Indian Antiquary Vol 61

Author(s): Richard Carnac Temple, Charles E A W Oldham, S Krishnaswami Aiyangar, Devadatta Ramkrishna Bhandarka
Publisher: Swati Publications

Page 245

NOVEMBER, 1932 ]
THE VIJAYANAGARA CONQUEST OF CEYLON
219
But while noticing the inscriptions of the same monarch at Conjeeveram,37 Mr. Venkayya remarked in the same breath-" They (i.e., the Conjeeveram inscriptions) repeat that Achyuta Raya planted a pillar of victory in the Tâ mbraparni river, and received the daughter of the Påndyan king (in marriage). If this is true, his conquest of Ceylon as recorded in the Tanjore inscription cannot be absolutely false,"38 Perhaps we may not be far wrong in supposing that Achyuta Raya, who had conquered Travancore, 39 might also have been successful against Ceylon. The affairs in that island were favourable for foreign intervention. In 1521, Ceylon had been divided between the three brothers, Mâyâdunne, Rayigam Bandara, and Bhuvanaika Bahu. The first received the Provinee of Sabaragamuva ; the second, the Wallâwitti; the third, the Galle and Kalattûra districts, while the seaports were in the hands of Bhuvanaika Bahu. To make matters worse, there was an independent king over the hill-country; and, then, there was the Zamorin of Calicut and the Portuguese, as allies of the contending parties. This confusion lasted from 1521 A.D. till 1539 A.D.," when Mayadunnê was forced to make peace. There is nothing improbable in the victorious generals of Achyuta intervening in the affairs of the Ceylon rulers : one is inclined to doubt whether in the early years of Achyuta himself, or perhaps in the last days of the great Kțishna Deva Raya, there was not an attempt on the part of the Hindu rulers to get some control over Ceylon.
An inscription dated Saka 1440, Chitrabhânu, says that Krishna Deva Raya conquered Ilam and every other country, and witnessed the elephant hunt. From the wrong date of the inscription, and from the use of the phrase, "one who witnessed the elephant hunt," we have to conclude that these two claims of Krishna Deva Raya have to be attributed to one of his predecessors who, both according to Hindu and foreign sources, can be credited with a mission to Ceylon. This was Dêva Raya II (1419-1446), or his predecessor Vira Vijaya (1412 or 1415--1468 A.D.).**
About this time Parakrama Bahu VI (1412 or 1415-1468 A.D.) was the ruler of Ceylon, Some of the principal events in the reign of this king were the sending of tribute to China in 1436 A.D. and in 1445 A.D., and again in 1459 A.D.; the conquest of Jaffna by Sapumal Kumâraya ; the revolt of the hill-country under Jotiyo Sitano; and finally, the abdication of Paråkrama Bahu in favour of his daughter's) son, Vira Paråkrama Bahu. Ceylon was evidently beset with internal dangers.
To revert to Nuniz. He informs us that Deva Raya got tribute from the kings of Ceylon, Quilon, Pulicat, Pegu, and Tenageerim. We have, at the present stage of our investigations, no evidence to corroborate the remarks of Nuniz as regards Pegu and Tenasserim. But about Ceylon the evidence of another traveller happily coincides with that given by Nuniz. 'Abdur-Razzaq, the Porsian ambassador, while describing the plot in the Vijayanagara court to assassinate the emperor, says "The king then summoned to his presence his other brothers, and all the nobles; but everyone of them had been slain, except the minister, the Dandik, who previous to this dreadful tragedy, had gone to Silån. A courier was despatched to summon him, and inform him of what had transpired. . . . . . When the Dandik had returned from his tour, and had become acquainted with all that had transpired, he was astounded, and after being admitted to the honour of kissing the royal feet, he offered up his thanks for the safety of the king's person, and made more than usual preparation to celebrate the festival of Mahanawi."47
(To be continued.) 87 Sewell, Lists of Antiquities, I, pp. 181-2; Nos. 49 and 50 of M.E.R. for 1900. 38 Madras Ep. Report for 1900, p. 26.
39 Madras Ep. Report for 1909, p. 119; Madras Ep. Report for 1900, pp. 27-8. 60 Codrington, op. cit., pp. 96-7. 41 Ibid. 43 No. 146 of M.E.R. for 1903; Madras Ep. Report for 1904, p. 19. 43 The date ought to be saka 1444 (1622-3 A.D.), M.E.R., ibid. ** Sowell, op. cit., p. 404 ; Rice, Mysore and Coorg. p. 112. 45 Codrington, op. cit., pp. 90-93. 46 Cf. Journal of the Bombay Historical Society, vol. I, Part 2, p. 176.
47 Elliot, History of India, IV, pp. 116-7 (ed. Dowson). Soe Sewell, A Forgotten Empire, p. 93, for romarks on mahdnavami.