³.

v1.c9.76

⁵ M. E. R., 1911, p. 86; 1912. p. 82 ff.
6. 129 of 1905.

v1.c9.77

⁷ British Museum plates of Sadasiva, Ep. Ind., IV, p. 4, vv 125-40.

v1.c9.78

⁸ Ep. Carn., I, p. 19, 12.

v1.c9.79

⁹ Ind. Ant., X, p. 64.

v1.c9.80

¹⁰ Ep. Ind., IV, p. 2.

v1.c9.81

¹¹ Ep. Carn., IX, Cp, 186.

v1.c9.82

¹² M. A. D., Report, 1920, p. 39.

v1.c9.83

¹ 445 of 1911.

v1.c9.84

² 161 of 1905.

v1.c9.85

³ Manucci, *Storia do Mogor*, III, p. 97.

v1.c9.86

7. This elevation of relatives had in view not only the strengthening of his present power but the preparation of the final step he was contemplating. The beginning of the second stage had been marked by a coup d' etat; for such indeed was the imprisonment of the sovereign. But for the beginning of the third, no such strong action was necessary. The omission of the annual presentation of the puppet Emperor, coupled with rumours purposely spread by the agents of Rama Raya about the supposed demise of the sovereign, were quite enough for everybody to acknowledge Rama Raya as the new Emperor of Vijayanagara, seeing that he was practically the sovereign, and also the closest relative of Sadasiva, although belonging to a different family.

v1.c9.87

There are several grants and inscriptions belonging to this second stage, which prove that this final step was long contemplated: in 1551 in the Bevinahalli grant of Sadasiva, Rama Raya is already given the title ‘King of Karnata’ ⁴. The same is the case in another grant of Sadasiva of the year 1556-7 ⁵. In 1554 Mangala Timmoju Kondojugaru calls himself a feudatory of Rama Raya without mentioning Sadasiva at all ⁶. In the same year Rama Raya himself made another grant to some Brahmans in the same form as the old grants of the Emperors of Vijayanagara. In the beginning, it invokes Ganesa and the Boar, the sportive incarnation of Vishnu. Then it proceeds to trace Rama Raya’s pedigree from Buddha and the Pururavas, and speaks of the deeds of Rama Raya and his brothers, without mentioning Sadasiva at all, and says finally: “while having uprooted all the enemies, Rama Raya ruled over the earth as famous as Baratha and Bagiratha”¹.

v1.c9.88

⁴ *Ep. Ind.*, XIV, p. 230, v. 30.

v1.c9.89

⁵ *Ind. Ant.*, XIII, p. 154.

v1.c9.90

⁶ Rangacharya. II. n. 1098 379.

v1.c9.91

¹ *M. A. D.*, 1923, p. 125-7.

v1.c9.92

8. A rule of thirteen years had made the power of Rama Raya in Vijayanagara sufficiently strong; rumours were probably spread about that Sadasiva was dead. Then the ambitious Regent took for himself the title of King. “After Sadasiva’s death”; says Anquetil du Perron, “Rama Raya was nominated King”². It seems probable that a real ceremony of enthronement took place in the capital; for C. Frederick expressly says that Rama Raya ‘sate in the Royal throne, and was called the King’³. Even Manucci, in 1688, called Rama Raya ‘Emperor of Narsinga’⁴. And probably new *Pagodas* were at once struck with his name. We do not know of any coin of Rama Raya bearing such an early date but we are aware of coins struck with his name on the eve of the battle af Raksas-Tagdi. The famous *Gandikota Pagoda* gives the name of Rama Raya and the date 1565, and has on the obverse a figure of Vishnu standing under a canopy⁵.

v1.c9.93

² Anquetil du Perron, *l. c.*
3. Frederick, *l. c.*; Gubernatis, *o. c.*, p. 290.

v1.c9.94

⁴ Manucci, *Storia do Mogor*, III, p. 97.

v1.c9.95

⁵ Brown, *The Coins of India*, p. 64.

v1.c9.96

From this date, some time in 1563, the ceremony of showing the Emperor to his subjects was discontinued. But the three brothers used to go once a year to his prison-like palace in order to do homage to him as their sovereign⁶.

v1.c9.97

⁶ Couto, VI, p. 383.

