Short Notes on Deveraya’s Expedition of Sri Lanka and Orissa

Devaraya also sent an expedition to the frontiers of Ceylon (Sri Lanks). The armies of Sri Lanka were defeated and agreed to pay tribute. Devaraya also attacked Gajapati of Orissa in 1454 probably due to the latter’s attack on the Reddis of Rajahmundry who were friendly to Vijayanagar rulers.

There is a reference in the scriptures to the rule of Mallappa, a mahapradhani of Devaraya in the Rajahmundry region. It seems that he was sent there to defend it against the invasions of Gajapati of Orissa. But the death of Devaraya II in 1444 led to the destruction of the kingdom by Kapilesvara.

Justify Devaraya as a Great Monarch

Devaraya was a great monarch, perhaps the greatest ruler of the Sangama dynasty. Of all the kings who sat on the throne of Vijayanagar, he is perhaps surpassed only by Krishnadevaraya.

He is sometimes called gajabetekara or elephant hunter. In spite of all the difficulties, he was able to maintain the integrity of his kingdom and in fact extended it to its natural frontier, the Krishna River in the north which had been the dream of his predecessors.

He modernized his army and kept a fleet of ships which plied the seas and brought tributes from Quitton, Sri Lanka, Pegu, Quilon and many other countries. With the help of his able minister, Lakshmi-dhara, he gave an efficient administration to the state.

Though he was continuously engaged in wars, he was still able to promote learning. He gave liberal grants to men of letters. He held philosophical debates and honoured scholars. He cons- ferred the title of kavi-sarvabhauma on Srinatha who defeated his court poet Dindima in hotly contested debate.

Devaraya was liberal towards the Muslims. He enrolled them in the army and also permitted them to construct mosques. Abdur Razzaq, the Ambassador of Shah Rukh from Samarqand, who visited Vijayanagar during this period, has beautifully described the city, the court and the people of Vijayanagar in his account. He writes: “The country is for the most part well cultivated, very fertile. . . . The troops amount in number to eleven lakhs (1,100,000).

“Each class of men belonging to each profession has shops continuous the one to the others; the jewellers sell publicly in the bazar pearls, rubies, emeralds and diamonds. In this agreeable locality, as well as on the king’s palace, one sees numerous running streams and canals formed of chiselled stone, polished and smooth. . . .

All the inhabitants of this country, both those of exalted rank and of an inferior class, down to the artisans of the bazar wear pearls, rings adorned with precious stones in their ears, on their neck, on their arm, on the upper part of the hand, and on the fingers. . . .

“Each of the seven fortresses alike contains a great number of places of prostitution, and their general proceeds amount to twelve thousand fanams, which forms the pay allotted to the guards.

These latter have it assigned to them as a duty to make themselves acquainted with every event which occurs within the fortresses; if any article is lost or stolen by thieves it is their duty to recover it, if not, they are bound to make it good. . ..”

This great ruler passed away on May 24, 1446, after a rule of 25 years. He had earlier lost two of his sons in wars against Muslims. He was succeeded by his eldest surviving son, Mallikarjuna Raya also known as Immada Deva Raya who assumed the title of gajabetekara.