AN IMPERIAL CAPITAL VIJAYNAGARA

Question 1

STRETCH OF VIJAYNAGARA (THE CITY OF VICTORY) EMPIRE?

Answer 1

IT STRETCHED FROM THE RIVER KRISHNA IN THE NORTH TO THE EXTREME SOUTH OF THE PENINSULA.

Question 2

FIRST SURVEYOR GENERAL OF INDIA?

Answer 2

COLIN MACKENZIE WAS APPOINTED IN 1815.

Question 3

WHO FOUNDED VIJAYNAGARA EMPIRE?

Answer 3

TWO BROTHERS, HARIHARA AND BUKKA IN 1336.

Question 4

WHILE HISTORIANS USE THE TERM VIJAYNAGARA EMPIRE, CONTEMPORARIES DESCRIBED IT AS THE?

Answer 4

KARNATAKA SAMRAJYAMU.

Question 5

TERM GAJAPATI MEANS?

Answer 5

LORD OF ELEPHANTS.
THIS WAS THE NAME OF A RULING LINEAGE THAT WAS VERY POWERFUL IN ORISSA IN THE FIFTEENTH CENTURY.

Question 6

IN THE POPULAR TRADITIONS OF VIJAYNAGARA THE DECCAN SULTANS ARE TERMED AS_______ AND THE RAYAS ARE CALLED________.

Answer 6

DECCAN SULTANS- ASHVAPATI OR LORD OF HORSES.
RAYAS- NARAPATI OR LORD OF MEN.

Question 7

TERM KUDIRAI CHETTIS MEANS?

Answer 7

HORSE MERCHANTS.

Question 8

AMUKTAMALYADA IS WRITTEN BY?

Answer 8

KRISHNADEVA RAYA (1509-29) , THE MOST FAMOUS RULER OF VIJAYNAGARA, COMPOSED A WORK IN STATECRAFT IN TELUGU.

Question 9

ARRANGE THESE DYNASTIES IN CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER- SALUVA, ARAVIDU, TULUVA, SANGAMA.

Answer 9

SSTA.
SANGAMA-> SALUVA-> TULUVA-> ARAVIDU.

Question 10

KRISHNADEVA RAYA BELONGED TO WHICH DYNASTY?

Answer 10

TULUVA DYNASTY.

Question 11

KRISHNADEVA RAYA’S RULE WAS CHARACTERIZED BY EXPANSION AND CONSOLIDATION. FROM HIS TIME
ARRANGE THESE FOLLOWING EVENTS IN CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER.
1. RULERS OF ORISSA WERE SUBDUED.
2. LAND BETWEEN TUNGABHADRA AND KRISHNA RIVERS (THE RAICHAUR DOAB) WAS AQUIRED.
3. SEVERE DEFEATS WERE INFLICTED ON THE SULTAN OF BIJAPUR.

Answer 11

ROB
1. LAND BETWEEN TUNGABHADRA AND KRISHNA RIVERS (THE RAICHAUR DOAB) WAS AQUIRED-1512.
2. RULERS OF ORISSA WERE SUBDUED- 1514.
3. SEVERE DEFEATS WERE INFLICTED ON THE SULTAN OF BIJAPUR- 1520.

Question 12

KRISHNADEVA RAYA FOUNDED A SUBURBAN TOWNSHIP NEAR VIJAYNAGARA CALLED ______ AFTER HIS MOTHER.

Answer 12

NAGALAPURAM.

Question 13

DEATH OF KRISHNADEVA RAYA AND AFTER?

Answer 13

HE DIED IN 1529.
HIS SUCCESSORS WERE TROUBLED BY REBELLIOUS NAYAKAS OR MILITARY CHIEFS.
BY 1542 CONTROL AT THE CENTRE HAD SHIFTED TO ANOTHER RULING LINEAGE, THAT OF ARAVIDU, WHICH REMAINED IN POWER TILL THE END OF THE SEVENTEENTH CENTURY.

Question 14

BATTLE OF TALIKOTA?

Answer 14

IN 1565, RAMA RAYA, THE CHIEF MINISTER OF VIJAYNAGARA, LED AN ARMY INTO BATTLE AT RAKSHASI- TANGADI (ALSO KNOWN AS TALIKOTA), WHERE HIS FORCES WERE ROUTED BY THE COMBINED ARMIES OF BIJAPUR, AHMADNAGAR, GOLCONDA AND BIDAR.
AFTER THE BATTLE, MANY SMALL KINGDOMS EMERGED FROM ITS REMNANTS.