v1.c9.98

The epigraphical evidence on this point is more than sufficient. A copper-plate record at Devarayadurga of 1562-3 says that Rama Raya reigned supreme at Vijayanagara⁷. A private grant of the same year mentions Rama Raya as ‘ruling the Empire', and does not mention Sadasiva ¹. An inscription in Krishnarajapet Taluk records a grant made 'while the Rajadhiraja Raja-Paramesvara Vira-pratapa-Maharaya Rama-Deva-Raya-aiyyangar was seated on the jewelled throne in Penukonda' ². There is still another inscription, dated 1565, (the same year as the battle of Raksas-Tagdi) that gives Rama Raya the same imperial titles and does not mention Sadasiva at all; it is a grant made "when the Master of Kuntala (Karnata), lord of the throne of Vidyanagari (Vijayanagara), the Rajadhiraja Raja-paramesvara Virapratapa Vira Rama-Deva-Raya maharaya, seated on the jewell throne, was ruling the kingdom of the world in peace and wisdom" ³. Even in an inscription of 1581, during the reign of Ranga I, Rama Raya is called Rajadhiraja ⁴, and in another of Venkata III, 1639, he is recorded to have 'governed the whole world' ⁵. Along with the lithic records, Anantacharya in his poem Prapannamritam calls Rama Raya 'Emperor of Vijayanagara who ruled after Krishna Raya' ⁶.

v1.c9.99

⁷ *Ep. Carn.*, XII, Tm, 44.

v1.c9.100

¹ Ibid., Tk. 44.

v1.c9.101

² Ibid., IV, Kr, 79. I am sure that this inscription is spurious because of the date, 1543, and of the mention of Penukonda as the place where the Emperor was residing. The forgery must have been committed during the reign of Ranga I or Venkata II. Nevertheless even a forgery proves that Rama Raya was considered the real Emperor of Vijayanagara.

v1.c9.102

³ Ep. Carn, VII, Ci, 62.

v1.c9.103

⁴ Ibid., IV. Kr, 15.

v1.c9.104

⁵ Ibid., III, Nj, 198.

v1.c9.105

⁶ S. Krishnaswami Aiyangar, Sources, p. 202.

v1.c9.106

Now, if the Hindus, who were under the Vijayanagara rule, forgot Sadasiva, who was supposed to be dead, and mentioned only Rama Raya as the Emperor of Vijayanagara, no wonder if Ferishta says nothing of the former and always speaks of the latter as the sovereign of the rival Empire ⁷. When detailing the so-called battle of Talikota, we shall see how Ferishta describes the riches of the throne of Rama Raya on the battle field. The Burhan-i-Ma'asir speaks always of Rama Raya as the Vijayanagara sovereign, but under the name of Sadasiva Raya ¹. Faria y Sousa speaks of Cidoca (Sadasiva) King of Canara (Vijayanagara), but in 1559 the only king of Vijayanagara known to him is Rama Raya ².

v1.c9.107

⁷ Ferishta, III, p. 117, 118, 131, etc.

v1.c9.108

¹ Only twice Rama Raya is called by his own name 'Rama Raj' in this work; *Ind. Ant.*, L, p. 7, and p. 101. That Rama Raya himself is meant by the name Sadasiva Raya is proved by this fact, that Sadasiva Raya is said to have been beheaded after the battle of Raksas-Tagdi.

v1.c9.109

² Faria y Sousa, II, p. 189 and 327.

v1.c9.110

9. The following information, given us by his Minister and favourite Ramamatya Todaramalla in his *Svaramelakalanidhi* probably refers to this time: "He had a palace called Ratna Kuta", says he, "constructed by his minister Ramamatya; and he was struck with admiration as it excelled even Vaijayanta, the palace of the gods. The palace was surrounded by extensive gardens adorned with statues, which contained cool tanks abounding with swans" ³.

v1.c9.111

³ Krishnaswami Aiyangar, o. c., p. 190.

