Bukkaraya(also known as Bukka) as well as his brother Hakka (also known as Harihara I) were born in the Kamma clan and were commanders in the army of the Kakatiya King of Warangal. After the King of Warangal was defeated by forces of Malik Kafur sent by Muhammad bin Tughlaq, Bukka and his brother were taken prisoners and sent to Delhi. Both were forced to convert to Islam. Bukka and his brother eventually escaped and retained their Hindu traditions and founded the Vijayanagara Empire under the influence of the High Priest of Sringeri Mutt called Vidyaranya.
Little did Hakka and Bukka, two brothers and soldiers know that seeing a fox being driven away by rabbits would lead them to the establishment of an empire on the banks of the Tungabhadra river. Once, while walking by the banks of Tungabhadra river, they saw the strange sight of a fox being chased away by rabbits. They then met a sage and told him about the strange event they had witnessed.
The sage’s name was Vidyaranya. He told them that the land they stood on was very powerful and any city built at this spot as the capital of a kingdom would repulse attacks from even the most powerful of kings. Thus, the city of Vijayanagara (city of victory) or Vidyanagara (named after sage Vidyaranya) was born.Hakka and Bukka wanted to build a huge kingdom with palaces, temples and forts. But Sage Vidyaranya wanted to fix an auspicious moment to dig the foundation for the city. The brothers waited for that moment and suddenly they heard the sound of a conch shell. Thinking it was the announcement of the auspicious moment they started digging the foundation.But then they heard a second conch sound. Confused they went to see their Guru who said that the first sound was made to announce the sunrise and the second sound was made by Vidyaranya to announce the right moment which, if they had followed correctly, would have led to the kingdom to last 3600 years.
The rabbits chasing the fox could be just a story. But the empire of Vijayanagara founded in 1336 lasted for only 310 years i.e completely destroyed on 1646 by Muslim rulers. Vijayanagara was ruled by many dynasties including the Sangama, Saluva and the Tuluva. The descendents of Hakka and Bukka belonged to the Sangama dynasty.The fortifications and irrigation work owe much to their efforts. They also managed to overthrow the muslim rulers.
The greatest of the Vijayanagara rulers, Krishnadevaraya, belonged to the Tuluva dynasty. He ruled till 1529 and his time was considered to be the golden age.Several Portuguese travellers and traders who visited Vijayanagara wrote detailed reports about its glory. Domingos Paes (1520–22) who visited Vijayanagara during Krishnadeva’s reign, was fascinated by the greatness of Vijayanagara’s fortified urban landscape, its markets, temples and the royal centre. Paes’ detailed description of the city of Vijayanagara is of immense help for identifying and interpreting the still impressive ruins of Vijayanagara which once was, according to Paes, as large as Rome and “the best provided city of the world”.
Picture courtesy: Amar Chithra Katha
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