Social and Political Life in the Vijayanagara Empire (A.D. 1346 – A.D. 1646) v1.c12.s3.t1.3

v1.c12.s3.t1.3

The origin of the Pāleyagāra system and of the seventy-two bastions of Madura, is thus given in the accounts of the various Pāḷeyagāras. Thus we have the following about "Bodi nayak palliyacārer, or chieftain of the district of Siva rāma kulam. Their ancestors were rulers in the district of Gooty. In consequence of the Mahomedan conquest, the people every where emigrated to the south, and the heads of this tribe among the rest. They came to the north side of the Vaigai river, where ten families subject to the Malayāḷa rulers resided. At the time, the Pāṇḍiya king had taken refuge in the Malayāḷa country, and he gave the strangers leave to settle there. The date of Saka nayaka head of the tribe, is placed in Sal. Sac 1258 (A.D. 1336); and by consequence, the Mahomedan irruption was the first that occurred".¹ In the times of "Sila bodi nayak", "a champion, among the Mahomedans challenged the people of the Rayer's dominion to find a champion to meet them. Bodi nayak, hearing of the circumstance, went to the north; fought with and killed the Mahomedan; and in consequence, received great honours and distinctions. He ruled twenty-two years. His son, Bangāru guḷḷu nayak ruled twenty-six years, and was one among the chiefs, summoned to take charge of the bastions of the Madura fort, the 60th being allotted to him".²