Question 15

TERM YAVANA IS USED FOR?

Answer 15

YAVANA IS A SANSKRIT WORD USED FOR THE GREEKS AND THE OTHER PEOPLES WHO ENTERED THE SUBCONTINENT FROM THE NORTH WEST.

Question 16

CAPITAL OF ARAVIDU DYNASTY?

Answer 16

PENUKONDA (ANDHRA PRADESH).
LATER THEY RULED FROM CHANDRAGIRI (NEAR TIRUPATI) ALSO IN ANDHRA PRADESH.

Question 17

RAMA RAYA SON IN LAW OF ___________ AND PROGENITOR OF ARAVIDU DYNASTY.

Answer 17

KRISHNADEVA RAYA.

Question 18

WHO TOOK THE TITLE OF ESTABLISHER OF THE YAVANA KINGDOM AND WHY?

Answer 18

ALTHOUGH THE ARMIES OF THE SULTANS WERE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE DESTRUCTION OF THE CITY OF THE VIJAYNAGARA, RELATIONS BETWEEN SULTANS AND THE RAYAS WERE NOT ALWAYS HOSTILE, INSPITE OF RELIGIOUS DIFFERENCES.
KRISHNADEVA RAYA, FOR EXAMPLE, SUPPORTED SOME CLAIMANTS TO POWER IN THE SULTANATES AND TOOK PRIDE IN THE TITLE “ESTABLISHER OF THE YAVANA KINGDOM”.

Question 19

WHY DID THE SULTANS COMBINED TOGETHER TO ATTACK RAMA RAYA?

Answer 19

THE SULTAN OF BIJAPUR INTERVENED TO RESOLVE SUCCESSION DISPUTES IN VIJAYNAGARA FOLLOWING THE DEATH OF KRISHNADEVA RAYA.
IN FACT VIJAYNAGARA KINGS WERE KEEN TO ENSURE THE STABILITY OF THE SULTANATES AND VICE VERSA.
IT WAS THE ADVENTUROUS POLICY OF RAMA RAYA WHO TRIED TO PLAY OFF ONE SULTAN AGAINST ANOTHER THAT LED TO THE SULTANS TO COMBINE TOGETHER AND DECISIVELY DEFEAT HIM.

Question 20

MAJOR POLITICAL INNOVATION OF THE VIJAYNAGARA EMPIRE?

Answer 20

AMARA-NAYAKA SYSTEM.

Question 21

FEATURES OF AMARA-NAYAKA SYSTEM?

Answer 21

1. MANY FEATURES OF THIS SYSTEM ARE DERIVED FROM THE IQTA SYSTEM OF THE DELHI SULTANATE.
2. AMARA-NAYAKAS WERE MILITARY COMMANDERS WHO WERE GIVEN TERRITORIES TO GOVERN BY THE RAYA.
3. THEY COLLECTED TAXES AND OTHER DUES FROM PEASANTS, CRAFTSPERSONS AND TRADERS IN THE AREA.
4. THEY RETAINED PART OF THE REVENUE FOR PERSONAL USE AND FOR MAINTAINING A STIPULATED CONTINGENT OF HORSES AND ELEPHANTS.
5. THE AMARA-NAYAKAS SENT TRIBUTE TO THE KING ANNUALLY AND PERSONALLY APPEARED IN THE ROYAL COURT WITH GIFTS TO EXPRESS THEIR LOYALTY.
6. KINGS OCCASIONALLY ASSERTED THEIR CONTROL OVER THEM BY TRANSFERRING THEM FROM ONE PLACE TO OTHER.
7. NAYAKAS USUALLY SPOKE TELUGU OR KANNADA AND THEY ENJOYED BOTH MILITARY AND REVENUE POWERS.
8. CHOLA TRADITIONS OF VILLAGE SELF GOVERNMENT WERE CONSIDERABLY WEAKENED UNDER THE VIJAYNAGARA RULE. GROWTH OF HEREDITARY NAYAKSHIPS TENDED TO CURB THEIR FREEDOM AND INITIATIVES.

Question 22

TERM AMARA MEANS?

