Short biography of Bukka-I (A.D 1355—A.D. 1377)

Bukka I succeeded Harihara I who died without an issue. He was a far-sighted ruler and directed his efforts to curb the centrifugal tendencies which had shown themselves in some parts of the kingdom.

Harihara I, as mentioned earlier, had entrusted the administration of the outlaying provinces to his brothers who became virtual masters of the territories under their control.

Kampana I, governor, of Udayagiri, died about A.D 1355. His two sons Savanna and Sangama II divided the province among them and did not think it necessary to make any reference to the centre. Marapa, governor of Male-nadu and Banavasi, was succeeded by his sons Savanna and Hariappa.

Bukka was fully conscious that these arrangements would lead to the disintegration of the Empire. Therefore, he appointed his own sons as governors and made them responsible to the centre. These governors were also transferred whenever exigencies of the state required.

Bukka now turned his attention to the Tamil country. Harihara had earlier restored Rajanarayana Sambuvaraya to the throne after defeating the Madura Sultan. Obviously it was a protectorate of the Vijayanagar Empire.

Sambuvaraya seemed to have asserted his independence which led to the invasion of the state by the forces of Bukka in 1359-60.

The task of conquering the Tamil country was entrusted by Bukka to his son Vira Kumara Kampana. He was the husband of the famous royal poetess Gangadevi. Bukka advised his son to march against the Sambuvaraya chieftain who “is the leader of the Vanniyas and he is preparing for war.

If you subdue the Vanniya ruler, it would be easy for you to break the power of the Muslims at Madura”. The Sambuvarayas were earlier under the service of the Cholas and won renown in wars against the Pandyas. After the fall of the Pandyas, they became the feudatories of the Pandyas.

Following the invasion of Muslim invasions after A.D. 1310 and the civil wars between Vira Pandya and Sundara Pandya, they became independent. The greatest ruler of this synasty was Venrumankonda Ekambaranatha Sambuvaraya (A.D. 1321-A.D. 1339) who is said to have occupied Kanchi from the Kakatiyas in A.D. 1316.

Venrumankonda also drove out the Muslim governors who had captured the Tondaimandalam during the reign of Muhammad-bin- Tughluq and assumed to the title of Venrummankonda. He died in the first half of 1339 and was succeeded by Rajanarayana Sambuvaraya (1339-63).

Kumara Kampana defeated Rajanarayana Sambuvaraya who was probably killed in a duel battle between the two rulers. Thus the Tamil country known as Rajagambirarajam comprising the districts of Chingleput, North Arcot and South Arcot passed into the hands of Vijayanagar rulers who annexed it.

Kumara Kampana now turned his attention to the Sultan of Madura. Gangadevi, the royal chronicler, has described the pitiable condition of the Hindus under his rule. This is corroborated by Ibn Batuta and contemporary Hindu chronicles.

It is said that a mystrerious lady appeared before Kampana when he was encamping at Kanchi and informed him about the atrocities being committed by the sultan of Madura on his people. She gave him a divine sword and urged him to drive out the invaders.

Scholars such as K.A. Nilakanta Sastri, S.K. Iyengar, T.V.S. Pandarattar, Father Heras, V. Rangachari and Mahalingam differ about the date of the conquest of Madura by Kampana.

But after considering the views of the various scholars, Dr. A Krisnhnaswami in his work The Tamil Country under Vijayanagar comes to the conclusion that the conquest of Madura took place in April on May 1371 when Fakhr-ud-din Mubarak Shah was ruling. It seems, however, that his successor continued to rule a part of the regime and struck coins in his name.

The sultanate became extinct during the reign of Harihara II (A.D. 1376-A.D. 1404). Kampana was appointed viceroy of the Tamil region by Bukka. It was a glorious period of Vijayanagar’s rule. Kampana’s first task was to restore law and order and enforce the rule of dharma which had suffered so much at the hands of Muslim rulers.

Brahmans were given full liberty to perform the rituals, and slaughter of cows was prohibited. Grants were given for the repair of the temple and revival of the religious activities.

For the efficient discharge of these duties, Kampana appointed a number of officers such as mahapradhani, dannayaka, treasurer, Olainayakham, Adaipham, Kangani and Svamidurogakkandan.

Their main duty was the supervision and execution of the royal decrees for the restoration and rehabilitation of temples. They were required to look after the collection of taxes for the maintenance of temples, the priests and other servants. There were, of course, other officers who looked after the administration of the region.