Episodes
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We delve into an episode that combines the intrigue of an unsolved mystery with the enduring legacy of one of India's greatest rulers—Sri Krishna Deva Raya.
This episode was inspired by an interesting question from a handful of the listeners of this podcast and also something I have seen floating around on the internet forums and comment sections related to Vijayanagara or Sri Krishna Deva Raya.
In the heart of Hampi, amidst the grandeur of temples and palaces that once echoed with the sounds of a thriving empire, lies a tantalizing enigma: the lost tomb of Emperor Sri Krishna Deva Raya.
His reign, a golden age of prosperity and artistic brilliance, left a monumental legacy, yet the location of his final resting place has eluded historians and adventurers for centuries.
Could it be hidden beneath the 64 pillar mandapam in Hampi on the banks of Tungabhadra; a structure whose intricate carvings might conceal the emperor's final resting place?
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Episodes manquant?
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Before Venkata's reign, the Vijayanagara Empire had largely contented itself with defending its territories. Notably, Tirumala and later Ranga concentrated on safeguarding their domains from external threats. Ranga I, for instance, had taken action only to expel Muslims from Ahobilam and its surroundings.
However, Venkata II chose a different path. He inaugurated his rule as Emperor of Vijayanagara with an offensive campaign, a strategy shift that would ultimately prove to be a game-changer.
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Imagine, if you will, a time when the grandeur of the Vijayanagara Empire, once an epitome of power and prosperity, was slowly waning. Even as the shadows of its own demise encroached around it, the empire started to cast its most brilliant and vibrant light, like a candle nearing its end.
The emperor Venkatapati Deva Raya II, whose legacy we are about to explore, ruled during these tumultuous times. He stood as the candle's final guardian, its flame dancing defiantly against the encroaching darkness. His reign would prove to be a beacon of hope, a testament to the enduring spirit of Vijayanagara, as it burned with an intensity that defied its imminent extinguishment.
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The very mention of the downfall of Krishna Deva Raya might sound blasphemous for the romanticists of History and die-hard fans of him. Nevertheless, this fall was the logical conclusion of a meteoric rise.
After all, the fate and fortune of empires and emperors are at the mercy of the gravity of time. And the great Krishna Deva Raya was no exception.
The seeds of destruction of the greatest empires are usually sown during their rise itself, and they tend to be so small to even notice while they are happening that it's generally too late to do anything by the time damage is done.
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Saluva Thimmarasu's idea of forging letters from the 16 of Gajapati’s Mahapatras and making it seem like the vassals of Gajapati were actively conspiring with the Vijayanagara Emperor to betray Prataparudra on the day of the battle was a masterstroke.
Meanwhile, Subuddhi, the officer who had been sent by the Gajapati to keep him updated of all that was happening, learned that Vijayanagara officers were secretly proceeding toward the Gajapati’s camp with 16 boxes and he hurried to write up a message about this to warn Prataparudra.
This episode is the Vijayanagara-Gajapati War mini-series finale, culminating in the total domination of Sri Krishnadevaraya over the entire South after vanquishing his Hindu rival.
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We had ended the last episode at a cliffhanger, a crucial juncture for Sri Krishnadevaraya and his army. The Great Raya’s blitzkrieg took him deep into the enemy Gajapati territory, only to realize that he and his army were trapped.
“Their strategy totally foils our plans,” he thought. “In fact, the whole campaign is quickly becoming a disaster! Damn! - this is what I get for making light of Thimmarasu’s advice” -
Welcome back to Ithihasa Indic History Podcast!
This is the 1st episode of 2022 and the Episode 52 of the Season Vijayanagara.
Loyal Listeners who have been asking me, your wait is finally over.
Let us pick up where we left in December of 2021.
We had ended the previous episode with the conquest of the Udayagiri fortress by the Vijayanagara Army after a lengthy siege and fighting off the dogged resistance of the gallant forces of the Gajapati Army.
In this episode, we shall continue the military campaign of the Great Raya from where we left off in the last.
The fall of Udayagiri did not satisfy the Vijayanagara Emperor understandably.
Now that he had tasted success against his arch-rival Prataparudra, Krishna DevaRaya wanted to push the dagger even deeper.
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This episode and the next will look closely at the campaigns of Sri Krishna Devaraya against the Orissa Gajapati’s scion, Prataparudra Deva and their intense personal rivalry that added fuel to the already simmering fire between these two Hindu powers.
Not many people realize that the aftermath of this long simmering war between these two great powers, was much more dramatic and in a way anticlimactic than what it is usually made out to be. The decline in the power of Orissan Gajapatis and the break up of it’s empire, practically begins with the ascension of Prataparudra to the throne and the rise of Sri Krishna Devaraya.
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Krishna Deva Raya’s period of rule constitutes the glorious epoch in the history of the Vijayanagara empire, with back to back military victories scored on all sides, in quick succession, besides being the apex time in the history of arts and culture in the South.
The name Krishna Deva Raya, even till this day evokes the same response in the hearts and minds of millions of South Indians as much as it did in the 16th century. People loved him then and they love him now.
