Literature

Vijaya Nagar kings patronized Tamil, Telugu and Sanskrit scholars, poets and philosophers. Krishna Devaraya composed Amuktamalayada. Which is considered as one of the five Telugu kaviyas. There were eight scholars in the court of Krishnadevarya. They were known as Ashtadiggajas. Krishnadevaraya stopped the practice of translating from Sanskrit to other languages. He encouraged original thinking and writing in the field of literature. Krishna Devaraya marked a new beginning in the literary history of South India. The influence of Vaishnavism was found in the Telugu and Tamil literature, Gangadevi wrote Maduravijayam which is an important literary evidence about her husband Kumarakampana’ s conquest of Tamil country. Allasanipeddanna, Nanditimmanna Tenaliramakrishna were leading Telugu scholars. Telugu literature flourished well.
Tamil Literature
Vijaya Nagar period marked good development in Tamil literature. Tamil Scholars of Saivism, Vaishnavism and Jainism were encouraged. Meykandar wrote Sivagnana Bodham. Velliyambala Tambiran wrote Gnanapuranavilakkam, Alagiyadesikar’s Sethupuranam, Kachiappassivachariar’ s Kandapuranam were important Tamil literary works. Villiputhurar translated Viyasar’s Bharatam in Tamil. Chidambarapuranam and Chokkanatharula were written by Thirumalainathar. Haridasars wrote lrusamaya vilakkam. Nalavenba, is famous Tamil work of that period. Commentaries were written on Tholkappiayam and Silappathiharam and also on many vaishnavite religious texts. Nallurveerakavirayar’s Harichandrapuranam and saint Pavanandhi’s Nanool were important works written during Vijaya Nagar period.

Art and Architecture

During the period of Vijyanagar rulers the Tamil country faced an introduction of new style in the field of art and architecture. Two different styles of architecture namely the Dravidian and Indo-Saracenic architecture were famous during this period.

The two gopuras of Rameswaram temple and Seshagiri mandapam at Srirangam are the best examples ‘Vijaya Nagar art. Vijaya Nagar king built a famous temple inside the Vellore fort. Special feature of the Vellore temple is the Kalyana mandapam attached to that temple. This is one of the best examples of the Dravidian architecture style of Vijaya Nagar kings. The palace of Madurai built during this period is a good example of Indo Saracenic architecture style. Krishna Devaraya built a good part of a northern tower of Chidambaram. He also constructed the south side of Ekambaranatha shrine at Kanchipuram. He built pudumandapam and many temple towers at Madurai and Thiurvannamalai.

New temples were built in Vellore, Kumbakonam, Srirangam and Kanchipuram. Gopurams towers, forts and palaces constructed during this period are famous even today. The last stage of the Vijaya Nagar architecture was known as Madura style. The art of casting bronzes was famous. Some of the Vijaya Nagar paintings of God, Goddesses, purana story pictures and images of kings are familiar even today.

Revival of Hinduism, and some of the new social and cultural patterns introduced and emerged in Tamil. Country during Vijaya Nagar period had established a very big impact in the social and cultural life of Tamil country.

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