Social and Political Life in the Vijayanagara Empire (A.D. 1346 – A.D. 1646) v2.c21.s2.t4.7

v2.c21.s2.t4.7

The ceremony of setting up the bayasanige is also seen in early Vijayanagara history. A stone inscription dated A.D. 1378 of the times of Harihara Oḍeyar (i.e., Harihara Raya II) informs us that "the champion over Khaṇṭikāra-Rāya Nāraṇṇa Voḍeyar's son Dēpaṇṇa Voḍeyar was ruling the kingdom of the world"; and that in connection with a fair which was established in the Rāmēśvara village of Sādaḷi-nāḍ, the Sādaḷi Gauḍas (named), the five Seṭṭis of Sere, and all the elders of the Sālu-mūle, having set up the bayasanige, made certain regulations, according to the custom of the Sādaḷi, (Sādaḷiya maryādeyalu) and granted specified dues to Dēpaṇṇa Voḍeyar.² We had an occasion of relating how the dignitaries, who belonged to the Sālu-Mūle Baṇaju sect with their numerous followers, conferred the Mayoralty of the Earth on the great Minister Muddaya Daṇṇāyaka in the year A.D. 1382. This high honour was bestowed on that famous general by them after they had "placed the diamond vaisanige in the presence of the holy lotus feet of the god Virūpāksha", and had taken their seat "having agreed among themselves with supreme affection" about the important question in hand.³