VIJAY RAGHAVA NAIKA OF TANJORE PREFERED SELF DESTRUCTION THAN TO SUBMIT TO STAUNCH ENEMY

VIJAY RAGHAVA NAIKA OF TANJORE PREFERED SELF DESTRUCTION                 

                              THAN TO SUBMIT TO STAUNCH ENEMY

                                           Dr K Prabhakar Rao

              Kingdoms of Naika rulers  at  Madhura ( Madurai) and Tanjavur( Tanjore) in South India came into existence in 16 century during the rule of Vijay nagar emperors as vassals. The dynasties were established by valiant and faithful servants of the emperors as a result of gift from the emperors for their dedicated services to the empire.  The rulers were very brave, good builders. Patrons of art, sculpture, music,  dance and drama.However they were not free from human passions and some of them lacked national vision.  However at the closing stage of the empire some of the rulers took advantage of the weakness of the authority of emperors  and contributed to the fall of the empire.  They even colluded with Deccani sultans in engineering destruction of the empire. These two  provincial kingdoms harbored enmity and  finally they disappeared into pages of history.

                                      TANJAVUR KINGDOM

            Achuta deva Raya  the vijay nagar emperor ( successor and step brother of  great Krishna deva Raya) granted permission in 1532  to Sevappa Naika the governor of Tanjavur to establish a feudatory kingdom at Tanjavur. Sevappa Naika was the son of Timmappa Naika a confidant and commander of Krishna deva Raya who impressed the emperor in his famous Raichur campaign against Bijapur sultan. He ruled till 1580 and was succeeded by his son Achutappa Naika ( 1560-1614) who had a peaceful rule of 54 years. Till 1580 he co ruled along with his father.  Tallikota battle took place in 1565 in which Deccani sultans  were victorious and Hampi - Vijaynagar cities were vandalized by  Muslim invading army. However Vijaynagar emperors shifted their capital to Penukonda and later to  Chadragiri and Vellore. In these  difficult times, Tanjavur Naikas fully extended support to Vijay nagar emperors and contributed for its revival. However Madhura Naikas developed vested interests and tried to shake off their ties with the empire.  Thus conflicts developed between the two south Indian kingdoms of Tanjore and Madura .

           Raghunatha Naika ( 1600-1634)  succeeded his father Achutappa Naika. He was the co ruler  of his father till 1600. He has gone down the annals of history as the great patron of art, music and literature apart from being a great warrior of repute. He was a master of Sanskrit and Telugu languages and  wrote several master pieces apart from a treatise on Music. He fully supported Vijay nagar empire and took part in the ferocious battle of succession at Topur along with Yachamanaika of Kalahasti and fought the combined armies of Jagga Raya and Madura and jinjee armies. Enemies of Vijaynagar were defeated while Jagga Raya was killed  at Topur battle. Rama Deva Raya the lone survivor son  of the murdered  emperor Sri Ranga II at Vellore  was crowned as the emperor.

          Raghunatha Naika   was succeeded  by his competent  son Vijayaraghava naika(  1634-1673)   also known as Mannar das  in  1634. He was a scholar himself and  wrote  34 books. He patronized art, literature,  erecting edifices such as  temples.he is believed to have maintained a  big harem  and freely engaged himself in activities of pleasure.

                                    MADHURA KINGDOM

                The dynasty at Madhura was started by Viswanatha  Naika  ardent supporter of Krishna deva Raya of Vijay nagar empire and he was the son of Nagama Naika a valiant commander of Vijay nagar army.

                The Pandyan territory was occupied by Veera sekhara chola  that was under Vijanagar empire. He was soon defeated by Nagama Naika a general of Vijay nagar in 1538. But instead of handing over the  provinces to the empire he declared independence.  Sri Krishna Deva Raya the Vijay nagar emperor then sent Viswanatha Naika son of Nagama Naika with large army against his rebellious father. Nagama Naika was defeated and captured by his son and was presented to the emperor. He was however was pardoned by the emperor in view of his past services. In appreciation of the loyalty Viswanatha naika was made the governor of the Tamil country. He was reportedly crowned as the king by Achuta deva Raya successor to Krishan deva Raya.   After 1559, dynastic rule commenced at Madura as Vijay nagar empire weakened with internal rifts. Madura Naika dynasty produced 13 rulers including queens.  

              Muthu veerappa naika  the ruler between  1609-1623 took part in topur battle  and his armies  fought along side Jagga Raya that were however were defeated. Tirumala Naika  was the most successful ruler (1623-1659) who  built magnificent buildings and palaces that stand even today well preserved. He was succeeded by Muttu Alakadri nayaka  ( 1659-1662) who was an incompetent ruler and gave himself up to debauchery and pleasure. His son Chokkanatha Naika  ( 1662-1682) succeeded him and tried to stabilize his  kingdom.. He was the contemporary of Vijaya Ragava Naika of Tanjavur kingdom.

                                       CONFLICT OVER A PRINCESS

Vijaya Raghava Naika of Tanjavuur had a beautiful daughter and Chokkanatha  demanded that  she be given to him in marriage.  Chokkanatha established a secret love affair with her until the king Vijaya Raghava  discovered it through a maidservant who betrayed her trust..  Chokkanatha  determined to fetch the maiden by force back into their capital,  attacked Thanjavur fort with his army. The fort walls were demolished by cannon fire and palace was attacked. But they did not get the princess. The    determined father Vijaya Raghava Nayak placed her and all the other ladies of the palace in one room, blew this up with gunpowder and then, with his son and his body-guard, charged furiously into the thickest of the enemy. He was captured after a desperate resistance, and was beheaded. Vijaya Raghava Naika  preferred destructon of everything instead of  surrendering to Chokkanatha Naika by giving up his daughter. Tanjavur kingdom was thus extinguished. Alagiri Naika a step brother of Chokka natha  was  installed at Tanjavur who soon declared independence and a desperate chokka nath incapable of doing anything accepted it.

                   Chokkanatha suffered emotionally from the death of his lovely maiden princess, who was his perfect match in brains and beauty   Then the tragedy ensued. He could not concentrate on the administration duties and was frequenting the Meenakshi Temple of Madurai to feel the presence of his soul maiden whose ash was strewn in the waters of the holy temple after her death. He had unsuccessful rule and died in 1682.
              Chengamala Dasu a son of Vijaya Raghava Naika  escaped the sacking of Tanjavur in 1673 and he approached Bijapur sultan to restore his kingdom to him. The sultan  sent an army under General Venkoji ( Half brother of Shivaji Maharaj) torestore the kingdom of Madhura to the son of Vijayaraghava Niaka . Venkoji defeated Tanjavur forces and instead of handing over to Chengamala das made himself the ruler of Tanjavur. Thus a Maratha dynasty commenced rule at Tanjavur and Naika  rule was permanently terminated at Tanjavur. Madura kindom  however continued  till 1736 when it passed into hands of Chanda sahiba reprentative of Nawab of Arcot..