v1.c9.112

Rama Raya at this time handed over to his brothers all the government affairs and devoted himself to music and literature. "Seated within this Palace (Ratna Kuta)" says Ramamatya, "he spent his time in the midst of scholars versed in literature, music and other arts" ⁴. Accordingly, a grant of Venkata II, 1589, informs us that Rama Raya took great pleasure in music on the vina and in singing ⁵. With these years is probably associated the trip of Rama Raya with his Guru Tatacharya, the son of Srinivasa, to the fortress of Chandragiri, to spend some days in that sacred retirement dedicated to the study of the Sastras ⁶. These last years of Rama Raya spent in leisure, are also mentioned in the *Memoirs* of Manucci, one century later. "After this division", says he, "he led a happy life, without attending to government or taking any notice of what went on" ⁷.

v1.c9.113

⁴ Ibid.

v1.c9.114

⁵ *Ep. Carn.*, XIII, Cy, 39.

v1.c9.115

⁶ *Prapannamrtam*, S. Krishnaswami Aiyangar, o.c., p. 202.

v1.c9.116

⁷ Manucci, *Storia do Mogor*, III, p. 99.

v1.c9.117

Tirumala was naturally in charge of the whole Government. He was the supreme minister of Vijayanagara during the last days preceding the battle of Raksas-Tagdi¹. The titles given him at this time are Mahamandalesvara Ramaraya-Yaram-Tirumalarajayyadeva-Maharaja ². The appointment of Tirumala, as Premier of the Empire, left a vacancy in the viceroyalty of Kondavidu; and it was then probably that Rama Raya, following his policy of elevating his relatives and friends, appointed to this honour his favourite, the poet Ramayamatya, thus enabling him to grant many agraharas to Brahmins ³. At the poet's death, Siddhiraju Timma Raju, another nephew of Rama Raya, was appointed in his place ⁴.

v1.c9.118

¹ M. E. R., 341, Ap. B, of 1816.

v1.c9.119

² Anquetil du Perron, o.c., p. 165.

v1.c9.120

³ S. Krishnaswami Aiyangar, o.c., p. 190.

v1.c9.121

⁴ Paramayogi Vilasam, S. Krishaswami Aiyangr, o.c., p. 211.

v1.c9.122

Tirumala combined the office of Minister with the Governorship of Vellore and of the whole surrounding country ⁵. We know an inscription of his, dated 1564, allowing Chinna-Bomma Nayaka of Vellore to make grants to the temple of that place ⁶.

v1.c9.123

⁵ Hultzsch, *South Indian Inscriptions*, I, p. 69-75, Nos. 43-8.

v1.c9.124

⁶ Ibid., p. 69.

v1.c9.125

In the new order of government, Venkatadri was Commander-in-Chief of the army ⁷. The success attending his conduct as a General in the Vijayanagara army proved that the choice had not fallen on the wrong man. The Vellangudi plates of Venkata II recall that ‘he was distinguished in the world as a warrior’ ⁸, and in the *Ramarajiyamu* he is stated to have been ‘a veritable Arjuna on the battlefield’ ⁹.

v1.c9.126

⁷ Anquetil du Perron, I. c.

v1.c9.127

⁸ *Ep. Ind.*, XVI, p. 319, v. 19.

v1.c9.128

⁹ S. Krishnaswami Aiyangar, *Sources*, p. 222.

v1.c9.129

Now after having described the three stages of the government of Rama Raya, we may turn to consider some of the Government affairs.

v1.c9.130

10. It seems that during the reigns of Krishna Deva Raya and Achyuta, the sources of revenue were finally fixed and reduced to a regular form. The judicious system of accounts and the management introduced were instrumental in gradually improving the revenues without oppressing the subjects of the Empire. Hence, the State finances were by no means impoverished when Rama Raya began ruling. The Nayaks and other feudatory chiefs regularly sent to the court their annual tribute, still realising that the Empire was strong enough to obtain payment by force if necessary; but many of these same chiefs acted otherwise when they saw the Empire defeated in the battle of Raksas-Tagdi.

