Achyuta Deva Raya

Achyuta Raya Temple in Hampi / Image credit

Achyuta Raya was a Vijayanagar ruler who succeeded to the throne in 1529 following the death of his half-brother Krishna Deva Raya, the greatest Vijayanagar emperor. If Portuguese chronicler Fernao Nuniz, who spent three years in Vijayanagar empire during the reign of Achyuta Deva Raya from 1535 to 1537, is to be believed, the Vijayanagar ruler was given to cruelty and tyranny. However, Achyuta Raya was not such a dishonest and weak ruler as maligned by Nuniz.

Achyuta Deva Raya ruled for 13 years and internal revolts ruled the roost during the period. However, he managed to keep the vast Vijayanagar dominions intact.

Achyuta Raya is more known for his work in the field of culture and religion. In 1534 he built the Tiruvengalanatha shrine in Hampi, more popularly known as Achyuta Raya Temple, named after him. The presiding deity of the temple is Lord Tiruvengalanatha, a form of Vishnu.

Purandaradasa, known as Father of Carnatic music or Karnataka Sangeetha Pitamaha. was patronized by Achyuta Deva Raya in whose court also flourished Sanskrit scholar Rajanatha Dindima and Kannada poet Chatu Vittalanatha. Rajanatha Dindima had written a Sanskrit poem named Achyutaraydbhyudaya dealing with the life of Achyuta Deva Raya.

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