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NOVEMBER, 1914.) THE HISTORY OF THE NAIK KINGDOM OF MADURA
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far inferior in capacity to his brilliant predecessor. The reigning king of Travancore, Râmavarma -he was the successor or, more probably, the co-regent of Ravivarmało who had succeeded Udaya-Mârtânda, the adversary of Achyuta Raya-took advantage of this and embraced the resolution, in consistency with the policy of his ancestors, of committing inroads into Pâniyan lands. So keen and aggressive was he that, by 1546, he was, as an inscription of the Nelliapp971 temple shews, at Tinnevelly itself. We do not exactly know what the Pandyan did at this crisis ; but we may be certain that he appealed against his greedy neighbour, as of old, to the Emperor. Sadasiva, or rather Rama Raya, was hardly likely to ignore such an unscrupulous ambition in a feudatory vassal.
The invasion of Travancore by Vitthala and his Viceroyalty. He therefore ordered his cousin Mahamaodalesvara72 Vitthaladêva Maha-Raya to pro.ceed to the south and restore the balance of power there. We do not know why Visvanatha Naik who, au wa have already seen, was Viceroy in 1544, was not asked to settle the question. It is not improbable that he was asked to serve as a subordinate officer under Vitthala Dāva. It seems that Vitthala was a relation of his,-a cousin. For an inscription of S. 1554 saysis that Nagarasu of the solar race and Kayapa G tra, (i. e., the father of Visvanitha Naik) was the nephew of Ramaraja Tirumalaiya-Diva-Maharaja of the lunar race and Åtrêya Gôtra, and this Tirumalaiya was Vitthala's father. So Visvanátha was a cousin of the new Viceroy, and no doubt accompanied him in his southward march, in 1544. The campaign of Vitshala was in reality a rapetition of the campaign of Achyuta Râya-a second conquest of the south by “the Bidugas." The Badugas were, as may be imagined, victo rious everywhere,74 They recovered the Tinnevelly province and were soon within the Tiruvadi's dominions. Two miles off Kôtâr75, we are told, the two forces met. The exact date is unknown, but it is almost certain that it took place in July or August 1544. The king of Travancore, according to Xavier, did not yield; but inscriptions prove that he did. We
who was reignington 1537 A. D. It was the Varma's succoshor Waco regent, Mr. S. Patan was succeed -
TO For an insoription of his, date 1 1538, at Kilisan Iths shring at Such?n:Iram, soe No. 79 of 1896. The Travanore State Manual says that Udayam lrtada, the contemporary of Achyuta Riya. W suoceeded by BhAtalavira.Vira-Udaya-Ravivarms and Rimsvarma was his co-regent, Mr. S. Paramvara Aivar in the Christ. Ool. Mag. (1901) saya Mletanda Varma's successor was "Srivira Ramavarra," one of whose inscriptions is dated 1537 A.D." It was the successor of this prince, Bhatala Vira Sri Vire Kerala Varme who was reigning in Travancore, at the period of the invasion of Vittala, Xavier calls him Iniquitribrium, which considering the monstrous perversions of Indian namn generally made by European authors, is not an altogether unfaithful reproduotion of the name Uani Kerala Varma." (p. 188). He was a great friend of the Portuguese. Kerala Varma "must have died soon after the Bluga invasion; for an inso, of Rama Varma is found at Suohindram in 1546-7.
T1 Inscription 120 of 1894.
To See Arch. Surv. Ind. 1908-9, p. 195. The order seems to have been p19:1 in 1544-5. Ingo. 273 of 1901 at Khilaļi says that Vitthala was "granted the whole country by Salisiva Rly. Just before his arrival in the south he was at Penukonda, whoro, es inso. 340 of 1901 shewa, he remitted certain taxes to barbers. Inso. 140 of 1895 records a gift by Vitthala at Tiruvidaimarud or (Tanjore Dist.) Vitthala's relation to Rims Riya was long uncertain. He was considered by Nelson to be the same as Rama Riya and by Mr. Venkayyah to be his son. In reality he was his cousin. (Ep. Rep. 1911, p. 86); Ibid, 1912, P. 82 Åt. See also Balabhagavalamu of Dosari Konêrukavi, Lives of Telugu Poots, p. 241, for references to Vitthala. (See also Christ. Ool. Mag. 1904-8, p. 187.)
13 Inscription 161 of 1906, found in the Markapar temple, datod 8. 1554 (Ananda).
74 Vitthala's success ranged, says an inscription, from Anantajayanam (Trevandram) in the south to Mudkal in the north. Soo Ep. Bep. 1900, pars 80. Vitthals as a soldier throughout those wars, and was in consequence rewarded with two villages. For & detailed consideration of this campaign, 100 Trau. Manu. I, p. 297-9 and Christ. Col. Mag., 1904-5, 187-90.
15 Soe ante. Vol. XXVI. p. 144 for a history of this place.
T8 For Xavier's career se Chap. III. Mr. Nagam Aiya says that Ravivarms and Vitthala arrived at a compromise by which the extreme south of the peninsula was to be part of Travancore dominion, and that Tiruvadi in return was to desist from future aggression. In Ravivarma's Suohindram grant, Mr. Nagam Alya 10 & proof of this compromise. Soo Trav. Man., 290—300.