What Was the Status of Deccan at the End of 13th Century?

At the close of the 13th century, as mentioned in the preceding chapter the Deccan penninsula was divided into three major Hindu kingdoms viz. Yadavas of Devagiri, Kakatiyas of Warangal, and Hoysalas of Dwarasamudra, besides the small state of Kampili. All these Hindu kingdoms were extremely rich.

They had accumulated huge treasures through centuries and had so far escaped any invasion from across the Vindhyas. They were, however, frequently at war with each other and were ready to fall a prey to a powerful invader.

While Deccan thus lay disunited and involved in internecine wars and feuds, North India had come under the sway of the powerful Khalji dynasty whose founder was Jalal-ud-din Firoz Shah.

As S.K. Lai observes in his History of the Khaljis: “In the annals of Indo-Muslim history, what is of striking importance during the regime of the Khaljis and especially of Ala-ud-din, is a continuous series of unprecedented conquests. For the first time the Khaljis carried Muslim arms into the remotest corners of the country”.

Ala-ud-din, nephew of Jalal-ud-din, was by all accounts the first Muslim general who crossed the Vindhyas and invaded Hindu states of South India. Ala-ud-din’s main object was to get possession of the fabulous wealth of Deccan. He was able to achieve his purpose and his treasure-was filled with the immense wealth of South India.

He vanquished the rulers of Devagiri, Warangal, Dwarasamudra and Mabar. Ramchandra of Devagiri (A.D. 1271-A.D. 1310) and Hoysala king, Ballala (A.D. 1292 -A.D. 1342) went to Delhi to pay their respects to the Sultan. Prataparudra Deva (A.D. 1295-A.D. 1326) of Telingana had to accept defeat and surrendered all his wealth while Vira Pandya, king of Mabar, took refuge in flight.

It must, however, be admitted that in spite of these victories, the Muslim success was short-lived. South Indian kingdoms never reconciled themselves to the authority of the Delhi sultan. As soon as the invaders turned their back, the Hindu rulers adopted an attitude of indifference amounting to hostility and reasserted their authority.

In fact, Vira Pandya of Mabar never submitted while Singhana, son of Ramchandra, tried to regain independence. Malik Kafur, Ala-ud-din’s general, had to undertake repeated expeditions to curb the refractory rulers.

But this proved to be a transitory phase and towards the closing years of Ala-ud-din’s reign when Kafur was called back to Delhi, “Deccan was seething with disaffection and it was left to Mubarak Khalji and Muhammad Tughluq to reconquer South India once again”.

Muhammad Tughluq had admirably succeeded in his policy of subjugating the southern states. He had conquered Telingana, Mabar, Kampili and Dwarasamudra and his dominions encompassed almost the whole of South India. But the victories were shortlived due to a variety of reasons.

Unlike the North where the Muhammadan invaders had contented themselves with political conquests, they adopted a different policy in the South. It was also dictated by circumstances.

South was almost entirely populated by Hindus. They were more orthodox and religious-minded than the Hindus of the North. This was repugnant to the Muslim invaders. They tried to impose their religion as much out of political necessity as their religious zeal.

Hindus were not permitted to exercise their religion publicly. Their temples were plundered and destroyed. Many taxes were imposed on them so that they might not be able to live comfortably.

Hindu kingdoms had fallen one by one but the Hindu population had so far remained silent spectators. But now when their religion was at stake, they rose to throw off the Muslim yoke. The militant sects of the Saivas were the first to take the lead.

They believed in one God-Siva and were intolerant about other religions and creeds. They believed in the brotherhood of Saiva but did not hesitate to put to death their opponents.

They were divided into two diametrically opposite sects- the Lingayats, who rejected Vedas, denounced caste system and the brahmanical rituals and the aradhyats who believed in the sanctity of Vedas and accepted caste system.

But they maintained cordial relations, thanks to the efforts of the great missionary Palkurki Somanatha who was a contemporary of Prataparudra. The Hindus of Tiling and Karnatak, most of who belonged to the Saiva sect were the first to rise in rebellion against the tyranny of the Muslim invaders.

Venkataramayya in his scholarly work South India and its Muhammadan Invaders quotes the Vilasa grant which mentions that “the rebellion of the Hindus of Tiling was provoked by Muslim attempt to subvert the Hindu religion and destroy the Hindu population by a policy of universal extortion.

