Sample Materials for CSAT Paper -1 (G.S.) Pre 2013: "Ancient Indian History: Vijayanagar Empire"

Subject: Ancient Indian History
Topic: Vijayanagar Empire

Harihar II (1377-1406)

Expanded the empire towards the sea coast but his greatest success was in wresting Belgaum and Goa from Bahmani and in sending expedition to Sri Lanka.

Devraya I (1406-1422)

Was defeated by Firoz Shah Bahmani and had to marry his daughter to him. But later he allied with the Reddy Kingdom and managed to defeat Firoz Shah Bahmani. He also built a dam across Tungabhadra.

Devraya II (1422-1446)

Inducted a large number of Muslims in the army (Their induction however had begun during Devraya’s I reign). Nuniz informs us that a large number of kings paid tribute to him.

Krishna Deva Raya (1509-30)

Won Orissa (Gajapati Kingdom) for Vijaynagar and Vijaynagar emerged strongest during his reign.

• Krishna Deva Raya assumed the title of Yavanrayjaya Sthapancharya also called Abhinav Bhoja.
• Paes says that Krishna Deva Raya was a man of much justice but subject to sudden fits of rage.
• Krishna Deva Raya built a new city and expanded patronage to a large number of poets (Astha Diggajas).
• Krishna Deva Raya wrote the political treatise of Amuktamalyamada in Telugu (Jambbavati Kalyannam in Sanskrit) and emphasized on the welfare of people.
• Rama Raja entered into a treaty with the Portuguese to obtain themonopoly of horses.
• Vijayanagar’ defeat came in the battle of Talikotta in 1565 due to Rama Raja’s policy of playing one Muslim dynasty against the other for making Vijaynagar supreme.

Vijaynagar Architecture

The Vijaynagar rulers produced a new style of architecture called as Provida style. The large number and prominence of pillars and piers are  some of the distinct features. Horse was the most common animal on the pillars. Another important feature was the Mandapa or open pavilion with a raised platform, meant for seating deities.

Important temples were Vithalswami and Hazara temples at Hampi, Tadapatri and Parvati temples at Chidambaramand Varadraja and Ekambarnatha temples at Kanchipuram. The Vijaynagar rulers inscribed the stories of the Ramayana and the Mahabharata on the walls of the various temples. Hazara temple and Vithalswami temples are examples of this type of wall inscription.

Answer of Question 1: A

Answer of Question 2: B