Vijayanagara Empire

The class of Amar Nayakas in Vijayanagara is a reference to which of the following?

[amp_mcq option1=”Village Chieftains” option2=”Senior Civil Servants” option3=”Tributary Chiefs” option4=”Military Commanders” correct=”option4″]

The correct answer is D) Military Commanders.

The Amar Nayakas were military commanders or chiefs in the Vijayanagara Empire. The ‘Nayaka’ system, also known as the ‘Amara-Nayaka’ system, was a significant administrative and military feature. These commanders were granted territories (amarams) by the king in return for maintaining a stipulated number of troops, elephants, and horses, which they were required to bring to the king’s aid when needed.

While the Amar Nayakas administered their territories, collected taxes, and possessed civil and judicial authority, their primary role and obligation were military. They were not hereditary village chieftains or independent tributary chiefs, nor were they primarily senior civil servants in the central administration, although they held considerable power and influence.

Who among the following was not a court poet of king Krishnadevaraya?

[amp_mcq option1=”Timmana” option2=”Dhurjati” option3=”Mallana” option4=”Siddheshvara” correct=”option4″]

The correct answer is Siddheshvara.

King Krishnadevaraya’s court was famous for the ‘Ashtadiggajas’, eight eminent poets and scholars. Timmana (Nandi Thimmana), Dhurjati, and Mallana (Madayyagari Mallana) were all listed among these eight poets. Siddheshvara is not among the traditionally accepted list of Ashtadiggajas.

The Ashtadiggajas represented the pinnacle of Telugu literature during the reign of Krishnadevaraya (1509-1529 AD), who himself was an accomplished scholar and writer. The other five Ashtadiggajas were Allasani Peddana, Ayyalaraju Ramabhadrudu, Pingali Surana, Ramaraja Bhushana, and Tenali Ramakrishna.

Which one of the following works was composed by Krishnadevaraya on statecraft in Telugu ?

[amp_mcq option1=”Amuktamalyada” option2=”Jambavati Kalyanam” option3=”Rayavachakamu” option4=”Satyavadu Parinaya” correct=”option1″]

The correct answer is Amuktamalyada.

Amuktamalyada is a significant Telugu epic poem composed by Krishnadevaraya, the most famous ruler of the Vijayanagara Empire. While primarily a literary work narrating the story of Andal, it is renowned for its sections discussing political maxims, principles of governance, and administrative advice, making it a work on statecraft. Jambavati Kalyanam and Ushaparinayam are Sanskrit dramas by Krishnadevaraya. Rayavachakamu is a historical chronicle about the Vijayanagara Empire but was written by Sthānapati Ananta, not Krishnadevaraya. Satyavadu Parinaya is likely a reference to Krishnadevaraya’s Sanskrit work Satyaraja Parinayam.

Krishnadevaraya was not only a great conqueror and administrator but also a renowned scholar and patron of arts and literature. His court was adorned by eight poets known as the Ashtadiggajas. His reign (1509–1529 CE) is considered the golden age of the Vijayanagara Empire and Telugu literature. Amuktamalyada is one of the Pancha Kavyas (five great epics) of Telugu literature.

The ruins of Hampi were brought to light by which of the following British officers of the East India Company ?

[amp_mcq option1=”Colonel Colin Mackenzie” option2=”James Prinsep” option3=”William Jones” option4=”James Rennell” correct=”option1″]

Option A is correct. Colonel Colin Mackenzie, a Scottish army officer and surveyor in the service of the British East India Company, was instrumental in bringing the ruins of Hampi (the site of the Vijayanagara Empire capital) to light through his extensive surveys and mapping activities in the late 18th and early 19th centuries.

Early British administrators and scholars played a significant role in the documentation and study of Indian historical sites and artifacts, often through their surveying and archaeological work.

James Prinsep is famous for deciphering the Brahmi script. William Jones was a pioneering linguist and founder of the Asiatic Society of Bengal. James Rennell is known for his cartographic work in India. While all contributed significantly to understanding India’s past, Colin Mackenzie is specifically credited with the initial comprehensive survey and documentation of the Hampi ruins.

The Amara-Nayaka system was a major political innovation of which Indian imperial rulers ?

[amp_mcq option1=”Cholas” option2=”Chalukyas” option3=”Guptas” option4=”Vijayanagara” correct=”option4″]

The Amara-Nayaka system was a distinctive political and administrative feature of the Vijayanagara Empire (14th-16th centuries). In this system, the Vijayanagara rulers granted territories called ‘amaram’ to military commanders or governors known as ‘nayakas’ in exchange for tribute, troops, and loyalty.

