Vijayanagara rulers claimed that they were ruling on behalf of

Vijayanagara rulers claimed that they were ruling on behalf of

Lord Murugan
Lord Venkateshwara
Shri Virupaksha
Shri Vallabha
This question was previously asked in
UPSC NDA-2 – 2024
The correct answer is Shri Virupaksha.
Vijayanagara rulers claimed to rule on behalf of the deity Shri Virupaksha. The Virupaksha Temple in Hampi was central to the empire’s identity, and the rulers performed worship and ceremonies associating themselves with the divine authority vested in Virupaksha.
The Vijayanagara Empire (14th-17th centuries) was a major power in South India. Its rulers fostered a close relationship with religious institutions, particularly the Virupaksha temple, which was the patron deity of the capital city, Vijayanagara (modern Hampi). This practice of ruling on behalf of a deity was common in South Indian kingdoms, lending legitimacy and religious sanction to the rulers’ authority.