Indian Antiquary Vol 43

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

Page 50

THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY
[MARCH, 1914.
Pudhukottai state30" Two inscriptions from Tirupattûr, dated S. 1432, refer to the same chief.40 From these we understand that Siluva Naik was a very powerful and conspicuous magnate of Krishna Deva Raya. So powerful was he, that he seems to have entertained ideas of treason, and to have been looking anxiously for the death of Krishna Deva, so that he could declare himself independent; and when Krishna Deva diect in 1530, he actually declared himself independent, and excited, thereby, one of the most formidable rebellions in Vijayanagar history, a rebellion which had important effects on the history of S. India, and which indirectly led, as we shall see in the next chapter, to the establishment of the Naik dynasty in Madura.
The Karnataka Rajis' Suvistaracharitra t1 gives a different account of the southern part of the Empire under Krishna Deva Raya. It says that the affairs of the Karnataka were very much unsettled, that the chiefs were turbulent, and that an imperial army of 100,000 men had to be sent to conquer and compel the payment of tribute and allegiance. The imperial forces commanded by the Sirdars Vyappa Naik, Tuppakki Krishnappa Naik, Vijaya Raghava Naik and Venkatappa Naik, proceeded to Seringa patam and enforced tribute from all the chiefs of that region. Vyappa then descended into the lower Carnatic and arrived at Velur by way of Ambûr. Here the numerous chiefs of Chittür and Tondamandalam met him and saluted the imperial flag. Making one Pennurutti Venkata Reddi, the Faujdar of this region. in accordance with the Raja's orders, Vyappa then resumed his march and arrived at Jinji. Here the kings of the land between that place and Jayankondachô!âpuram saluted him and paid obeisance. Vyappa then despatched his colleagues Vijaya Raghava Naik and Venkatappa Naik to the south to collect tribute from the Chôla, Paudya, and the Chera realms. These generals visited, in the course of their triumphant career, the cities of Tanjore, Trichinopoly, Madura and Tirunagiri, and excited so much fear in the minds of the local chiefs and governors that they hastened to acknowledge the Emperor. The whole of the Iower Carnatic now formed part of the Raya's Samasthana, and brought in an aggregate revenue of three crores to the imperial treasury. Vyappa divided the whole country into three divisions, each of which brought in a crore, and was ruled by a viceroy. He himself stayed at Jinji. To Vijaya Raghava he gave Tanjore, and to Venkatappa, Madura and Tirunagiri. Vyappa, and his lieutenant Tupp kki Krishnappa Naik had the country north of the Coleroon under them, Vijaya Raghava bad the Kaveri region, and Venkatappa, the Vaigai and the Timbraparni basins. Each looked after his province, and collected tribute from the local rulers. The Chronicle then goes on to describe the actions and achievements of the viceroys of Jinji in detail.
We cannot say how far this account is correct. But there is no reason to make us think that it is not correct. The division of the Empire for purposes of good administration is not unnatural, and Krishna Dêra might have authorised such a procedure.
The Governors of Madura. But if Venkatappa was the general Viceroy of Madura and Tinnevelly, what was the relation between him and Saļuva Narasimha Naikan ? Was he his subordinate, or was he subject to Vijaya Raghava Naik? It is difficult to say. Again. one
39 Inscription 399 of 1906.
40'Insc. 91 and 92 of 1908. Krishna Sastri identified him first with Vira Narasimha, Krishna Deva's father, (Ep. Rep. 1908-09), but has since rightly given up that theory. This Vira Narasimha was a Saluva, probably the "Saluvanay" of Muniz, who held large territories which bordered on Ceylon.
11 There are three copies of this work in the Oriental MSS. Library. The best is in Taylor's Res. Mack. MSS. Vol. I.