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42-576: Since ancient times, the design of water storage has been important in India's temple architecture, especially in western India where dry and monsoon seasons alternate. Temple tank design became an art form in itself. An example of the art of tank design is the large, geometrically spectacular Stepped Tank at the Royal Center at the ruins of Vijayanagara , the capital of the Vijayanagara Empire, surrounding

84-574: A UNESCO World Heritage Site . Hampi, an ancient human settlement mentioned in Hindu texts, houses pre-Vijayanagara temples and monuments. In the early 14th century, the dominant Kakatiyas , Seuna Yadavas , Hoysalas , and the short-lived Kampili kingdom , who inhabited the Deccan region, were invaded and plundered by armies of Khalji and later Tughlaq dynasties of the Delhi Sultanate . Vijayanagara

126-583: A baoli in north India. Some were built by kings and were richly ornamented. They often were built by nobility, some being for secular use from which anyone could obtain water. Haridra Nadhi, tank of the Rajagopalaswamy Temple, Mannargudi , is one of the largest temple tanks in India . It is located in Mannargudi , Thiruvarur District of Tamil Nadu . The area of the temple tank is 23 acres (93,000 m). It

168-549: A 'general league of the faithful.' Rama Raya remained loyal to the legitimate dynasty until it was finally extinguished by war, with the notable exception of imprisoning the appointed ruler Sadasiva Raya and ruling in his stead. In 1565, it was Rama Raya, as the pre-eminent general of the Vijayanagar army, who led the defense against the invading army of Deccan Sultans (i.e. Husain Nizam Shah, Ali Adil Shah and Ibrahim Qutb Shah) in

210-489: A large and developed metropolitan area. The Italian Cesari Federici writing two years after the Vijayanagara Empire's military defeat in 1565 describes the city after its ruin, "is not altogether destroyed, yet the houses stand still, but emptie [sic], and there is dwelling in them nothing, as is reported, but Tygres and other wild beasts." Recent commentaries state: The massive walls, which can still be traced, enclosed an area of more than sixty square miles, much of which

252-563: A population of over 100,000 in South India and that from the contemporary accounts and what remains of its expanse, the city proper and the suburbs had a population of 500,000 to 600,000. He notes that Domingo Paes had estimated its size at 100,000 houses. Vijayanagara includes: Aliya Rama Raya Rama Raya (1484 – 23 January 1565) was a statesman of the Vijayanagara Empire , the son-in-law of Emperor Krishna Deva Raya and

294-466: A prosperous and wealthy city. By 1500 CE, Hampi-Vijayanagara was the world's second largest medieval era city (after Beijing ) and probably India's richest at that time, attracting traders from Persia and Portugal. Wars between nearby Muslim Sultanates and Hindu Vijayanagara continued, however, through the 16th century. In 1565, the Vijayanagara leader Aliya Rama Raya was captured and killed, and

336-640: A virtual prisoner. During this time, he became the virtual ruler, having confined Sadasiva Raya. Rama Raya removed many loyal servants of the kingdom and replaced them with officers who were loyal to him. He also appointed two Muslim commanders, the Gilani brothers, who were earlier in the service of the Sultan Adil Shah as commanders in his army, a mistake that would cost the empire the final Battle of Talikota . Rama Raya lacked royal blood of his own and to legitimize his rule he claimed vicarious connection with two of

378-535: Is a World Heritage Site , known in that context as the Ruins of Hampi. In recent years there have been concerns regarding damage to the site at Hampi from heavy vehicular traffic and the construction of road bridges in the vicinity. Hampi was listed as a "threatened" World Heritage Site by the UNESCO but was later removed from the list after appropriate corrective measures were taken. Traveller memoirs before 1565 CE record it as

420-491: Is also called Daughter of Kaveri river . Kalyani , also called pushkarni , are ancient Hindu stepped bathing wells. These wells were typically built near Hindu temples to accommodate bathing and cleansing activities before prayer. They are also used for immersion of Ganesha idols during Ganesha Chaturthi . In Sikhism , temple tanks are called sarovar (Punjabi: ਸਰੋਵਰ sarōvara ). Vijayanagara Vijayanagara ( transl.  'City of Victory' )

