Sangh Parivar

During the later half of 14th century, half of Bharath,  upto Narmada submitted before the Islamic agression.  South India though was under attack was not fully captured. Malik kafur had looted and plundered temples of south India.  But there was no conquest.

 Sri Vidyaranya was the first to see Islam as the idea of Imperialism and Fundamentalism.  He with the help of Hakka and Bukka established a small town by name Vidyanagar across the banks of Tunga river.  The main idea behind the foundation of Vidyanagar later came to be known as Vijayanagar was 1. To protect and preserve Hindu Dharma.2. To build a powerful army and fort to fight Isamic agression. 3. Revive Sanatana Dharma. 

 Everything went according to plans.  The rulers of vijayanagar were succesfull in conquering whole of south India and protect it from Jihadi attacks.  All the small rulers of south India submitted and came united before Vijayanagar rulers.  South India was safe under Hindu rule.  Ancient culture was revived and restored by Sayanacharya, brother of Vidyaranya who took the laborious job of writing Commentary on Vedas.  All was well.

Krishna Deva Raya(1509-1530), was the most succesful of the Kings that Vijayanagar saw.  During his period the Kingdom became the icon of  globe.  It grew to be a Metropolitan city, world trade centre attracting and inviting travellers, traders, philosophers to have a glimpse of its grandeur, splendour and majesty.  Krishna Deva Raya cemented relations with all the tributaries of the Kingdom and extended his supremacy from Kanyakumari to Orissa and from Andhra to Goa.  He breathed his last in 1530, before which he named his successor as Achyutha Deva Raya.

This was the turning point in the History of Vijayanagar.  Achyutha ruled for a brief period of 9 years during which he lost the faith and confidence all subsidiaries of the Kingdom. He gave such a mortal blow to the political strength of the Kingdom that he himself did not live to see the fate of the Empire.

He was succeeded by Aliya Rama Raya who did not ascend the throne but held the Power behind the screen by nominating Sadashiva Raya as the king, who was kept under house arrest

By that time the Bahamani empire had split into five and had almost spread over entire deccan region.  Rama Raya had a vast army of over 7 lakh soldiers.  He had nothing to fear and worry about.  But he was more interested in the Politics of enemies that he made friends with one muslim and fought against another.  It was when Nizam Shah noticed that he had teamed up with the Kafir and was killing his own people.

He convened the meeting of all five Muslim rulers and motivated them to join hands to wipe out the common enemy of Islam from the face of the Earth.  They came united for the decesive battle at Talikota which is also known as Rakkasathangadi battle. 

 Rama Raya was at that time 90 years old.  He came to battle field to lead the troops, having been denied by his brothers.  Islamic forces had come under one flag, the flag of Islam.  At the capital city the people were of the belief that this should be a no contest match.  7 lakh hindu soldiers cannot be matched by 1 lakh Muslim troops.

But fate had something else in store.  Rama Raya was killed on the fifth day of the battle.  He was betrayed by Gilani brothers, who were made commanders of his army.  Gilani brothers were expelled from Adil shah`s army for betraying him.  This was the most destructive political move of Rama Raya.  

After Hindus came to know that Rama Raya was killed they fled from battle field.  They had come travelling for four days for almost 160 Kms from the capital.  The dreaded Islamic forces chased the Hindu soldiers and plundered, looted, killed men, women and children, burnt shops,  destroyed temples for almost 6 months.  Strangely there was no resistence from even the people at the capital.  Even they ran away.  

Tirumala and Venkatadri had once intrigued on Rama Raya to capture the throne.  But when the Empire called for it, they fled away from battle field, leaving the rest for the most dreaded havoc in world history.

Some questions still haunt the historians as well as lay men...

1. Did the rulers of Vijayanagar remember the Idea behind their existence?

2. Was there no efficient King after Krishna Deva Raya?

3. Was krishna Deva Raya aware if the weaknessess of Achyutha Deva? If yes why did he Nominate him as his successor?

4. Why was there no opposition from the subsidiaries of Vijayanagar when there was political turmoil because of Rama Raya`s fatal decesions?

5. How complacent the people were at the capital city?  Even after hearing the news of their soldiers having lost the war. they were not in the position to Retaliate and save their land !!!

This long History of India has time and again repeated itself.  Indian history only tells us that India has learned nothing from History.