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104
THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY
CHAPTER VIII.
Ranga Krishna Muttu Virappa, (1682-1689).
[MAY, 1917
On the death of Chokkanâtha, his son, Ranga Krishna Muttu Vîrappa, a youth of sixteen, came to the throne. Never did a ruler ever inherit a throne under such gloomy circumstances or had to meet, at the outset of his career, a situation so doubtful and so dangerous. The incompetence and indiscretion of Chokkanâtha had reduced the kingdom to the narrow confines of a single city. The rest of his extensive dominions was either under the actual occupation of foreigners, or a prey to rival adventurers. The people experienced a serics of miseries unrivalled in the past and unimaginable in the future. The evils of anarchy and military occupation manifested themselves to the fullest extent, and filled the realm with sorrow and misery. In the name of the rival powers, robbers and adventurers, whose meat and drink was plunder, and whose turbulence and cruelty defied the discipline of authority and the sentiment of humanity, roamed throughout the land, occupied the forts of the realm, thronged the high roads, and out-stripped one another and the soldiers in the work of destruction. A bold, strong and determined man and saviour was the cry of the moment. A soldier ani tur-seeing statesman was the need of the hour, a person who combined the vigour of the sword with the sympathy of a people's king. Therein lay the one hope of Madura, the one chance of recovery or rebirth. Another Viśvanâ tha or Aryanatha, in other words, was an imperative necessity.
Ranga Krishna's character and adventures.
Fortunately the new king22 was, though young in age, old in wisdom and mature in counsels. He had the activity of habit and the keenness of intellect, characteristic of a soldier-statesman. In his character, enthusiasm was coupled in harmonious combination with discretion, and excellent qualities of the head with those of the heart. Excepting Viśvanatha I, he was the most amiable and picturesque of the Nâik dynasty. His charming personality roused the admiration of his courtiers, the loyalty of his servants, and the affection of his subjects. He was gaiety itself. He loved fun and adventure. He loved to surprise men by his unexpected visits in unexpected places, in unexpected garbs. One
According to the Pand. Chron. he ruled from Rudhirôtkâri (1683) Adi 17th, to Pramodhůta (1691) i. e. for 8 years. According to Suj ple. MS., from Vibhava to Bhava (i. e., 1688-1695); the Carna. Gours. also says, from Vibhava to Bhava. The Telugu Carn. Dyn. says he ruled from Bahudhanya (1698 A. D.) to Vijaya (1767 A. D). 1le correct date is about 1682-1689, and is proved by epigraphy. The epigraplical evidences in rogard to this reign however are very meagre. In his Antiquities. tewell ment ons only one inscription, at Arumbâvur, 14 miles N. W. of Parambalur in Trichinopoly district. It says that in 1686 Raiga Krishna repaired a sluice there. (Antiquities, 1, p. 263). An inscription of 657 A. D. (Hêvilambi) says that Ranga Krishna gave some lands in the villages of Tirumalasam dram and Pudukkujam in the Tinnevelly District to a Brahman. In connection with this inscription Sewell remarks "that the date and cyclic year correspond, but the sovereign mentioned as the donor commenced his reign at Madura in A. D. 1682, and reigned seven years." He therefore believes that the grant might possibly have been given before he became the ruling king. If this were the case, Rauga Krishna would have been more than 25 years old at his accession; but the chronicles say that he was only 16 then. It is thus impossible to reconcile the date of t is inscription with that of the chronicles. (For the inscription see Antiquities, II, p. 7.)
According to Wheeler, he was sixteen when he ascended the throne and his mother, Mangammal, acted as Regent. Wheeler notes that he was a skilful horseman and had a memory that could repeat the whole Bhagavatam by heart. He also notes his love for Brahmans, his visit to foreign Courts in disguise, and the dignified way in which he behaved towards the Mughal's slipper.