– Nayakas were responsible for collecting taxes, maintaining law and order, and administering their assigned territories.
– This system helped the empire maintain a strong military and exert control over vast areas, but it also contributed to the eventual decentralization and weakening of central authority.

The Chola administration was known for its well-organized village self-governance and elaborate temple architecture. The Chalukyas ruled different parts of the Deccan at different times and had varying administrative structures. The Gupta Empire had a centralized administration with provincial governors and a system of feudatories (Samantas).

Name the platform used for ritual purposes by the kings of the Vijayanagara Empire.

[amp_mcq option1=”Mahanavami Dibba” option2=”Lotus Mahal” option3=”Hazara Rama” option4=”Virupaksha” correct=”option1″]

The Mahanavami Dibba was the platform used for ritual purposes by the kings of the Vijayanagara Empire.

The Mahanavami Dibba is a large, elaborately carved stone platform located in the Royal Centre of Hampi, the capital of the Vijayanagara Empire. It served as the main stage for royal ceremonies, particularly the Mahanavami festival (also known as Dussehra), where the king presided over parades, sports, and religious rituals demonstrating the empire’s power and prosperity.

The platform is layered and features numerous carvings depicting processions, battles, hunting scenes, dancers, and various aspects of daily life and courtly activities during the empire. The rituals performed here reinforced the king’s authority and connection to the divine. Lotus Mahal was a secular building, Hazara Rama temple was a royal temple, and Virupaksha temple was the main temple dedicated to the patron deity of the empire, but none of these were the primary ritual platform like the Mahanavami Dibba.

Which kingdom did the temple of Hazara Rama belong to ?

[amp_mcq option1=”Avadh” option2=”Travancore” option3=”Vijayanagara” option4=”Ahom” correct=”option3″]

The Hazara Rama temple is a significant temple located within the Royal Enclosure of Hampi, the capital city of the historical Vijayanagara Empire. It was built in the early 15th century by Deva Raya I or II and is renowned for its intricate carvings depicting scenes from the Ramayana.

Hampi, where the Hazara Rama temple is located, was the capital of the Vijayanagara Empire.

Hampi is a UNESCO World Heritage site known for its spectacular ruins that belong to the once-flourishing Vijayanagara Empire (14th to 16th centuries).

Which of the following statements about the Vijayanagara Empire is / are true?

• 1. The kings claimed to rule on behalf of the God Virupaksha
• 2. Rulers used the title “Hindu Suratrana” to indicate their close links with Gods
• 3. All royal orders were signed in Kannada, Sanskrit and Tamil
• 4. Royal portrait sculpture was now displayed in temples

Select the correct answer using the code given below :

[amp_mcq option1=”4 only” option2=”1 and 2 only” option3=”1, 2 and 3″ option4=”1, 2 and 4″ correct=”option4″]

Statements 1, 2, and 4 are true about the Vijayanagara Empire. Statement 3 is an overgeneralization and likely not true for *all* royal orders.

– Statement 1: The rulers of Vijayanagara considered themselves representatives of God Virupaksha, the presiding deity of their kingdom and the deity of the Virupaksha temple at Hampi. Royal orders were often signed with the phrase “Sri Virupaksha”. This is true.
– Statement 2: The Vijayanagara rulers adopted the title “Hindu Suratrana” or “Hindu Sultan”, signifying their role as protectors of Hinduism against the Deccan Sultanates. This title is found in inscriptions and accounts. This is true.
– Statement 4: Royal portrait sculpture was a notable feature in Vijayanagara art. Stone portraits of kings and sometimes queens were installed in temples, particularly in gopurams and mandapams, often depicting them in a posture of worship. This is true.
– Statement 3: While Kannada, Telugu, Tamil, and Sanskrit were used in inscriptions and official documents depending on the region and context, it is not accurate to say that *all* royal orders were signed in *all three* languages (Kannada, Sanskrit, and Tamil). The language used would often depend on the local language of the area where the order was issued or effective, in addition to Sanskrit for formality or religious contexts.

The Vijayanagara Empire (14th-17th centuries) was one of the major South Indian empires. It was founded by Harihara I and Bukka Raya I of the Sangama Dynasty. The capital was Vijayanagara (present-day Hampi).