In this episode we shall pick up from where we left in the last one. We shall look at the circumstances under which the young Krishna Raya ascended the throne and the military campaign that he undertook right after his coronation.
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Krishna Deva Raya’s period of rule constitutes the glorious epoch in the history of the Vijayanagara empire, with back to back military victories scored on all sides, in quick succession, besides being the apex time in the history of arts and culture in the South.
The name Krishna Deva Raya, even till this day evokes the same response in the hearts and minds of millions of South Indians as much as it did in the 16th century. People loved him then and they love him now.
Chatrapathi Shivaji Maharaj, MahaRana Pratap and Krishna Deva Raya are some of the few rulers in Indian history who are adored and loved by millions of Indians.
These charismatic figures are adored and respected by every proud Hindu across the world, for everything that they did to uphold Dharma and protect this Sacred Land and Civilization which we call as Bharath.
In light of that, a mere cursory account of the beloved figure, Sri Krishna Deva Raya wouldn’t do justice to either to the podcast, this episode or even to this Great Legend.
In the Battle Of Raichur mini-series, we explored in depth the daring military exploits of Krishna Deva Raya in his Raichur campaign and the aftermath of it.
In this episode, we shall look at his beginnings and rise to the Lion throne of Vijayanagara.
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The 1st Emperor of the Saluva Dynasty, Saluva Narasimha died in about the year 1490 CE, without enjoying the power and position for long, leaving two minor sons behind him. Placing the kingdom under the charge of his trusted lieutenant, Tuluva Narasa Nayaka as a regent.
When Narasanayaka raised the eldest of the princes to the throne, Timmaraja opposes him in favour of the younger prince which results in a intense rivalry that creates deep fissures in the fabric of Vijayanagara polity. This rivalry was rooted in their personal ambitions which led to dissensions in the court of Vijayanagara, that was still recovering from the effects of misrule of the last Sangama rulers.
In this episode we will trace the implosion of the short lived Saluva Dynasty and the rise of Tuluva Dynasty.
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This episode is going to be focused on Saluva Narasimha’s journey to the Lion’s Throne and what it meant to the waning fortunes of Vijayanagara.
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The great Emperor Devaraya II had passed away, his inexperienced and not so talented successor Mallikarjuna Raya had ascended the throne. And the dark clouds of war were already hovering around Vijayanagara.
It’s arch rivals, the Bahamanis and Gajapatis were more than eager to commence a pincer move to finish it off with their opportunistic alliance.
Will they succeed in their plan? Will Mallikarjuna be able to hold against his rivals?
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Yet another war between the Vijayanagara and Bahamani had ended, but it was followed by a brutal famine throughout the Deccan and Karnataka that distressed the populations of both the kingdoms up until 1424 CE for two long years.
In spite of these setbacks, Vijayanagara soon recovered its strength, making Devaraya I and his successor Devaraya II's reigns memorable in the empire. The long years of peace that followed this war stirred the literary and religious talents of the people of the empire, as nothing else had done for half a century before.
After the death of Devaraya I, Devaraya II’s relations with the Bahamani kingdom however continued to be hostile.
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The breathing room and crucial buffer that DevaRaya II’s reign provided to the Empire cannot be understated. His rule had prevented it from being eaten up by its rivals, the Gajapatis and Bahmanis, who were eagerly waiting to carve it up for themselves.
And it is exactly for this reason that I will be dedicating some time to the under appreciated reign of DevaRaya II. We had briefly touched his rise to power in the previous episode.
And before we look at the reign of Devaraya II, we need to first know some background of the events that preceded him. Most importantly, in this episode we shall briefly look at the reign of Devaraya I, the grandfather of Devaraya II.
The events that transpired during his reign had ripple effects for Devaraya II.
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How and why did two powerful Hindu emperors and contemporaries of their time end up on the opposite side instead of joining forces against the Islamic Sultanate rivals?
If you are interested to know the Why and How of it, then you are at the right place. Like never before on any Indian History Podcast, we shall go in depth into this fascinating history of India. -
2020 has been an eventful year that most of us wish never happened in first place.
The economic and human devastation that transpired across the globe so rapidly due to this deadly pandemic; is a grim reminder to each one of us to not take our fragile life, peace, material luxuries and the semblance of order in our daily lives for granted.
So to all those asking me, when is the next episode or what it is about, I can assure you that it’s going to be very interesting. There is still a lot of ground to cover and many stories to be told.
We will be resuming the Season Vijayanagara in 2021 with an dramatic mini-series that will delve in depth into the rise of Sri Krishna DevaRaya and the epic showdown between the Gajapatis of Orissa and Vijayanagara.
There is going to be intense drama, action, intrigue that’s born out of the insatiable ambitions, greed of powerful men of that era for glory and power.
Like never before on any other Indian History Podcast, the Story of Vijayanagara will be unraveled on the Ithihasa Indic History Podcast. Whether you are a first-time listener, casual listener or a loyal listener, you will not be disappointed.
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Familial and succession politics of the empire constantly reproduced new political and kin alliances. In a world shaped by succession struggles and dynastic politics, shifting alliances made and unmade the Nayaka fortunes. With each new struggle at the royal court, an entire chain of political hierarchy stood to gain or lose.
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