Vijayanagara Empire: Encyclopedia II - Vijayanagara Empire - Founding

Vijayanagara Empire - Founding

The founding of the original kingdom was based on the principality of Anegondi, based on a fortified town on the Tungabhadra river in the Deccan. In the century preceding the founding of the empire, the old kingdoms of the Deccan had been overrun by Muslim invaders from the north. From 1309, Malik Kafur reached and captured Warangal, later on reaching the Malabar kingdoms. Mubarak of Delhi reached Warangal again in 1323. Between 1334 and 1336, Muhammad Tughlaq of Delhi again overran the region, capturing Anegondi.

There are several theories regarding the origin of this empire. Scholars like Prof. K. A. Nilakanta Sastry, Dr. N. Venkataramanayya and B. Surya Narayana Rao have supported the Telugu or Warrangal origin theory. Hakka and Bukka were brothers of the Kuruba clan and were commanders in the army of the King of Warangal. Muhammad bin Tughlaq after defeating the king of Warangal took Hakka and Bukka as prisoners of war to Delhi, where they were converted to Islam by force. However, the brothers escaped from Delhi vowed to preserve the Hindu culture and heritage. Under the guidance of Brahmin sage Vidyaranya founded the Vijayanagara Kingdom. The Emblem of the Kingdom was Varaha {pig} the incarnation of Lord Vishnu. The Kuruba descendents of the Kingdom still live in Hampi.

But scholars like Fr. Heras, B. A. Saletore and Dr. P. B. Desai have ably rejected this theory. They hold the view that the Sangama brothers were closely connected with the Hoysalas. Dr. Desai is of the opinion that the founders of Vijayanagara never belonged to the Telugu region and the story of their captivity and conversion by the Sultan of Delhi is false. The testimony of epigraphs establishes the fact that the ancestral territory of the Sangama brothers was Karnataka and that the area round about Hampi constituted their homeland.

That Harihara and his brothers hailed from the Kannada region and were legitimate successors to Hoysala sovereignty by natural process is supported by evidence. For example, they became over lords of the entire communions formerly ruled by the Hoysalas without any clash for the transfer of power. In keeping with the old tradition, they implicitly followed the Hoysala framework in all political and administrative matters. Lord Virupaksha of Hampi and Chennakeshava of Belur were worshipped. As pointed out by G. S. Gai almost half of the inscriptions of Vijayanagara are in Kannada. Many of their titles like “Bhashegetappuva - rayara - ganda” and “Rayamoovara - ganda” were in Kannada and were used in the same form even in Sanskrit. According to Dr. P. B. Desai, “the adoption of the pontiffs of Shringeri as their revered teachers and spiritual guides and the pasupata Kriyasaktis as their family priests by the Sangama is yet another testimony of their unquestionable identity with the Hoysala country and Karnataka” (Ref. Arthikage, Mangalore, India - History of Karnataka, http://www.ourkarnataka.com/history.htm)

A popular account (supported by Department Of Tourism, Govt. Of India, copyright 2003 Eicher Goodearth Ltd. New Delhi) says that the Hampi region was part of a tiny kingdom of Kampili in the 14th Century AD when large parts of north India was under muslim rule. In 1326 AD Mohammed Bin Tughluq defeated and killed the king of Kampili. Among those taken prisoner were sons of Sangama, Hukka and Bukka, both treasury officers of Kampili, who were forced to convert to Islam. Some years later the sultan sent the two brothers back to govern the province. In 1336 AD, they laid foundation of an independent kingdom, with the help of sage Vidyaranya, denying any allegiance to the Tughluqs and became Hindu again. They laid foundation to the Sangama dynsaty with its citadel in Vijayanagara. History has it that the governors of Hoysala, Singeya Nayaka-III (1280 - 1300) declared independance and formed the kingdom of Kampili around 1280 AD. The kingdom faced constant threat for the powerful kingdom from Hoysalas and Yadavas. But in 1327 AD, the Muslim expedition took toll of Yadavas and their kingdom as well as Kampiladeva's kingdom and opened up routes for the Muslim rulers.

Many other stories add intrigue and mystery to the founding of the Empire but lack epigraphal support.

Another story avers that the hermit Vidyarnya himself founded the city after the discovery of a hidden treasure, ruled over it himself, and left it after his death to a Kuruba family who established the first regular dynasty. + Many other stories add intrigue and mystery to the founding of the Empire but with lack of epigraphal support.

A fourth account states that while Vidyaranya was living his ascetic life amongst the mountains he was supported by meals brought to him by a shepherd of Kuruba caste called Bukka, "and one day the Brahmin said to him, 'You shall be king and emperor of all Bharata.' The other shepherds learned this, and began to treat this shepherd with veneration and made him their head; and he acquired the name of 'king,' and began to conquer his neighbours. Bukka established a city "and called it Vijaya Nagar – the city of victory . As Muhammud Tughlaq's rule ended amidst revolts against him by his Muslim subjects in the Deccan, the area ruled by Harihara expanded greatly and quickly. The city of Vijayanagara was established by about 1340 on the bank of the Tungabhadra opposite Anegondi.

Harihara was succeeded, probably around 1343, by his brother, Bukka Raya, who ruled till about 1379. By the end of Bukka's reign, most of southern India to the south of the Tungabhadra had accepted his suzerainity.

Adapted from the Wikipedia article "Founding", under the G.N U Free Docmentation License. Please also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki