History of the Qaraunah Turks in India c14.s1.28

c14.s1.28

The monumental evidence is of great illustrative value. The ruins of Tughluqabad and old Dihli still testify to the greatness of the Tughluqs. The solidity and massiveness of the fort and the solemn grandeur of the tomb of Sultan Tughluq Shah give us some idea of their power and magnificence. There are a few inscriptions in Northern India which illustrate the history of the period, but for South Indian history we have an abundance of inscriptions on copper plates. These inscriptions are either commemorative, dedicatory or donative. They throw a flood of light upon the history of the Hindu states of the South and their relations towards the Muhammadan empire of Dihli on the one hand and the Sultanate of Madura on the other. They help us to define with approximate accuracy the limits of the ancient kingdoms. It does not fall within the purview of this work to give a detailed history of the Vijayanagar empire and I have contented myself merely with giving an account of its foundation and the circumstances attending it from original sources. The valuable material embodied in the Epigraphia Indica, the Epigraphia Carnatica, the Epigraphical Reports, Sewell's Lists of Antiquities and the numerous archæological reports and journals have been carefully used as the footnotes will show. Most of the South India inscriptions are of a donative character and are useful in as much as they enable us sometimes to determine an important date. The numerous inscriptions of Ballala III indicate the acuteness of the struggle which the Hindus carried on amongst themselves and with the Muhammadan powers.