Papers presented at the seminar on 'Krishnadevaraya and his Times : Cultural Perspectives', held at K.R. Cama Oriental Institute during 7-8 January 2012.

On the life and achievements of Krishnadeva Raya, d. 1529 or 30, King of Vijayanagar and poet.

And below her hair; she would put on a garland and spend a few minutes just gazing into a pond; seeing her reflection and satisfying her desire before turning away and returning the worn garland to her flower basket The emperor Krishnadevaraya’s epic poem Amuktamalyada (Giver of the Worn Garland) depicts the life of the medieval Vaisnava poet-saint Andal; or Goda Devi as she is also known; and her passionate devotion to Lord Visnu. Krishnadevaraya’s unique poetic imagination brings to life a celestial world filled with wonder; creativity; humour and vibrant natural beauty. The mundane is made divine and the ordinary becomes extraordinary; the routine activities of daily life become expressive metaphors for heavenly actions; while the exalted gods of heaven are re-imagined as living persons. The poet’s ability to see divinity in the most commonplace activities is an extension of his powerful belief that god is everywhere; in everything; at all times.

"In 1509 Krishnadevaraya, a prince from humble origins, ascended the throne of Vijayanagara. The empire he inherited was weak from two messy dynastic successions, and ambitious enemy kings loomed large on all sides--a haughty king of Orissa in the east, five upstart Deccan sultans to the north, revolting Tamil rajas in the south and enterprising Portuguese soldiers from the west. But Krishnadevaraya quickly rose to the challenge, and in the course of his remarkable twenty-year reign, he changed history forever. He won every single battle he fought and unified the whole of south India under his banner. Krishnadevaraya is remembered today as one of India’s greatest kings, not only because of his successes on the battlefield or the dazzling splendour of his empire, but because he was India’s first truly global leader. He had to confront very modern problems, such as building international alliances and negotiating overseas trade deals, while grappling with the challenges of globalism and multiculturalism. The Deccan of his time was a cosmopolitan place where Hindus and Muslims, north Indians and south Indians, Persians and Portuguese, all intermingled as they made their lives and fortunes. This cultural dynamism also inspired Krishnadevaraya to look back at India’s past and reflect on her histories and traditions. As a philosopher-king who was also a celebrated poet in his own right, he presided over an Indian renaissance, when ancient texts and traditions were reinvigorated and infused with a fresh and modern vitality. Five hundred years after Krishnadevaraya’s death, he is still remembered and loved as a compassionate and wise king, one who is immortalized in films and folk tales, poems and ballads. This fascinating and riveting book is meticulously researched and beautifully written. Based on Portuguese and Persian chronicles, as well as many overlooked Telugu literary sources, Raya is the definitive biography of one of the world’s greatest leaders"--Front dust jacket flap.

"Regardless of terminology, the use of padya and gadya in Telugu literary works is invariably linked to Nannaya (early to mid-11th century), traditionally considered the first poet of Telugu literature. The style that Nannaya inaugurated in his Telugu retelling of the Mahābhārata is regarded as the paradigm for later poets. His mixing of padya and gadya-an element not present in the Sanskrit Mahābhārata-became the preferred mode of poetic composition, even when translating a Sanskrit counterpart that used padya exclusively"--

Written Lucidly And Critically, The Book Highlights The Prominent Trends In Thought And Institutions Of Medieval India. A Special Feature Of The Book Is That It Takes In Its Purview Not Only The North Indian Trends, But Covers The Thought Currents And Their Expressions In Institutions As Prevalent In Medieval South India As Well. Throughout The Book One Finds A Common Line Of Thought Running, As A String Through The Beads, Showing The Process Of Gradual Synthesis Of Muslim And Hindu Ideas And Institutions. It Is A Well-Written Work In Which One Finds A Proper Balance In Treatment Between Different Parts Of India. Mughal Kingship, For Example, Receives As Much Attention As Kingship Under Vijayanagara And Its Offshoots; The Mansabdari System Under The Mughals Gets Equal Importance With The Maharashtra Dharma And Maratha Confederacy. The Book Is Of Great Value To The Research Scholars, Students And General Readers Alike.