Answer 22

AMARA IS BELIEVED TO BE DERIVED FROM THE SANSKRIT WORD SAMARA, MEANING BATTLE OR WAR.
IT ALSO RESEMBLES THE PERSIAN TERM AMIR, MEANING A HIGH NOBLE.

Question 23

TRAVELERS WHO VISITED THE VIJAYNAGARA CITY?

Answer 23

1. ITALIAN TRADER NICOLO DE CONTI.
2. ABDUR RAZZAQ.
3. MERCHANT AFANASII NIKITIN FROM RUSSIA. THEY VISITED IN FIFTEENTH CENTURY.
4. DUARTE BARBOSA
5. DOMINGO PAES
6. FERNAO NUNIZ FROM PORTUGAL
   THEY CAME IN SIXTEENTH CENTURY.
7. IBN BATTUTA.

Question 24

WATER RESOURCES IN VIJAYNAGARA EMPIRE?

Answer 24

1. NATURAL BASIN FORMED BY THE RIVER TUNGABHADRA. SURROUNDING LANDSCAPE IS CHARACTERIZED BY STUNNING GRANITE HILLS.
2. KAMALAPURAM TANK BUILT IN 15TH CENTURY.
3. HIRIYA CANAL- DREW WATER FROM A DAM ACROSS THE TUNGABHADRA AND IRRIGATED THE CULTIVATED VALLEY THAT SEPARATED THE SACRED CENTRE FROM THE URBAN CORE. THIS WAS APPARENTLY BUILT BY THE KINGS OF SANGAMA DYNASTY.

Question 25

FORTIFICATIONS AND ROADS IN VIJAYNAGARA?

Answer 25

1. ABDUR RAZZAQ MENTIONED SEVEN LINES OF FORTS. THESE ENCIRCLED NOT ONLY THE CITY BUT ALSO ITS AGRICULTURAL HINTERLAND AND FORESTS.
2. NO MORTAR OR CEMENTING AGENT WAS EMPLOYED ANYWHERE IN THE CONSTRUCTION.
3. MOST SIGNIFICANT ABOUT THIS FORTIFICATION IS THAT IT ENCLOSED AGRICULTURAL TRACTS.
4. RAZZAQ NOTED THAT BETWEEN FIRST, SECOND AND THE THIRD WALLS THERE WERE CULTIVATED FIELDS, GARDENS AND HOUSES.
5. PAES OBSERVED- FROM THIS FIRST CIRCUIT UNTIL YOU ENTER THE CITY THERE IS A GREAT DISTANCE, IN WHICH ARE FIELDS IN WHICH THEY SOW RICE AND HAVE MANY GARDENS.
6. A SECOND LINE OF FORTIFICATION WENT ROUND THE INNER CORE OF THE URBAN COMPLEX, AND A THIRD LINE SURROUNDED THE ROYAL CENTRE, WITHIN WHICH EACH SET OF MAJOR BUILDINGS WAS SURROUNDED BY ITS OWN HIGH WALLS.
7. BARBOSA DESCRIBED THE HOUSES OF ORDINARY PEOPLE, WHICH HAVE NOT SURVIVED.

Question 26

INFLUENCE OF INDO ISLAMIC ARCHITECTURE IN VIJAYNAGARA EMPIRE?

Answer 26

THE ARCH ON THE GATEWAY LEADING INTO THE FORTIFIED SETTLEMENTS AS WELL AS THE DOME OVER THE GATE ARE REGARDED AS TYPICAL FEATURES OF THE ARCHITECTURE INTRODUCED BY THE TURKISH SULTANS. ART HISTORIANS REFER TO THIS STYLE AS INDO ISLAMIC.

Question 27

THE ROYAL CENTRES IN VIJAYNAGARA EMPIRE WAS LOCATED IN THE__________ PART OF THE SETTLEMENT.

Answer 27

SOUTHWESTERN PART.

Question 28

ROYAL CENTRE OF VIJAYNAGARA EMPIRE INCLUDED OVER ____ NUMBER OF TEMPLES.

Answer 28

60.

Question 29

DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE PALACES AND TEMPLES REGARDING BUILDING MATERIAL IN VIJAYNAGARA EMPIRE?

Answer 29

TEMPLES WERE CONSTRUCTED ENTIRELY OF MASONRY, WHILE THE SUPERSTRUCTURE OF THE SECULAR BUILDINGS WAS MADE OF PERISHABLE MATERIALS.

