Indian Antiquary Vol 43

Author(s): Richard Carnac Temple, Devadatta Ramkrishna Bhandarkar
Publisher: Swati Publications

Page 11

JANUARY, 1914.] THE HISTORY OF THE NAIK KINGDOM OF MADURA
The Vijayanagar Provincial Organization.
From the first, the Vijayanagar Empire had an organized system of provincial govern. ment. It consisted of numerous divisions and principalities, some of which were under viceroys, who might or might not be the members or relations of the royal family, some under the direct administration of the emperor, and some under the old indigenous dynasties. In the very first decade of Vijayanagar history, i. e., in the short reign of Bukka I, such an arrangement had, if we are to believe the inscriptions of the day, come into existence. Bukka I was himself in the direct charge of the Muluvâi Rajya, the central and eastern portion of the Hoysala kingdom proper, and the most important division perhaps in the empire. Harihara I was in charge of the western half of the old Hoysâ a kingdom together with the Southern districts of the Yâdavas of Devagiri. The Paka and Muliki Vishayas (the Nellore and Kadapa provinces), collectively known as Udayagiri Râjya, were under the administration of Kampaia I,30 while the Malêha Rajya, comprising the Shimoga and North Kanara districts, was under the rule of Marappa. Barakûr, the important city of the North Tulu country, was the seat of a viceroy; and Mangalore, the capital of the South Tulu country, had the same position and importance. Part of the Shimoga district and part of S. Kanara was ruled in 1347 by a feudatory chief who bore the title of Pândya, Chakravartin. Kolâr was an important district under Harihara's son-in-law, Dandanayaka Mahamandaleśvara Vallappa. The empire, as it grew and expanded, was thus partitioned among the generals, mostly relations of the royal family. Even in places where the old indigenous chiefs continued to rule, care was taken that they paid the tribute and that they were subject to the watchful supervision of a viceroy, or rather political agent.
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An arrangement so common and so widespread could not but be applied in the case of the Chôla and Pandyan kingdoms, when they were brought under the imperial sway of Vijayanagar. The common name by which these two kingdoms, especially the Pândyan, were known in those days, was the Raja Gambhira Rajya. The credit of bringing it under the empire belonged to Kampana Udayâr II, the son of Bukka I. Himself an able soldier, Kampana had the fortune to be served by an even abler lieutenant, the Brahman Gopannârya,32 a man who combined with the martial valour of a warrior the scrupulous piety of a priest. Both these leaders seem to have availed themselves of the discontent of the Pândyan king and espoused his cause against the Muhammadans. The latter were completely overthrown, and Hinduism was once again triumphant at Madura. The date of this conquest is, as has been already. mentioned, differently stated by the different authorities. The evidence of epigraphy tells
29 See Arch. Survey Ind., 1907-8, for a very able article on the " 1st Vijayanagara dynasty, its Viceroys and Ministers," by Mr. A. Krishnasastri.
30 Afterwards under his two sons.
31 There are ample epigraphical references concerning him. Eg. Madr. Ep. Rep. 1899 p. 23, says he gave a jewel to Conjeeveram deity. He also did much for Tiruvannamalai and Tirukoilar shrines. See Ep. Rep. 1903 (573 of 1902); Insc., 106, 111, and 114 of 1903 record his gifts at the Jagannatha Swami temple of Tirupallani (Madura district) and bear ample evidence to the Musalman defeats; Insc., 1293. Nos. 282 of 03, (1374 A. D. Ananda), 159 of 1904 (1369 Saumya), and 163, show Kampana's power in Trichinopoly and S. Arcot District.
32 For his inscriptions at Srirangam, see Ep. Ind. Vol. VI, 322-380; for his Conjeeveram inscriptions, see Ep. Rep. 1888, 1890, etc. These belong to S. 1286, 1288 and 1297. In 1371 he removed the image of Ranganatha from Tirupati, took it to Jinji and then to Srirangam (55 of 1892). See also Koyilolugu (Ind Ant. May 1911, p. 391) 1888 edn. p. 54; Trichi. Gazetteer. D, 48; the Guruparampards of the Vaishnavas.