v1.c9.131

II. One of the first and most important matters the Government took in hand was the maintenance of the Hindu cult. Sadasiva himself and his Minister Rama Raya were the first in encouraging their subjects to foster the national religion, as the lithic records and the copper-plate grants of his reign prove. No doubt, several gifts recorded in these monuments are presented by Sadasiva himself, and not precisely by his Minister, even during the second period of his reign, when he was in prison. "When Sadasiva was seated in the jewelled throne ruling the kingdom of the earth", we read in an inscription of 1557, "he, sending for a copy of the stone sasana at the temple of the god Vitthala, set up in the righteous administration of Aliya Rama Raya, found that according to that sasana, Krishna Deva Maharaya in the year 1519 having granted the customs dues in certain villages, and these not being sufficient te provide for the offerings, which had fallen into abeyance, Sadasiva Raya...made a grant of taxes for the god Bhire."¹

v1.c9.132

¹ Ep. Carn., XI, Mk, 1.

v1.c9.133

But the majority of these religious grants, although made on behalf of Sadasiva, were probably ordered by Rama Raya. We read for instance that the old temple of Bhairava in Nallacheruvupalle was enlarged and beautified by Sadasiva in 1544²; that he exempted the god Gopalakrishna from tax³; that he made a grant of a village to the temple of Markapur in the very year of his accession⁴; that 'the village of Pudur was given to the god Sachchidananda'⁵, while three other villages, including Pulupatum in Pottapinadu and some land in Vontimitta, were granted to the Kodandaramaswami temple of the same place ¹, and a grant of many villages was made to the Krishnapuram temples for the worship of Vishnu ². The village of Kagallu, surnamed Timmasamudra, Hindupur Taluk, was likewise given to the temple of Mallikarjuna ³; and that of Kosanepalle, Jammalamadugu Taluk, to the Chernuri-sima for the festival of Tiruvengalanatha ⁴; and the one of Puliyangulam to the goddess of Srivilliputtur, Ramnad ⁵; then the pagoda of Durga at Koduru was allowed to levy contributions from the pilgrims towards the annual festival of the deity ⁶. Finally Aliya Rama Raya granted the village of Gadigarelu to the gods Siddhesvara and Bhojesvara ⁷ and made some grants for festivals ⁸. Of the same Rama Raya is the following edict, by which he provides a good income in perpetuity for the festivals of Sri Ranganatha's temple: "The income which is derived from sundry articles in the villages situated in Udayagiri durgam, which belong to us and were formerly attached to the temple of Sri Raghunayakulu, should be utilised for always providing daily offerings, worship with lights and miscellaneous offerings in the temple. While speaking these pleasant words, we have presented, on the auspicious occasion of a solar eclipse, with libation of water and gift of gold, this endowment to the accountant in the temple of the deity, to last as long as the sun and moon endure" ⁹.

v1.c9.134

² Sewell, I, p. 127.

v1.c9.135

³ Rangacharya, II, p. 915, 65.

v1.c9.136

⁴ Sewell, p. 86.

v1.c9.137

⁵ Rangacharya, I, p. 584, 93.

v1.c9.138

¹ 412 of 1911.

v1.c9.139

² *Ep. Ind.*, IX, p. 341, vv. 67-9.
3. 84 of 1912.
4. 410 of 1904.

v1.c9.140

⁵ Rangacharya, II, p. 1181, 178-L.

v1.c9.141

⁶ Ibid., I, p. 574, 7. In the *M. A. D. 1920*, p. 39, there are two other religious grants of Sadasiva.

v1.c9.142

⁷ Rangacharia, II, p. 963, 520-521.

v1.c9.143

⁸ *Ep. Carn.*, XII, Si, 31.

v1.c9.144

12. The example of the throne was followed by the subjects. During the reign of Sadasiva new temples were erected, and others enlarged and richly adorned. Amarinayani Vengala- Naraningaru, the agent of the Mahamandalesvara Jillella Rangapatirajayyadeva-Maharaja, repaired the central shrine and the sugnasi of the Viresvara temple of Rayachoti ¹; one Desantari Narasingadasa vastly improved the Parthasarasthawamin temple at Triplicane, Madras ²; Jangammya, dalaway of Tirumala, erected a temple in 1545 ³; Gutti Tirumalarajayya erected a mantapam in the Chennakesava pagoda at Mannur ⁴; Tima Ranga dedicated a building called Ranga Mantapam or public resting place, with 25 partitions, to the god Mahadeva Deva at Vijayanagara ⁵; Chinna Aubalaraja erected a pagoda at Arakata-vemula Agraharam, placed there the image of Gopala Krishna Deva, and granted hamlets of the above agraharam and an allowence of 31½ pagodas on the tax of the Gandikota Durgam, to the aforesaid god Gopalakrishna Deva ⁶; Aubala-rajayya installed the metal images in the villages of Veludurti, Cuddapah, and granted twelve pagodas for offering food to Chennakesava Perumal ⁷; Rachirajadeva Maharaja of the lunar race of the atriya-gotra, set up an image of Sir Madanagopala, constructed a temple and performed the consecration ceremony and made certain gifts of land for providing sacred food and all means of enjoyment to the deity ⁸; Jakkannaganda constructed several lamp-posts for the service of the temple ⁹.