462-430: Is evidenced by the quantities of charcoal, the heat-cracked basements and burnt architectural pieces found by archaeologists in Vijayanagara region. The urban Vijayanagara was abandoned and remained in ruins ever since. Vijayanagara never recovered from the ruins. The Italian Cesare Federici writing two years after the empire's defeat states that "The Citie of Bezeneger (Vijayanagara) is not altogether destroyed, yet

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504-603: The Battle of Raichur allowed one sultan to stay in power rather than let it split into smaller kingdoms. However, later Vijayanagara kings had to contend with multiple Sultanates to their north. The Vijayanagara kingdom befriended and allowed the Portuguese to take control of Goa and western territories of the Bahamani Sultanate. The sultanates united against the Vijayanagara Empire. An ongoing war between Muslim Sultanates and

546-523: The Kannada language. Along with another brother Venkatadri, the Aravidu brothers rose to prominence during the rule of Krishna Deva Raya. Rama Raya was a successful army general, able administrator, and tactful diplomat who conducted many victorious campaigns during the rule of Krishnadevaraya. After the demise of his illustrious father-in-law, as a member of the family, Rama Raya began to wield great influence over

588-587: The 14th century. At the start of the 14th century, the armies of Delhi Sultanate , first those of Alauddin Khalji and later of Muhammad bin Tughlaq invaded and pillaged South India. The Hoysala Empire and temple cities such as those in Halebidu, Belur and Somanathapura were plundered in early 14th century. From the ruins of this collapse and destruction emerged Vijayanagara Empire and its new capital Vijayanagara. The city

630-503: The Deccan sultans, who he had intentionally kept divided. He also suppressed revolts of the chieftains of Travancore and Chandragiri . Some scholars have criticised Rama Raya for interfering in the affairs of the Sultans too much, but scholars like Dr. P. B. Desai have ably defended his political affairs, indicating that Rama Raya did whatever he could to increase the prestige and importance of

672-472: The Hindu Vijayanagara Empire led to the Battle of Talikota in 1565 CE, fought about 175 kilometres (109 mi) north. It resulted in the capture and beheading of Vijayanagara leader Aliya Rama Raya , mass confusion within the Vijayanagara forces and a shock defeat. The Sultanate army then reached Vijayanagara, looted, destroyed and burnt it down to ruins over a period of several months. This

714-589: The Italian cities of the Renaissance. The city of Vijayanagar, he says, is as "large as Rome and very beautiful to the sight"; it is full of charm and wonder with its innumerable lakes and waterways and fruit gardens. It is "the best-provided city in the world" and "everything abounds." The chambers of the palace were a mass of ivory, with roses and lotuses carved in ivory at the top--"it is so rich and beautiful that you would hardly find anywhere, another such. The ruined city

756-614: The Raichur doab for his benefactors. Later in 1549 when the Adilshah of Bijapur and Baridshah of Bidar declared war on Nizamshah of Ahmednagar, Ramaraya fought on behalf of the Ahamednagar ruler and secured the fort of Kalyana. In 1557 Ramaraya allied himself with Ali Adilshah of Bijapur and Baridshah of Bidar when the Sultan of Bijapur invaded Ahmednagar. The combined armies of the three kingdoms defeated

798-626: The Vijayanagar empire, ensuring no single Sultanate would rise above the others in power, hence preventing a difficult situation for Vijayanagar empire. In fact Rama Raya had interfered in Sultanate affairs only upon the insistence of one Sultan or the other, just the way the Sultans had acted as parleys between Rama Raya and Achyuta Raya in earlier years. When the Nizam of Ahmednagar and Qutbshah of Golconda sought Rama Raya's help against Bijapur, Rama Raya secured

840-400: The Vijayanagara Empire in the early 14th century, and becoming a metropolis of approximately 650 square kilometres (250 sq mi) by the early 16th century. By 1500 CE, It became the world's second largest city, after Beijing. Memoirs by foreigners estimate the population was about 500,000, but others find this estimate to be either generous or too conservative. The architecture of

882-402: The Vijayanagara period remain occupied up to the present. The name translates as "City of Victory", from vijaya (victory) and nagara (city). As the prosperous capital of the largest and most powerful kingdom of its time in South India, Vijayanagara attracted people from all around the world. After Timur's sack of Delhi, North India remained weak and divided. South India was better off, and

