Battle of Talikota

Rama Raya being killed in the Battle of Talikota

“Never perhaps in the history of world has such havoc been wrought and wrought so suddenly, on so splendid a city; teeming with a wealthy and industrious population in the full plenitude of prosperity one day and on the next day seized, pillaged and reduced to ruins amid scenes of savage massacre and horrors beggaring description.”

The city mentioned in the above quote is Hampi, capital of the powerful Hindu Kingdom of Vijayanagara.

The famous Battle of Talikota, also known as that of Rakkasagi–Tangadagi, was fought between between Vijayanagara empire and the Muslim Sultanates of Deccan on 23 January 1565.

Though the origin of the Vijayanagar Empire is in the realm of debate, it can be said with certainty that its foundation in 1336 within a few years of Alauddin Khilji’s eunuch general Malik Kafur’s raids in south India was a culmination of the political and cultural movement against the Muslim ideas and forces of Delhi Sultanate in the south India.

This powerful kingdom continued to unfurl the banner of Hinduism for almost three centuries. The nucleus of the kingdom was the city of Vijayanagar (”City of Victory”), identified with present day Hampi (located on the banks of the Tungabhadra River) in Karnataka.

It was during the reign of the Taluva (Taluva dynasty was one of the four main dynasties, combination of which is known as the Vijayanagar empire) ruler Sadashiva Raya (1543- 69) that battle of Talikota was fought in which Vijayanagar army was defeated by the combined forces of the five Muslim Sultanates of Deccan. The great city of Hampi, the seat of the Vijayanagar empire, was sacked.

Though Hampi was mercilessly sacked by the marauding armies of the Muslim Sultanates of Deccan after their coalition defeated the de facto ruler of Vijayanagara, Rama Raya, in the battle of Talikota, the ruins of the city remain as a testimony to its past prosperity and the exceptional talent of the sculptors and artists.(In ancient India there were many cases of ministerial usurpation and of ministers who became de facto rulers under weak kings). Rama Raya was killed in the Battle of Talikota.

This gave body blow to the empire. After this battle, the Vijayanagar kingdom lost its grandeur and glory.

The splendor and affluence of Hampi has been described in the accounts of European travellers who visited India during the period. Prominent among them are the Italian visitor Nicolo dei Conti (15th century AD) and the Portuguese travelers Paes and Nuniz who visited India in the 16th century.