v1.c9.145

¹ 445 of 1911.
2. 239 of 1903; *M. E. R., 1904*, para. 25.

v1.c9.146

³ *M. A. D., 1920*, p. 39.
4. 605 of 1907.

v1.c9.147

⁵ Ravenshaw, *Translation of Various Inscriptions*, *Asiatic Researches*, XX, p. 35.

v1.c9.148

⁶ Rangacharya, I, p. 617, 487.

v1.c9.149

⁷ Ibid., p. 616, 484.

v1.c9.150

⁸ Rangacharya, II, p. 1131, 604.

v1.c9.151

⁹ *M. A. D., 1924*, p. 83.

v1.c9.152

Moreover, various villages and lands were given to different temples by the feudatory chiefs or by private people: Chinna Timmanayadu, son of Pemmasami Nayadu, granted the village of Yenumalachintala to the god Tiruvengalanatha at Tadpatri ¹⁰;

v1.c9.153

Nage Nayaka, son of Mahanayakacharya Ralakote Aravinda Nayaka gave the village of Gottakunte to Bairayagauda’s son Tammayagauda, for the service of daily worship of god Sriranganatha at Yaldur¹; one Gundurti Papayya granted three villages to the goddess in Velpucherla, Cuddapah²; Nandyala Tirumayyadeva granted to the god Chennakesava some land in Nandapadu³ and the village of Kodur⁴; another of his subjects granted 30 kuntas of land for planting a nandavanam (flower garden) for the god Tiruvengalanatha⁵; Gangayya Raja and Chinna Timmaraja, son of Aubalaraja, gave 30 puttis and 16 tums of land to the gods and brahmins of the village of Vellala, Proddatur⁶; Venkataya and his brother Appayya disposed of their land to the god Chennakesava in Vanipenta⁷; Chinna Timmaraja, son of Konda Raja, gave a village to the god Ahobala Narasinha⁸; Nagarajayya granted to the god Raghunayaka of Vontimitta the village of Gangaperuru⁹; Tirumalarasu gave some land to the god Varadaraja¹⁰; the Mahamandalesvara Chinna Avubalesvaradeva-Maharaju made a gift of land to the temple of Raghunayakalu of Ghandikota¹¹; to the same temple another gift was made by Nandyala Timmayadeva Maharaju¹²; the same chief built the village of Potladurti, Cuddapah, and granted it to the god Chennakesava¹³; Vobalaraju, son of Nandyala Abubalaraju, gave the piece of land to the Suamyanathasvamin temple of Nandalur for the god’s ablution, out of his ‘Nainkarum’¹; Papa Timmayyadeva Maharaja granted a village to the Venugopalaswami temple at Bollavaram²; Immadi Basavanayadu gave 15 tums of dry field to the god Tripurantaka³; lands were also given to the dancing women of Tiruvannamalai for temple service⁴. Finally in a Kanarese book of the Mackenzie Collection there are various copies of inscriptions of grants of land made in the reign of Sadasiva to the temple of Chinna Kesava⁵.

v1.c9.154

¹ M. A. D., 1924, p. 84-5.

v1.c9.155

² Rangacharya, I, p. 606, 382.

v1.c9.156

³ Ibid., p. 612, 440.

v1.c9.157

⁴ Ibid., p. 612, 443.

v1.c9.158

⁵ Ibid., p. 649, 831.

v1.c9.159

⁶ Ibid., p. 629, 594.

v1.c9.160

⁷ Ibid., p. 628, 591.

v1.c9.161

⁸ Ibid., p. 627, 581.

