THE IMPERIAL

CAPITAL :
VIJAYNAGARA
CITY OF VICTORY
 INTRODUCTION
Vijayanagara or “city of victory” was the
name of both a city and an empire .
The empire was founded in the 14th century.
At its peak it stretched from river Krishna to
the extreme south of the peninsula.
In 1565 the city was sacked and subsequently
deserted.
Now the people of the Krishna –
Tungabhadra refer to it as Hampi.
The name is derived from the local Mother
Goddess Pampadevi .
 THE
DISCOVERY
FINDING THE CITY AMONG RUINS
 DISCOVERY OF HAMPI
Hampi was discovered in 1800 by British antiquarian
Colonel Colin Mackenzie.
much of the initial information was acquired through the
priests at the virupaksha temple and the pampadevi
shrine.
From 1856 the photographers began to record the
monuments enabling the scholars to study them.
From 1836 epigraphists had begun collecting the
inscriptions found at temples of Hampi.
Historians also started to collect information from the
accounts of travellers to that region to reconstruct
history.
The also looked into literature written in Telugu,
Kannada, Tamil and Sanskrit.
 COLONEL COLIN MACKENZIE
Colonel Colin Mackenzie was the first
surveyor -- general of India.
He was famous as an engineer, surveyor and
cartographer.
He worked for the English East India
Company.
He prepared the first survey map of Hampi.
He embarked on collecting local histories and
surveying historic sites to better understand
India’s past and make governance of the
colony easier.
 EMPIRE
STRUCTURE
ADMINISTRATION, RANKS AND TRADE
 BEGINNING OF THE EMPIRE
According to tradition and epigraphic evidence two
brothers Harihara and Bukka founded the Vijayanagara
empire.
Evidences suggest it to be found in 1336.
The empire included a great diversity of people and also
competed with contemporary rulers.
Some rulers like the Gajapati rulers of Orissa and the
Deccan Sultans are often mentioned in context of
Vijayanagara.
The empire as described by contemporaries was called
Karnataka Samrajyamu.
The rulers of Vijayanagara called themselves rayas and
were also called Narapati or lord of men.
 THE AMARA NAYAKA SYSTEM
The military chiefs of the Vijayanagara empire were
called nayakas., they submitted to the authority of the
King .
The Amara Nayaka system was a major political
innovation of the Vijayanagara empire likely to be
derived from the iqta system of the Delhi Sultanate.
The Amara Nayakas were military commanders who
were given territories by the raya to govern.
They collected taxes and other dues from people of the
region under them.
They also retained a portion of the revenue for personal
use and for maintaining contingent of horses and
elephants.
The Amara Nayakas sent tribute to the King annually
and themselves appeared in the courts to express their
loyalty.
 TRADE
As warfare during these times depended upon effective
cavalry, the import of horses from Arabia and Central Asia
was very important for rival kingdoms.
This trade was initially controlled by Arab traders. Local
communities of merchants known as kudirai chettis or horse
merchants also participated in these exchanges.
From 1498 other actors appeared on the scene. These were
the Portuguese, who arrived on the west coast of the
subcontinent and attempted to establish trading and military
stations.
Vijayanagara was also noted for its markets dealing in
spices, textiles and precious stones.
Trade was often regarded as a status symbol for such cities].
The revenue derived from trade in turn contributed
significantly to the prosperity of the state.
 RISE
Achievements and successive dynasties of the empire
DYNASTIES OF THE EMPIRE

