Many wars have been fought on the great soil of Andhradesa. Of these great battles one battle that will still be responsible for our astonishment is the battle of Rakshasa Tangadi near Talikota. The battle was founding point of Muslim domination in Andhradesa, all the way up to Nellore which was, until then the part of Kondavidu Rajya.
Five Bahamani states of Deccan combined against the Vijayanagara King and uprooted the richest dynasty of India. It was the result of this battle when the imperial court of Vijayanagara transferred to Penukonda and Bellary was lost for good. The battle was described as one of the most horrific battles of history, where the King fought even after he was pierced with several arrows and left with mutilated body parts, without a horse, on foot against the enemies. From an insider’s point of view, post the kingship of Achutya Raya, there were lot of troubles in the family for succession. This was not unknown to their enemies and the empire was attacked when the ruler was too old to fight. Inspite of his physical limitations he went to the battle to save the honour of his empire. The Raya of Vijayanagara was during this time under the control of the Aravidu Tirumala, the brother of Rama Raya and Venkatadri. Rama Raya was the king who fell in this battle.
Sadasiva Raya held the throne of Vijayanagara for the following five years but it was Tirumala who held the real control of Vijayanagara. In 1571, Tirumala ascended the throne of Penukonda. He installed the foundation stone of the Aravidu dynasty. The Aravidu dynasty did not last very long. It saw its end in 1645 by the hands of ruler who was a mere puppet, Sri Ranga. The rebellion and rising neighboring powers crushed the Aravidu dynasty.
The battle of Talikkotta gave away a large part of Andhra, especially Kurnool and Anantapur districts from the Vijayanagara control to the Muslim rulers. The Vijayanagara Empire that stretched all the way from Karnataka to Nellore had lost its all great emperors to war. According to the travellers that came to Bisnaga (Portuguese for Vijayanagara) mentioned Goa to be the neighboring territory to the North West and Orissa to the North East.
This battle shook the entire Andhradesa and the headquarters of Hampi now were in Penukonda. The battle was the result of betrayal, feud and greed. For a long time the people of Andhradesa refused to accept the new dynasty. Anyone who was powerful enough began protecting villages to prevent them from falling in the hands of the invaders. People began hiding the places of worship so that no one can destroy them. Everything eventually came to the end and structural remnants of the Vijayanagara kings were finally destroyed by the British, who then passed a law that anyone who held a fort would be considered to be a traitor. A several forts, small and big were brought down. The ones that were useful were preserved.
Such was the loss to the history of India and of that Empire where pearls, diamonds, rubies were sold in hawker’s market just like vegetables today.
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