v1.c9.162

⁹ Ibid., p. 660, 914.

v1.c9.163

¹⁰ Ibid., p. 652, 853.

v1.c9.164

¹¹ 485 of 1906.

v1.c9.165

¹² 486 of 1906.

v1.c9.166

¹³ Rangacharya, I. p. 616, 480.

v1.c9.167

¹ 605 of 1907.

v1.c9.168

² Rangacharya, I, p. 618, 492.

v1.c9.169

³ Ibid., p. 617, 485.

v1.c9.170

⁴ Sewell, I, p. 207.

v1.c9.171

⁵ Chinna Kesava Swami Sasana Patra, Wilson, The Mackenzie Collection, p.

v1.c9.172

Many gifts in money are likewise recorded in the inscriptions of Sadasiva’s reign: a chief granted a tax to the Somesvara temple at Peddamudiyam⁶; Vipravinodi Viramushti Virappa granted the allowance he had been receiving from the village to god Visvesvara⁷; Vipravinodi Siddhayya granted the allowance due from the agraharam Brahmins for the festival of Chennakesava Perumal⁸; Virupana Nayaka presented 50 varahas to the temple of Mallikarjuna-deva at Kambaduru⁹; the Viramushti people granted away their allowances in the village to the god Visvesvara¹⁰; the Vipravinodins made a gift to the Chennakesava temple at Kalumalla¹¹; to the same temple another gift was made by Rachiraju¹²; the jugglers granted the allowance of Valamore to the god Chennakesava¹³;

v1.c9.173

³⁴⁴ We cannot cite here all the gifts presented to the temples during Sadasiva’s reign: we wanted only to give a specimen of the offerings. More grants of land will be found in 27 of 1900; 61, 63, 78, 81, 82 of 1915; Rangacharya II, p. 976, 603; p. 766, 160; p. 977, 610-A and 610-F; p. 853, 64; p. 1130, 599.
6. 349 of 1905.

v1.c9.174

⁷ Rangacharya I, p. 601, 326.

v1.c9.175

⁸ Ibid., p. 601, 327.
9. 94 of 1913.

v1.c9.176

¹⁰ Rangacharya, I, p. 601, 325.
11. 379 of 1904.
12. 376 of 1904.

v1.c9.177

some Vipravinodins granted their local allowance of two villages to the same god in Vanipenta ¹; the Mahamandalesvara Chinna Timmaraja Kondayadeva Maharaja made a gift of the proceeds of certain taxes collected in the village of Jillala to the temple of Virabhadradeva of the same village ²; Chinna Timma Raja and Kondaraja granted a tax to the deity of Virabhadra pagoda at Idamadaka ³; Papatimmaraja granted his own share of taxes of Bollavaram-petta, Cuddapah, to the daily ceremony of the Gopinatha temple of the same village ⁴; the Vipravinodins gave away to the deity the annual allowance they had been receiving from a village ⁵; Rangapa Rajayyadeva made a grant to the god Sri Raghunayakulu of Chadaluvada ⁶; the Vipravinodi Brahmins gave away the annual fees they had been receiving from the Brahmins of Chamalur to god Chennakesava ⁷.

v1.c9.178

¹ Ibid., p. 628, 592.

v1.c9.179

² 471 of 1906.

v1.c9.180

³ Rangacharya, I p. 620, 515.

v1.c9.181

⁴ Ibid., p. 618, 493.

v1.c9.182

⁵ Ibid., p. 606, 384.

v1.c9.183

⁶ Ibid., II, p. 786, 354.

v1.c9.184

⁷ Ibid., p. 589, 144. Other private grants to different gods in the reign of Sadasiva may be found in Butterworth, II, p. 867-8 ; p. 868-70 ; p. 946-50 ; p. 952-5 ; III, p. 1175-8 ; *Ep. Carn.*, III, TN, 108 ; Sr, 149 ; IV, Ch, 121 ; Ch, 202 ; Ng, 26 ; VII, Hl, g ; XI, Hk, 113 ; X, Gd, 52 ; 72 and 58 of 1915 ; Rangacharya, II, p. 931, 254 ; p. 247, 396 ; p. 964, 531 ; p. 1113, 478.

