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NOVEMBER, 1914.) THE HISTORY OF THE NAIK KINGDOM OF MADURA
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THE HISTORY OF THE NAIK KINGDOM OF MADURA. BY V. RANGACHARI, M.A., LT., MADRAS.
(Continued from p. 202.)
The Contemporary Indigenous Kings. Both inscriptions and chronicles thus agree in saying that Visvanatha Naik was at Madura in 1535. Was there any indigenous ruler in Madura then? According to the chronicles there was one Chandra-Sekhara, the 16th in descent from Sôma-Sêkhara, the object of Kampaņa Udayâr's solicitude. But there are grave doubts, as I have already pointed out in the first chapter, in regard to the existence of this dynasty. It was the Vânadarayas who were in possession of Madura in this age. The relation of Chandrasekhara to these Vânadarayas is very obscure. Was he after all a relation, an unfriendly relation, or member of the Vânadaraya line? However it was, there were, farther off, in Tinnevelly, the Pând. yans of Tenkasi and their feudatories who continued, as of old, to be in power. As has been already pointed out, Åhava-Râma was succeeded by Srivallabha in 1523, and acquitted himself with romarkable distinction for a space of ten years.
SECTION IV. SADASIVA-RAYA 1542-65.
The Rise of the Aravidu House. It was under such circumstances that Achyuta Raya died in 1542. On his death, the care and sceptre of the Empire devolved eventually on his nephew Sadasiva Râyacs, a man whose mild character and humility of temper unfitted him to meet the stress and storm which was soon to surround the state. The weak and yielding nature of the new sovereign made him the tool of ambitious nobles and intriguing ministers. All power was seized by the three brothers Rama-Raja, Tirumala and Venka âdri of the powerful house of Aravidua house which, like those of the Sâļuvâs and the Salakas, had distinguished itself largely in the imperial service. The earliest of the race was one Tâta Pinnama, whose son Sômidêva, it is said, was such a fine soldier that he took seven forts in a single day from an unknown enemy. His son Raghu Deva and grandson Pinnama II, lord of the city of Aravidu, were comparatively obscure figures. But Pinnama's son Bukka was a devoted servant of Saļuva Narasimha, and no doubt helped him in his usurpation. There can be no doubt that Bukka's son Râma I. and grand-son Ranga I. played some part in the Tuluva usurpation and administration that followed. The Aravidu chiefs seem to have been a line of capable men and, what was more, experts in diplomacy. At first the servants of the Sâļuvâs, they evidently changed sides when the Tuluvas came, and served Narasa Naik, Vira Narasimha, Krishna Deva and Achyuta Râya. So powerful and influential did they become that Ranga's sons, Râma Raya 66 (who married the daughter of Krishya Deva Raya), Tirumala,
63 For a detailed account of the disputed succession after Achyuta's death, see Briggs' Ferishta III 80-84 ; and Forgotten Empire. 181-183 ; Arch, Surv. Ind. 1908-9, p. 194-195; Ep. Rep. 1906 paras 48 and 49. The whole is a very interesting question, but not germane to our purpose. Sadasiva is, it is curious, wholly ignored by the chronicles.
See Arch. Surv. Ind. 1908-9 for a genealogy of this line and of its connection with the other contemporary feudatory chiefs. See also Ep. Ind. III (Kuniyûr plates of Venkata II).
• Mr. Krishna Sastri points out how, after Achyuta's death, the Salaka chief Tirumalaiyathe emperor's brother-in-law and the chief coinmander in the Tinnevelly campaign-tried to place Achyuta's son, a young boy, on the throne. He succeeded, but the boy died in a fow years. Tirumalaiya thon tried to usurp the crown but a new claimant arose in Sad Aiva Raya, the son of Ranga Raya, & uterine brother of Achyuta. Sadabiva's strongest-supporters, Rama Raja and Tirumala, then killed Salaks Timma, and placed Sadasiva on the throne. See Arch. Suru. Ind. 1908-9, p. 194-5. Here Mr. Krishna Sastri summarises all literature-Correa, Ferishta, etc.-about this question. The same is confirmed by the British Museum plates of Sadasiva Raya, Ep. Ind. IV, 1.22.
