05/01/2019 - Art and Culture

KEY POINTS

·        Vijayanagara or “city of victory” was the name of both a city and an empire. The empire was founded in the fourteenth century.

·        Krishnadeva Raya’s rule was characterised by expansion and consolidation. This was the time when the land between the Tungabhadra and Krishna rivers (the Raichur doab) was acquired (1512), the rulers of Orissa were subdued (1514) and severe defeats were inflicted on the Sultan of Bijapur(1520). Although the kingdom remained in a constant state of military preparedness, it flourished under conditions of unparalleled peace and prosperity.

Literature:

·        He composed a work on statecraft in Telugu known as Amuktamalyada, which mentions important duties of a King and a Sanskrit play Jambavati Kalyanam.

·        Many Kannada, Telugu, Sanskrit, and Tamil poets enjoyed the patronage of the emperor. Emperor Krishna Deva Raya was fluent in many languages. 

Administration:

·        His concern for the welfare of the people is amply proved by his extensive annual tours all over the empire, during which he studied everything personally and tried to redress the grievances of the people and to punish the evil doers. 

·        Land revenue was fixed based on the yield, normally 1/3rd of the produce. While Krishnadevaraya tried to augment his income by the imposition of many taxes he abolished many unjust taxes that obstructed the growth of commerce

Art and Architecture:

·        The temple building activity of the Vijayanagar rulers produced a new style, called the Vijayanagar style. Though often characterized as Dravida Style, it had its own distinct features.

·        Krishnadeva Raya is credited with building some fine temples and adding impressive gopurams to many important south Indian temples. He also founded a suburban township near Vijayanagara called Nagalapuram after his mother.

·        The Raya Gopurams, towers in commemoration of the visit of emperors in different corners of the empire, are also important examples of architecture of the period.

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