v1.c9.185

13. The generosity of the King did not forget the Brahmanic precept of giving alms to the Brahmins. In 1545 he made a grant to some Brahmins ⁸; the village of Govinda-Vamapuram was given by him to a Brahmin ⁹; two years later two other villages were also given to several Brahmins ¹⁰. It seems he had a special predilection for learned Brahmins. A grant of the village of Kanuma to several learned Brahmins was recorded in 1548 ¹¹; the Bevinahalli village was given to several Brahmins ‘who are well versed in the Vedas’¹; from 1544 to 1546 three villages were granted in perpetuity ‘with gift of gold and libation of water as an agrahara’ to Chinna Koneti Tiruvengalanathayyagaru, a Brahmin of Ongole, son of Srimad Tallapaka Tirumalayangaru, called in two inscriptions ‘the establisher of the path of the Vedas’², and in a third one ‘the establisher of the school of the Vedanta’³. All these grants were most probably made by Sadasiva himself because all, excepting one, the date of which is quite doubtful, belong to the first period of his reign. But none is positively assigned to the other periods during the time of his imprisonment. From this time we know only of a grant made in 1554 by Rama Raya himself to some Brahmins⁴.

v1.c9.186

⁸ *Ep. Carn.*, IV, Ng, 58.

v1.c9.187

⁹ Rangacharya, I, p. 557, 347.

v1.c9.188

¹⁰ *Catalogue of Copper-Plate Grants in the Government Museum, Madras*, p. 52. Cf. Rangacharya, II, p. 877, 5.

v1.c9.189

¹¹ *Ep. Ind.*, XIV, p. 353, vv. 43-57.

v1.c9.190

¹ Ibid., p. 231, vv. 43-5 and p. 216.

v1.c9.191

² Butterworth, III, p. 1131-2; II, p. 784, 343 ; p. 930-1.

v1.c9.192

³ Ibid., II, p. 783, 337 ; p. 921-2.

v1.c9.193

⁴ M. A. D., 1921, p. 125-7.

v1.c9.194

We have found only a few private grants to the Brahmins in Sadasiva’s time. A not very rich gift was made to some Brahmins of Krishnarajapet Taluk⁵; then a grant of 5 puttis and 13½tums of land to the learned Brahmins of Pandilapalli⁶; lastly another grant for daily feeding three Brahmins⁷; such are the private donations to the Brahmins during this reign. On the other hand, the Brahmins met on several occasions with serious difficulties created specially by the Muhammadans not only in the recently conquered towns but also in the old territory of the south. In 1555 the Brahmins of Ahobilam granted some lands to a local chief, probably in payment of their protection against the Muhammadans⁸.

v1.c9.195

⁵ Ep. Carn., IV, Kr, 79.

v1.c9.196

⁶ Rangacharya, I, p. 615, 467.

v1.c9.197

⁷ Ep. Carn., VII, Sk, 55. Other grants may be seen in Rangacharya, II, p. 914, 51, p. 926, 212 ; p. 927, 227 ; p. 950, 421 ; p. 979, 629, and p. 980, 633.

v1.c9.198

⁸ Sewell, I, p. 101.

v1.c9.199

14. Various quarrels over jurisdiction arose between neighbouring villages during this reign. In 1553 Rama Raju Konappadeva Maharaja, probably Sadasiva’s Regent, settled a water dispute between two villages of Anantapur District 1; in 1555 the village boundary stones were set up in Peddamallepalli in the same district, through the influence of Dasappa Nayadu, no doubt to finish a dispute between this village and a neighbouring one 2; for the same reason and about the same time the limits between Vijaya Bukkarayapuram and Brahmapanalli were measured and definitely established 3.

v1.c9.200

15. Agriculture was not greatly fostered during Sadasiva's government. We know of a canal dug in the village of Pottapi; but this was done through the generosity of Varadarasu and Yellamarasu who gave sixty kuntas of land for that purpose 4. Another irrigation canal called Antarangakalva was dug in the same village by the munificence of Varadayya, a Matla chief 5. The only occasion in which the name of Sadasiva is associated with any agricultural work is when in 1551 he made a grant free of rent to the salt dealers of Molakalmuru Taluk for the the removal of the saline earth 6.

First 200 of 254 passages. Read on

Linked texts (13)