Question 30

THE KINGS PALACE IN VIJAYNAGARA EMPIRE HAD TWO OF THE MOST IMPRESSIVE PLATFORMS. THEY ARE?

Answer 30

1. AUDIENCE HALL
2. MAHANAVAMI DIBBA.
   THE ENTIRE COMPLEX IS SURROUNDED BY HIGH DOUBLE WALLS WITH A STREET RUNNING BETWEEN THEM.

Question 31

PAES SAY- THE AUDIENCE HALL AND THE MAHANAVAMI DIBBA TOGETHER ARE CALLED THE?

Answer 31

HOUSE OF VICTORY.

Question 32

THE CEREMONIES PERFORMED ON THE OCCASION OF RITUALS IN VIJAYNAGARA EMPIRE INCLUDED THE WORSHIP OF?

Answer 32

WORSHIP OF IMAGE, WORSHIP OF STATE HORSE, THE SACRIFICE OF BUFFALOES AND OTHER ANIMALS.

Question 33

WHICH BUILDINGS WERE PROBABLY THE PART OF THE ROYAL CENTRE IN VIJAYNAGARA EMPIRE?

Answer 33

1. LOTUS TEMPLE.
2. HAZARA RAMA TEMPLE.
3. MAHANAVAMI DIBBA.
4. AUDIENCE HALL.
   ALTHOUGH MOST TEMPLES WERE LOCATED IN THE SACRED CENTRE, THERE WERE SEVERAL IN THE ROYAL CENTRE AS WELL.

Question 34

WHAT WAS LOTUS TEMPLE OF VIJAYNAGARA EMPIRE USED FOR?

Answer 34

ONE SUGGESTION, FOUND IN A MAP DRAWN BY MACKENZIE, IS THAT IT MAY HAVE BEEN A COUNCIL CHAMBER, A PLACE WHERE THE KING MET HIS ADVISORS.

Question 35

WAS HAZARA RAMA TEMPLE IN VIJAYNAGARA EMPIRE USED BY EVERYONE?

Answer 35

THIS WAS PROBABLY MEANT TO BE USED ONLY BY THE KING AND HIS FAMILY.

Question 36

THE VERY CHOICE OF THE SITE OF VIJAYNAGARA WAS INSPIRED BY?

Answer 36

1. THE EXISTENCE OF THE SHRINES OF THE VIRUPAKSHA AND PAMPADEVI.
2. IN FACT THE VIJAYNAGARA KINGS CLAIMED TO RULE ON THE BEHALF OF THE GOD VIRUPAKSHA.
3. ALL ROYAL ORDERS WERE SIGNED “SHRI VIRUPAKSHA “, USUALLY IN THE KANNADA SCRIPT.
4. RULERS ALSO INDICATED THEIR CLOSE LINKS WITH THE GODS BY USING THE TITLE “HINDU SURATRANA”. THIS WAS A SANSKRITISATION OF THE ARABIC TERM SULTAN, MEANING KING, SO IT LITERALLY MEANT HINDU SULTAN.

Question 37

ROYAL GATEWAYS IN VIJAYNAGARA EMPIRE WERE ALSO KNOWN AS?

Answer 37

RAYA GOPURAMS.

Question 38

KALYANA MANDAPA IN VIJAYNAGARA EMPIRE WAS MEANT TO?

Answer 38

CELEBRATE DIVINE WEDDINGS.

Question 39

THE HALL IN FRONT OF THE MAIN SHRINE OF VIRUPAKSHA TEMPLE AND EASTERN GOPURAM WAS CONSTRUCTED BY?

Answer 39

KRISHNADEVA RAYA.

Question 40

A CHARACTERISTIC FEATURE OF THE VITTHALA (VISHNU) TEMPLE IS THE?

Answer 40

CHARIOT STREETS THAT EXTENDED FROM THE GOPURAM IN A STRAIGHT LINE.
THESE STREETS WERE PAVED WITH STONE SLABS AND LINED WITH PILLARED PAVILLIONS IN WHICH MERCHANTS SET UP THEIR SHOPS.

Question 41

WHICH TRAVELER GIVES A VIVID DESCRIPTION OF THE VIJAYNAGARA BAZAAR?

Answer 41

PAES.
FERNAO NUNIZ ALSO DESCRIBES THINGS SOLD IN THE MARKET OF BISNAGA (VIJAYNAGARA).