Social and Political Life in the Vijayanagara Empire (A.D. 1346 – A.D. 1646) v1.c13.s5.3

v1.c13.s5.3

There are other means besides these of judging the actions of the kings and chieftains of Vijayanagara. The thaṇadār Dilāvar Oḍeyar, whose brutalities in A.D. 1562 we have just described, was punished by the Government. Death was the penalty for a servant of the State who had illtreated the people. Against this insubordinate thaṇadār, two persons, Pilapa Nāyaka, a resident of a Saṇte-Bennūr-sime, and Gauḍayya of Chikka Gaṅgūr, were sent. On the latter suffering death in a cross-road at the hands of the turbulent thaṇadār, the Muhammadan Nāyaka, "Ayyana-Maluka" ('Ain-ul-Mulk Gīlāni) sent his officer Chimmaṇa Oḍeyar against Dilāvar Oḍeyar. The culprit was caught, "tortured and put to death". The Muhammadan Nāyaka, "Ayyana-Maluka" granted the Dummi-sime as a gift to Pilla Nāyaka (i.e., Pilapa Nāyaka) of Saṇte-Bennūr, and to the children of Gauḍayya, who gave up his life for the sake of the State, he gave Chikka-Gaṅgūr itself as a nettaru-goḍage.¹ This epigraph proves that even the Muhammadan officials of the Hindu Government took prompt action against the cruelties of its officers; and that sufficient provision was made for the children of those who died while in the service of the State.