They attacked the three visible symbols of the Hindu dharma, the temple, the brahman and the cow; and obstructed the study of religious scriptures and the performance of vedic sacrifices.

To break the strength of the Hindu community and deprive it of the power of resistance, they plundered the rich and sucked the life-Blood of the agriculturist, the backbone of the nation”.

The chief of the Musunuri family inhabiting the east coast, Prolaya by name rose in reovlt and drove out the Muslim garrison. He was succeeded by the well-known leader Kapaya. He was helped by 75 nayaks and almost the entire people who were fed up with Muslim tyranny.

Very little information is available about this great revolt in the contemporary records which changed the whole course of history in the South. The probable date of the revolt is A.D. 1330 and it seemed to have continued for about 5 years.

The Hindus of the eastern coast were thus busy in liberating their country when the people of the Krishna-Tugabhadra Doab rose against the Imperial governor, Malik Maqbul.

Their leader was the Chalukya prince Somadevaraya, ruler of a small principality near Kurnool. He seemed to have received the help of the Musunuri chief of Prolaya. Ballala III, Hoysala king of Dwarasamudra, took advantage of the opportunity, declared himself independent and attacked Kampili.

The state of Kampili located in the forest recesses in the present district of Bellary and with its strong forts played an important role in the history of South India. The Imperial governor, Malik Maqbul made a futile bid to meet the enemy who was actively helped by Somadevaraya.

The latter captured about 14 forts in the course of a single day in the modern districts of Kurnool, Bellary and Raichure. He did not spare the Hindu chiefs mostly vassal of the Delhi Sultan who defied his authority.

He defeated the combined armies of the chiefs Nada Bala Nayaka, Gujjal Vira Nidu, Rudrapa Nayaka, Gaura Reddi and Gongi Nayaka at Ganginenlkonda and put them to the sword. He encountered stiff resistance from some of the Muslim officers of the Malik but crushed them.

Even Maqbul fell into his hands but he set him free on the condition that he would acknowledge his superiority. However, the Malik went back on his word after he had been released. Meanwhile, he had apprised the Sultan about the state of affairs in Deccan and begged him for help.

The sultan did not like to involve the Imperial forces in such a distant and long drawn out battles and thought it prudent to appoint a person of his choice as ruler of Kampili. There were two brothers Harihara and Bukka at his court who were related to Raya Ramanatha and had also served his father Prataparudra.

They had been taken prisoners during the conquest of Kampili, later converted to Islam and kept at the Imperial court. The Sultan appointed Harihara, ruler of the province and sent him there with large army. They were well received by the people who rejoiced at their return.

Harihara defeated Ballala after a fierce battle and recovered Chandragiri. The conquest of Nellore and Udayagiri by Bukka followed. It was before A.D. 1336 that Harihara captured Anegondi (Kunjarakona) which became his capital. It seems that even Somadeva had to submit to Harihara who took possession of the territory around Kurnool.

He put down a rebellion in Kampila with a firm hand. His kingdom now extended from Hampi on the Tungabhadra to the Bay of Bengal and from the Krishna to Chandragiri.

Both the brothers resolved to renounce Islam which they had embraced under duress and join hands with their subjects and the neighbouring Hindu states to throw off the yoke of Muslim invaders.

Vidyaranya, their spiritual and temporal teacher, played an important role in their reconversion to Hinduism. He was able to convince his teacher Vidyatirtha, chief pointiff of the Advaita- Matha at Sringeri that is was essential to admit Harihara and Bukka into Hindu fold to save dharma.

Both the brothers were reconverted and embraced Hinduism. To avoid any suspicion in the minds of the people, Harihara (A.D. 1336-A.D. 1355) ruled the kingdom as vice-regent of the god Virupaksha.

To commemorate his victory over his enemies and “the restoration of the country to Hindus, he laid the foundation of a new city on the southern bank of the Tungabhadra, opposite to his capital Kunjarakona (Anegundi) and gave it the appropriate name of Vijayanagar”.

Regarding the Building of this city, the scholars have reached this conclusion that Vidyaranya supplied the idea, Harihara gave the necessary sanction, and Bukka carried it into execution. The city of Vidyanagara was thus built by all the three, Vidyaranya, Harihara and Bukka.

It was given the name of Vidyanagara in honour of the guru whom they regarded “supreme light incarnate”. He also coronated himself according to the sacred rituals on April 18. 1336 A.D. as the King of the new kingdom of Hampi-Hastinavati.