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924-530: The affairs of the state. In particular, Rama Raya rose to power following a civil war with the help of Pemmasani Erra Timmanayudu of the Pemmasani Nayaks . Krishna Deva Raya was succeeded in 1529 by his younger brother Achyuta Deva Raya , upon whose demise, in 1542, the throne devolved upon his nephew Sadasiva Raya , then a minor. Rama Raya appointed himself regent during the minority of Sadasiva Raya. After Sadasiva Raya came of age to rule, Rama Raya kept him

966-583: The banks of Tungabhadra river, on Hemakuta hill, now a part of Hampi. Shiva is also called Pampapati (lit. "husband of Pampa"), and the river came to be known as Pampa river. The Sanskrit word Pampa morphed into the Kannada word Hampa, and the place Parvati pursued what she wanted came to be known as Hampe or Hampi. Its Hindu significance also comes from the Kishkindha chapters of the Hindu epic Ramayana , where Rama and Lakshmana meet Hanuman , Sugriva , and

1008-445: The battle of Talikota . This battle, which had seemed an easy victory for the large Vijayanagar army, instead became a disaster as two Muslim commanders (Gilani brothers) of the Vijayanagara army betrayed and switched sides and turned their loyalty to the united Sultanates during critical point of battle. It led to the surprise capture and death by beheading of Rama Raya who led the army, a blow from which it never recovered. Rama Raya

1050-402: The bazaars, and rising above them all was the palace of the king surrounded by "many rivulets and streams flowing through channels of cut stone, polished and even." The whole city was full of gardens, and because of them, as an Italian visitor in 1420, Nicolo Conti writes, the circumference of the city was sixty miles. A later visitor was Paes , a Portuguese who came in 1522 after having visited

1092-500: The capital, Vijayanagara, is purposefully aligned with the natural features of the city from the time of Rama. Vijayanagara was founded around the religious Hindu temple complex, Pampa Tirtha, and Kishkindha that already existed at Hampi . The name of the city centre, Hampi, is derived from Pampa, another name of goddess Parvati in Hindu theology. According to Sthala Purana , Parvati (Pampa) pursued her ascetic lifestyle to win over and bring ascetic Shiva back into householder life on

1134-526: The city fell to a coalition of Muslim Sultanates of the Deccan Plateau . The conquered capital city of Vijayanagara was looted and destroyed for 6 months, after which it remained in ruins. Vijayanagara is located in the modern era Indian state of Karnataka , along the banks of the Tungabhadra River . The city rapidly grew from being an ancient pilgrimage centre in the 13th century, to the capital of

1176-481: The empire. Rama Raya was born in a Telugu family. His mother Abbaladevi was the daughter of a chieftain in Nandyala . The Aravidu Verrashaiv Vani family of Rama Raya was native to South Andhra. Rama Raya and his younger brother Tirumala Deva Raya were sons-in-law of the great Vijayanagara emperor Krishna Deva Raya . He is referred to as Aliya Rama Raya by Kannada people. The word "Aliya" means "son-in-law" in

1218-412: The equipment of a great and wealthy city. The principal buildings were constructed in the regular Hindu style, covered with ornamental carving, and the fragments which have survived suffice to give point to the enthusiastic admiration of the men who saw the city in the days of its magnificence. Sanjay Subrahmanyam states that Vijayanagara was arguably one of the only three centres during this period with

1260-415: The houses stand still, but empty, and there is dwelling in them nothing, as is reported, but Tygres and other wild beasts." Archaeological evidence suggests that while the urban settlement was abandoned, a number of rural settlement in the metropolitan region were not fully emptied. Some population remained in the region (though there is no good assessment of how much), and a number of settlements founded in

1302-405: The largest and most powerful of the southern kingdoms was Vijayanagar. This state and city attracted many of the Hindu refugees from the north. From contemporary accounts, it appears that the city was rich and very beautiful—The city is such that "eye has not seen nor ear heard of any place resembling it upon earth", says Abdur-Razzak from Central Asia. There were arcades and magnificent galleries for

