A set of 16th century copper plate inscriptions have been discovered at the Sri Singheswara temple at Mappedu village in Tiruvallur district of Tamil Nadu. Two leaves of these copper plates were strung together with the help of a ring, bearing the seal of the Vijayanagara Empire. According to the Archaeological Survey of India, the inscription was written in Sanskrit using the Nandinagari script and was inscribed in 1513 during the reign of King Krishnadevaraya.
Vijayanagara Empire
- Establishment: The Vijayanagara Empire was founded in 1336 by Harihara and Bukka. Initially subservient to the Kakatiya rulers of Warangal, they later declared their independence and established a new city on the southern bank of the Tungabhadra river, which they named Vijayanagara (city of victory).
- Dynasties: The empire saw the reign of four dynasties: Sangam, Saluva, Tuluva and Aravidu.
- Reign of Krishnadeva Raya: The empire reached its zenith during the reign of Krishnadeva Raya (1509-1529), during which it achieved military superiority over rivals such as the Bahmani Sultanate, the Golconda Sultanate and the Gajapatis of Odisha. However, during the reign of Rama Raya he was defeated in the Battle of Talaikotta in 1565, leading to the collapse of the Vijayanagara Empire.
- Last Ruler: The last ruler of Vijayanagara was Sri Ranga III.
Krishnadeva Raya (1509-1529)
- Fame: Krishnadevaraya of the Tuluva dynasty was the most famous ruler of Vijayanagara. His rule was characterised by expansion and integration. He defeated Bijapur, Golconda, the Bahmani Sultanate and the Gajapatis of Odisha to become the dominant ruler of the peninsula.
- Patronage: Portuguese travellers Domingo Paes and Duarte Barbosa visited the Vijayanagara Empire during his reign. He promoted Telugu literature and was a patron of poets like Allasani Peddana. His era is called the Golden Age of Telugu Literature. Ashtadiggaj: A group of eight famous poets of his court, who played an important role in enriching Telugu literature and art.
- Religious Tolerance: Initially a follower of Shaivism, he later adopted Vaishnavism and built temples for both Shiva and Vishnu, which set an example of religious tolerance.
Nandinagari Script
- Introduction: Nandinagari is a variant of the Nagari script, mostly confined to the Karnataka region.
- Uses: Nandinagari script was used in South India for writing manuscripts and inscriptions between the 8th and 19th centuries. It is written from left to right.