Talk:The Emperors of Vijayanagara

By Vishal Agarwal

In the 14th century CE, Muḥammad bin Tughlaq, the Muslim Sulṭān of Delhi, invaded south India, he smashed several temples (replacing them with mosques), massacred Hindus and did several other atrocities against Hindus. In one of these campaigns, he captured the fort of Kumata. The chief Rāmanātha died in the battle and all the ladies committed Jauhar – an act of suicide to prevent capture and dishonor by the enemy. Other residents of the fort, including the brothers Harihara and Bukka were captured, and were taken to Delhi to be converted to Islam.

The Hindus remaining in that region soon rose in rebellion. This forced Tughlaq to depend on the two converted brothers, who had belonged to the ruling class of that region. He made them administer oaths of loyalty and sent them south to curb the revolts and rule the region under his name. However, when the brothers reached their native region, an influential Hindu monk Svāmī Vidyāraṇya inspired them to convert back to Hindu dharm. Now, there was an uprising of Hindus in the region and Harihara and Bukka attained the role of leaders of Hindus. Guided by the Svāmī and his scholarly brothers Sāyaṇa and Māyaṇa, Harihara and Bukkarāya established a Hindu kingdom in that area. Soon, the brothers defeated neighboring chiefs and founded an empire that came to be known as the Vijayanagara Empire. This empire lasted for over two centuries.

This period led to a revival of Hindu dharm in South India, and prevented it from becoming destroyed. While the empire lasted, dozens of Hindu scholars and saints arose in the region, and they wrote thousands of explanations on Hindu scriptures, devotional hymns to Hindu devatās and several temples were constructed across the region. During the reigns of Harihara, Bukka and their successors, their minister Sāyaṇa and his brother Mādhava collected a large team of scholars from South India and they wrote massive explanations of the Vedas and books on many other aspects of Hindu dharm. Due to their hard work, we can understand these scriptures very well. When the Vedas were first published, studied and translated by the European and Indian scholars in the 19th century, they used the commentaries by Sāyaṇa as a starting point.

The kings of this empire constructed several new temples or added on to older temples. The Muslim Sulṭān of Madurai in Tamil Nadu had banned Hindu worship and customs. His ministers and military officers also slaughtered cows to offend the Hindus. Bukka waged several battles with the Sulṭān, and eventually destroyed his kingdom, making it a part of the Vijayanagara empire. Once again, Hindus could worship in freedom in Southern India and Hindu worship was resumed in the temples of Śrīraṅgam and other places. The atrocities of the Sulṭān on Hindus, and the conquest of Madurai is described in a beautiful poetic work called Madhurāvijaya written by Gaṅgādevī, who was the daughter-in-law of Bukka. In the next few centuries, numerous Hindu saints arose in or migrated to the empire. Their devotional writings are studied with great respect even today.

The Vijayanagara rulers respected all religions. Once, after the death of Harihara, when Bukkarāya was the king, a fight broke out between the Hindu Vaiṣṇavas (worshippers of Viṣṇu), who were in a majority, and the minority Jains. It was expected that the king would take the side of Vaiṣṇavas. But Svāmī Vidyāraṇya instructed the king to act with fairness and deal with people of all traditions with equal eye. In fact, respect for all religions is a Hindu practice, and the kingdom of Vijayanagara too gave equal protection and respect to all religious traditions including Islam. King Bukka summoned leaders of both the communities, and asked them to forget their enmity. He declared that in his eyes, all religions are equal and that he will not favor one religion over another, even though he was himself a Hindu.

The rulers of the Vijayanagara Empire constructed their capital at a place called Hampi, which is said to be the birthplace of Hanumān, and is also where Śabarī of Rāmāyaṇa used to live. Hampi became one of the largest and grandest cities in the world. Traders from all over the world stopped at Hampi, brought articles of luxury like precious gems, horses and fine clothing.

One of the greatest emperors of Vijayanagara was King Kṛṣṇa Deva Rāya, who ruled from 1509 – 1529 CE. Under his reign, Hampi became a great city, and many new temples were constructed or enlarged (e.g. the Tirupati and Śrīśailam temples). Kṛṣṇa Deva Rāya was a great scholar who is himself said to have authored at least one book on the duties of a good king. One of the eight great poets that he supported financially was the witty Tenāli Rāman, about whom you will read later. Even today, Hindus fondly remember the rule of Kṛṣṇa Deva Rāya with great pride.

Although the Vijayanagara Empire was destroyed after the battle of Tālikoṭa in 1565 CE, the work done by its kings and scholars and saints for over 300 years ensured that Hindu traditions lived on till our times despite attacks by fanatics of other religions. From the lives of the kings and saints of Vijayanagara, we must learn to be ready to defend our dharm whenever needed, so that we can continue to practice our culture and traditions without fear, and can pass them on to our children.