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1344-460: The modern town of Hampi . It is lined with green diorite and has no drain . It was filled by aqueduct . The tanks are used for ritual cleansing and during rites of consecration. The water in the tank is deemed to be sacred water from the Ganges River . In India, a stepwell is a deep masonry well with steps going down to the water level in the well. It is called a vav in west India and

1386-498: The monkey army in their search for kidnapped Sita . The Hampi area has many close resemblances to the place described in the epic. Traditionally understood to be the place described in the Ramayana, the region attracts many pilgrims. Prior to its founding, Hindus and kings of various kingdoms visited Hampi. Hoysala Empire's Hindu kings built and supported the Hampi pilgrimage centre before

1428-773: The most powerful Empires of medieval India, the Western Chalukya Empire and the Chola empire . During his rule, the Deccan Sultanates were constantly involved in internal fights and requested Rama Raya on more than one occasion to act as a mediator, enabling Rama Raya to push north of the Krishna river and expand his domains utilizing the disunity of the Deccan Sultans. Rama Raya had a lot of money at his disposal, which he generously spent, and often sought strategic alliances with

1470-604: The partnership between Nizamshah of Ahmednagar and the Qutbshah of Golconda. The Vijayanagar ruler's constantly changing sides to improve his own position eventually prompted the Sultanates to form an alliance. Intermarriage among Sultanate families helped resolve internal differences of the Muslim rulers. The Battle of Talikota resulted from this consolidation of Muslim power in the northern Deccan, who had felt insulted by Ramaraya and formed

1512-512: The progenitor of the Aravidu dynasty of Vijayanagara Empire , the fourth and last dynasty of the empire. As a regent, he was the de facto ruler of the empire from 1542 to 1565, although legally the emperor during this period was Sadasiva Raya , who was merely a puppet ruler. Rama Raya was killed at the Battle of Talikota , after which the Vijayanagara Empire got fragmented into several semi-independent principalities paying only nominal allegiance to

1554-470: The ten largest cities of the world. It stood as a bastion of Hindu values dedicated to fighting back the encroachments of the Muslim sultans from the north, who soon came to be operating from Golkonda . The Sangama dynasty was involved in repeated conflicts with the Bahamani Sultanate . The Bahamanis had later disintegrated into five sultanates which formed a Deccan alliance. Krishnadevaraya after

1596-638: Was a city at the modern location of Hampi , in the Indian state of Karnataka . Vijayanagara was the capital city of the historic Vijayanagara Empire . Located on the banks of the Tungabhadra River , it spread over a large area and included sites in the Vijayanagara district , the Ballari district , and others around these districts. A part of Vijayanagara ruins known as the Group of Monuments at Hampi has been designated as

1638-439: Was beheaded by Sultan Hussain Nizam Shah of Ahmadnegar , the Muslim of Deccani origin. His severed head was on display at Ahmednagar at the anniversary of the battle of Talikota and would be covered in oil and red pigment by the descendant of his executioner. The city of Vijayanagara was thoroughly sacked by the invaders and the inhabitants were massacred. The imperial family was largely exterminated. Vijayanagara , once

1680-523: Was founded by Harihara I and Bukka , the Sangama brothers. The city was already a sacred site of pilgrimage for devotees of Shiva in the 10th century. It became the most powerful urban centre in the Deccan between 14th to 16th centuries and one of the ten largest cities of the world. The Renaissance Portuguese and Persian traders reported it as a marvellous achievement. The city was a powerful urban centre in South India from 14th to 16th century and one of

1722-695: Was founded from these ruins by the Sangama brothers, who were working as soldiers in the Kampili Kingdom under Kampalidevaraya. The city grew rapidly. The Vijayanagara-centred empire functioned as a barrier to the Muslim sultanates in the north, leading to the reconstruction of Hindu life and scholarship, multi-religious activity, rapid infrastructure improvements, and economic activity. Along with Hinduism, Vijayanagara accepted communities of other faiths such as Jainism and Islam , leading to multi-religious monuments and mutual influences. Chronicles left by Persian and European travellers state Vijayanagara to be

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1764-408: Was occupied by fields and gardens watered by canals from the river. The population cannot be estimated with precision, but it was certainly very large when judged by the standards of the fifteenth century. The great majority of the houses were naturally small and undistinguished, but among them were scattered palaces, temples, public buildings, wide streets of shops shaded by trees, busy markets, and all

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