Ithihasa India History Podcast

The foundation series would be incomplete without us exploring in depth the Vidyaranya-Sringeri connection with Sangamas and Vijayanagara.

Fate of Vijayanagara was sealed by a wandering Sadhu's call for alms.

The blood of the traitor and a former Sultan had now spilt on the Turquoise throne. If you liked this bonus bit and have piqued your interest, go ahead and hit play on the full episode, “Birth of A Nemesis” that explores the fall of Tughlaqs in Deccan and birth of the Bahmani kingdom.

Both the Bahamani and Vijayanagara rose almost at the same time, from the same conflicts with the same enemy, The Tuglaqhs.

Loss of Tughluqs is Bahmani's gain in the Deccan. This episode and the following one explore in depth the reasons for the fall of Tughluqs and rise of Bahmani.

FOUNDATION SPECIAL We will mainly try to understand how Harihara and Bukka burst onto the scene which was already being dominated by powerful forces like Veera Bhallala of Hoysala and Tughlaq Sultanate in the Deccan and the South.

Experience a little bit suspense, drama and tension before we jump into an epic near hour long full episode that goes super in depth in the birth of a glorious empire and crown jewel of South Indian History. It's handmade with love for all the fantastic listeners and history buffs out there.

A special shout out to these 4 reviewers: 1. Shiva Kumar Subramanian from India. 2. Chandrika from Bangalore, India. 3. Awesomesita user from USA. 4. PreetiUM user from USA.

We will explore the accounts, legends and evidence surrounding the founders of Vijayanagara, The Sangama Brothers. Harihara I and Bukka I are two enigmatic figures in the story of Vijayanagara's Origins. Without understanding all the narratives surrounding, one can never truly understand the birth of this glorious Hindu Empire and the Rise Of Sangamas. Bonus Bit included in the first 2 minutes.

The eventual inauguration of the Vijayanagara Empire under the Sangamas is a direct result of the sincere attempts for a Final Redemption by the Last Great Hoyasala. The blood of Veera Bhallala III's sacrifice ran through the veins of the Womb that carried the seeds of the glorious Vijayanagara.

Let’s pick up from where we left in the last episode. We ended the previous episode with the ascension of Muhammud Bin Tughlaq and his quick subjugation of Pandyas, Kakatiyas and Yadavas. And he is getting ready to launch campaigns against the mighty Hoyasalas and the small kingdom of Kampili.

In this episode we shall delve into the political conditions in the kingdoms of Pandyas, Yadavas, the rise of the Delhi Sultanate and the impact of it’s ascendancy on the kingdoms of the South. It’s really important we understand this aspect as it sets up the stage for the conditions that gave rise to the birth of both Vijayanagara and Bahamani empires.

We shall look at the medieval South Indian polity through the lenses of power structure dynamics in the setting of Andhradesa and from the perspective of the Kingdom of Kakatiyas.

We will also look into the rule and legacy of Tirumala Raya during such a critical time for the empire, that was threatening to unravel itself fast.

In this episode, we will dig in depth to trace the events that immediately transpired after Vijayanagara army’s rout on the fields of Rakasi-Tangadi.

In this episode, we will delve into the revenue and taxation system of Vijayanagara. The stability of any State or Empire depends on its economic resources.

We will understand the importance of now 1700 year old Tirumala Tirupati Aalayam(temple) to the 16th century Vijayanagara rulers, it’s polity and citizens. We will also go in depth into the fascinating aspects of the Tirupati temple and the powerful role it played on both the economic and political front. We shall see Vijayanagara's patronage of the temple through three regnal periods of Krishna D...

We will delve into the importance of Temples in 16th century Vijayanagara and see the various roles they played in it’s highly evolved yet complex society. We will also try to understand what Temples meant to the ordinary citizens of the empire and to the Vijayanagara rulers. For some Vijayanagara is a City Of Victory and for some it's a City Of Tragedy. And then for some it’s a City Of Temples, t...

In this episode we will see how the king is at the center on the architectural plane and understand its implication when it came to power and politics. In the Vijayanagara empire, Royal Ceremonies and Architecture was a big deal that could weaken the King’s influence if he didn’t pay significant attention to it. He had no choice but to play his part diligently in maintaining the traditions of the...

In the last episode we traced the rise and fall of the autocratic Vijayanagara regent, Aliya Rama Raya and how his policies ultimately led to the beginning of the end for the empire. In this episode, we will look at how Politics and Power worked in a highly cultured society like Vijayanagara and more so in it’s cosmopolitan capital, Hampi.

What would have led one of the most powerful men in India at that time to engage in such suicidal diplomacy which brought down the empire crashing. After all we all are creatures of habit and deep desires. There has to be some sort of motivation fueling even the deceptively irrational of behaviors. In this episode we will decipher the motivations of Aliya Rama Raya that shaped his foreign policy w...

We will pick up from where we left previously. In the last episode we understood the reasons for the defeat in the battle from a military perspective and why the Deccan Sultanate Alliance had the upper hand. In this episode, we will dig deeper into the causes for Rama Raya’s diplomatic defeat that led to the battle of Talikota, which ultimately led to his death and was the beginning of the end for...

In this episode, we will explore the prevailing narratives around battle of Talikota in 1565 AD, reasons behind Vijayanagara’s decisive rout in the epic battle. By the end of it we will try to answer some crucial questions like, what is it that Rama Raya did wrong? What did the Deccan Sultanate alliance do right? What were it's tactics on the field? Who played better psychological warfare? What ro...

This episode is about the infamous Battle Of Talikota, which was the beginning of the end for the Vijayanagara empire. Talikota was Vijayanagara’s Waterloo moment and a watershed event in both the Deccan & Indian history. Vijayanagara’s majestic capital was sacked beyond redemption in the year of 1565. Today you know it as Hampi, a UNESCO world heritage site in the state of Karnataka, India. The s...

The first season is all about the erstwhile Vijayanagara Empire, one of the Crown Jewels of rich South Indian history. In this season, we will explore the Cultural and Historical significance of Vijayanagara. We will together delve into Vijayanagara's foundation, implosion, inner workings, its weaknesses, what made it tick & its influence on the subcontinent in the realms of culture, arts, religio...