Social and Political Life in the Vijayanagara Empire (A.D. 1346 – A.D. 1646) v2.c22.s3.134

v2.c22.s3.134

There are some epigraphs which mention grants for the merit of the officers of the monarch. Tippa Nāyaka's sons Mudureya, Kotte Chemmana and Timmaya, holding the *pārupatya* of the Buruḍakuṇṭe-sīme, for the merit of their lord Narasimha Nāyaka's son Narasapa Nāyaka, built in A. D. 1532 a stone *maṇṭapa* within the temple of Chennakēśavarāya of the ... pēṭe, in the Ānemaḍagu village, and dedicated it to that god.⁶ Allappa Nāyaka in A. D. 1533 granted all the lands included in Koppa, otherwise called Timmāpura, in the village of Huruḷi of the Ghaṭṭe-sthala belonging to the *durga* of Gutti, for the offerings and perpetual lamp of the god Hanumanta of Huraḷi, in order that much merit may accrue to Hiriya Tirumala Rājayya, the Agent for the affairs of Achyuta Rāya Mahārāya.¹ Keśava Rāvuta made a grant of lands (specified) for the offerings to the god Virabhadra of Guṇḍēri, in A. D. 1539, "in order that the Agent for his (the Emperor's) affairs, Achyuta Rāya Malliyaṇṇa-ayya might have long life and good fortune". Since it is not improbable that charity may have been forced from the subjects by high officials, the significant phrase "by order of Chandappa Nāyaka" occurring in the inscription may be understood to mean in this case that the donor may not have made the grant out of his free will.²