A History of Agriculture in India v2.c65.s13: Patronage to Literature, Art and Temple Building
A History of Agriculture in India v2.c65.s13
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Patronage to Literature, Art and Temple Building
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Krishnadevaraya was a poet and author and a patron of art and literature. Scholars, poets and philosophers came to his court in search of patronage. He gave great encouragement to the development of Telugu literature. His poet laureate, Alasani Peddana, is regarded as an author of the first rank in Telugu.
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Spectacles are associated with scholarship. The use of spectacles in Europe is dated to about A.D. 1250. We learn about the use of spectacles by Vyasaraya, guru of Krishnadevaraya, about A.D. 1520. These were presented to him by a Portuguese.⁴
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⁴ Gode, P. K. Studies in Indian Cultural History, Vol. III, p. 108
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Krishnadevaraya’s reign witnessed activity in temple-building rivalling those of Chola kings. A prominent feature of Vijayanagar temples is the Kalyanamandapa, a large hall with ornate pillars. Another feature is the towering gate-way. Goddesses were provided with separate shrines. At the beginning of his reign he built a gopura and repaired another, at the Hampi temple, which had been built by the early kings in honour of Madhavacharya, the founder of the fortunes of Vijayanagar. The great Krishnasvami temple was built by him in A.D. 1513, after his return from a successful campaign in the east. In the same year he commenced the temple of Hazāra Ramā-svami. This temple is studded with panels narrating the Ramayana story. Its prakara walls are decorated with friezes depicting dance, music and folk festivals. The Vitthala temple, which is one of the largest, was commenced by Krishnadevaraya in A.D. 1513 and was still not complete when the Empire fell in A.D. 1565. Immense towers called Raya-gopurams were added to the outermost procession paths of pre-existing temple-complexes of importance, e.g. the Ekamranatha at Kanchi, the Arunachala at Tiruvannamalai (North Arcot district), and the Shiva temple at Kalahasti (Chittoor district). Construction of pillared halls with prancing horses as decoration on the columns became a favourite device. Such equine decoration can be seen at its best in the temple at Srirangam.