2023-02-17 20:20:39 by ambuda-bot
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INTRODUCTION
The Madhurāvijayam is perhaps the only histo-
rical work for the history of South India, before the
15th century. Gangā Dēvi may, with some appro-
priateness, be called the first historian of South India
in any scientific sense. The Madhurāvijayam tells the
story of the extension of the Vijayanagar rule into the
Tamil country and the circumstances leading to it. The
book which is in nine cantos devotes a major part of
the narration to the main factors culminating in the
conquest of Madhurai by Kumāra Kampaṇa. The fol-
lowing is an analysis of its contents, canto by canto.
Canto 1.-This canto contains the following pieces
of information :
1. Gives the names of contemporary luminaries.
2. Gives information about the parentage of
Kumāra Kampana-mentions Bukka and Harihara and
describes the qualities of the head and heart of Bukka.
Also mentions the name of Bukka's queen as Dēvāyī.
It may be noted that this is the only source giving infor-
mation about the chief queen of Bukka.
3. Describes the city of Vijayanagar. Compare
this with the descriptions of the city given by Paes,
Nicolo Conti, Abdur Razaak and others who visited the
city in the hey-day of its prosperity. Pampa is men-
tioned as the branch of Vijayanagara.
Canto 2. The birth of Kampana and also of the
other two sons of Bukka, Kampaṇa and Sangama.
Canto 3.-1. Gives an account of the early train-
ing of Kampana.
2. Mentions his marriage with Gangā Dēvi.
The Madhurāvijayam is perhaps the only histo-
rical work for the history of South India, before the
15th century. Gangā Dēvi may, with some appro-
priateness, be called the first historian of South India
in any scientific sense. The Madhurāvijayam tells the
story of the extension of the Vijayanagar rule into the
Tamil country and the circumstances leading to it. The
book which is in nine cantos devotes a major part of
the narration to the main factors culminating in the
conquest of Madhurai by Kumāra Kampaṇa. The fol-
lowing is an analysis of its contents, canto by canto.
Canto 1.-This canto contains the following pieces
of information :
1. Gives the names of contemporary luminaries.
2. Gives information about the parentage of
Kumāra Kampana-mentions Bukka and Harihara and
describes the qualities of the head and heart of Bukka.
Also mentions the name of Bukka's queen as Dēvāyī.
It may be noted that this is the only source giving infor-
mation about the chief queen of Bukka.
3. Describes the city of Vijayanagar. Compare
this with the descriptions of the city given by Paes,
Nicolo Conti, Abdur Razaak and others who visited the
city in the hey-day of its prosperity. Pampa is men-
tioned as the branch of Vijayanagara.
Canto 2. The birth of Kampana and also of the
other two sons of Bukka, Kampaṇa and Sangama.
Canto 3.-1. Gives an account of the early train-
ing of Kampana.
2. Mentions his marriage with Gangā Dēvi.