SANGAMAS saluvas

TULUVAS ARAVIDUS
 SANGAMA DYNASTY
The sangama dynasty was the founding
dynasty of the vijayanagara empire.
The brothers Harihara and Bukka
belonged to the Sangama dynasty.
They ruled from the start of the
fourteenth century until 1485.
They were later supplanted by the
saluva dynasty.
 SALUVA DYNASTY
the Saluvas were the second
dynasty to rule the Vijayanagara
empire.
The ruled from 1485 until 1503.
They were originally military
commanders who acquired the
throne after the Sangama dynasty.
They were replaced by the Tuluvas
in 1503.
 TULUVA DYNASTY
The Tuluvas were the third ruling
lineage of the vijayanagara empire.
Their accession is marked by the great
architectural feats , prosperity and
stability.
They were also great conquerors and
subdued their rivals. They were always
at their optimum military preparedness.
The great KING Krishnadeva Raya
belonged to this dynasty .
 ARAVIDU DYNASTY
the Aravidu dynasty was the last dynasty
to rule the Vijaynagara empire.
They took power in 1542 and held it till
the end of the seventeenth century.
they concentrated power in the centre at
first.
later, they ruled from Penukonda and then
Chandragiri.
they lost control over the city of
Vijayanagara after defeat in the battle of
Talikota.
 TOWN
LAYOUT
CITY PLANNING AND ARCHITECTURE
 TOWN PLAN
the town was strategically located drained by the
Tungabhadra basin , cradled between granite .
The city was surrounded by 7 rows of ramparts.
The agricultural tracts were encircled by these
fortifications proving to be advantageous during wars.
These walls were connected by well guarded gates
leading to the city’s major roads.
The city was further divided into three main parts
namely the ‘sacred centre’ ,’urban centre ‘ and the
‘urban core’ .
 URBAN CORE
the urban core was the ordinary people dwelled . Traces of
thatched houses , small shrines and mosques have been
found.
The houses although thatched were well built and arranged
according to occupation in long streets with many open
spaces .
surveys indicate that wells, rainwater tanks as well as
temple tanks may have served as sources of water to the
ordinary town dwellers.
Dotted by many temples, mosques and tombs suggest the
existence of a variety of cults and many communities
dwelled together.
Traces of Chinese porcelain suggest rich traders also lived
among commons.
 ROYAL CENTRE
The royal centre was located in the south
western area of the capital city.
Although regarded as the royal centre it had
around 60 shrines as kings patronage religion
.
About 30 large structures have been identified
as palaces.
The royal centre also incorporates super
structures like the mahanavmi dibba and the
audience hall. They hosted sacred festivities.
Beautiful buildings like the hazara ram temple
and the lotus mahal are also located.
 SACRED CENTRE
The location of vijayanagara is historically associated
with the sacred legends of goddess pampadevi and
Ramayana's Vali and Sugriva.
The Pallavas, Chalukyas, Hoysalas and Cholas. Rulers
very often encouraged temple building as a means of
associating themselves with the divine.
The sacred centre is a home to magnificent
gopurams , splendid temples with ornate carvings in
their mandapas .
The famous temples , the vitthala temple and the
virupaksha temple are also located in the sacred centre.
Temples developed as significant religious, social,
cultural and economic centers. thus kings also gave
patronage to temples.
 THE
DECLINE
LOST BATTLES AND THE CITY’S FATE
 THE BATTLE OF TALIKOTA
Strain began showing in the empire after the
death of krishnadev raya in 1542.
The military ambitions of the aravidu rulers and
its neighbours eventually led to a military
alliance against vijayanagara.
In 1565 Rama Raya, led the army into battle at
Rakshasi-Tangadi (also known as Talikota),
Where his forces were routed by the combined
armies of Bijapur, Ahmadnagar and Golconda.
It was the policy of Rama Raya who tried to play
off one Sultan against another that led the Sultans
to combine together and decisively defeat him.
 THE CITY IN RUINS
The city lost the battle of talikota and was
sacked by the enemy forces .
The city was left totally abandoned and
denuded of its previous glory.
The aravidus ruled from other places
such as from Penukonda and then
Chandragiri.
Only the ruins of the city have survived
and now vijayanagara is referred to as
Hampi.
 FACTS ABOUT
VIJAYANAGARA
IMPORTANCE OF HAMPI AND TRAVELLERS
 SOME LESS KNOWN FACTS
The city of Vijayanagara is built in
Indo—Islamic architecture
introduced by Turkish sultans.
The people of Vijayanagara conversed
in Kannada or Telugu.
Hampi was chosen as world heritage
site by UNESCO in 1986.
Recently the government of India
introduced a new ₹50 currency note
adorned with the chariot of Vitthala
temple at Hampi.
 TRAVELLERS TO VIJAYANAGARA
15th century travellers

Nicolo de Conti Abdur Razzaq Afanaisi Nikitin

Duarte Barbosa Domingo Paes Fernao Nuniz