Few points about SRI KRISHNADEVARAYA
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Krishnadevaraya was an emperor of the Vijayanagara Empire who reigned from 1509–1529. He is the third ruler of the Tuluva Dynasty. Presiding over the empire at its zenith, he is regarded as an icon by many Indians. Krishna Deva Raya earned the titles Kannada Rajya Rama Ramana, Andhra Bhoja and Mooru Rayara Ganda.
Krishnadevaraya’s reign marked a watershed in the cultural history of the medieval India. He presided over learned assemblies of pundits and poets, being an accredited writer in Telugu and Sanskrit, as also a patron of Kannada and Tamil literature. Sri Vyasaraya was his ‘Raja Guru,’ and during his reign, the Haridasa movement with Purandara, Kanaka and other leading lights composing ‘Dasa Padagalu’ in simple Kannada flourished. Scholarly works in Dwaitha philosophy in both Kannada and Sanskrit were authored.
Although Krishnadevaraya belonged to a Tulu family of Udipi whose presiding deity is Krishna, he founded a new era in Telugu literature. His own classical poetical composition in Telugu, ‘Amuktha Malyada’, is acclaimed as one of the five literary gems of Telugu literature. Till Krishnadevaraya’s time, Telugu literature comprised of mere Telugu versions of Ramayana and Mahabharata. The king encouraged original poems.
Thus Krishnadevaraya did earn the well deserved distinction of ‘Raja Bhoja’ of the South. His court like that of Bhoja’s was resplendent with a galaxy of eight premier Telugu poets - Peddanna, Thimmana, Ramabhadra, Dhurjati, Pingali Suranna, Mallanna and Ramalinga.
Although he brought many a refractory chief to his knees and received homage from them, Krishnadevaraya bowed in respectful homage to men of letters. It is said that on meeting the poet-laureate Allasana Peddana in the streets of Hampi, Krishnadevaraya, who was riding his royal elephant stopped and picked him up. The ruler himself bore the palanquin carrying Peddana in the procession to dedicate his (Peddana’s) master piece ‘Manu Charitra’ through the streets of the city. Music received no less patronage. Lakshminarayana was a well recognised court musician. A great assembly of learned men was convened every year and honours were bestowed on them.
