Crossing to Talikota - Girish Karnad's Dramatic Retelling of the Fall of Vijayanagara Empire
Girish Karnad, writer, playwright, actor, director and Jnanpith awardee, is renowned for his historical dramas: Tughlaq (1964), Tale-Danda (1990), The Dreams of Tipu Sultan (1997) and Rakshasa Tangadi (2018).
In the preface to his play Rakshasa Tangadi, Karnad mentions that three events stand out when one looks at the history of the Deccan during the last millennium: The revolutionary movement led by Basavanna and the Vacanakaras in the 12th century, the reign of Tipu Sultan, which was the last assertion of national pride against colonial oppression and the remarkable achievements of the 16th century Vijayanagar empire. While Karnad has explored the first two incidents in Tale Danda and The Dreams of Tipu Sultan, Rakshasa Tangadi focuses on Vijayanagar, a powerful and wealthy empire which collapsed overnight after the battle of Talikota.
Rakshasa Tangadi was the last play written by Girish Karnad. It was translated into English by Karnad himself. The English version, titled Crossing to Talikota, premiered in Bengaluru on October 2, 2019, under the direction of Arjun Sajnani. Sadly, Girish Karnad passed away at the age of 81 on June 10, 2019 before the play's staging.
Rakshasa Tangadi or Crossing to Talikota is written on the basis of the works done by two major historians: Richard M. Eaton and Krishna Kolhar Kulkarni. The battle of Talikota took place in 1565 between Aliya Rama Raya, the regent and defacto ruler of the Vijayanagar empire, and the combined forces of the four Deccan Sultans - Ali Adil Shah of Bijapur, Ibrahim Qutub Shah of Golconda, Hussein Nizam Shah of Ahmednagar, and Ali Barid Shah of Bidar.
"I am fascinated by the contradiction implicit in the combination of the Sanskrit word Rakshasa (demon) with the Urdu word Tangadi (shank) and, therefore, have used that name as the title for the Kannada version of this play," noted Karnad.
Religion played a minimal role in this battle. The river Krishna separates Vijayanagar from the five Deccan Sultanates (Bijapur, Golconda, Ahmednagar, Bidar and Berar). Had the Sultans attacked Vijayanagar, the battle would have taken place south of the river Krishna. However, both Rakshasa-Tangadi and Talikota are located north of the river, suggesting that the Vijayanagar army moved northward to face the Sultans. Karnad emphasizes Rama Raya's hubris and ambition to prove himself as the rightful emperor as key factors in his downfall.
Rama Raya, the uncrowned regent of Vijayanagar, is the main character of the play. Impressed by Rama Raya's courage and military skills, Krishnadeva Raya had made Rama his son-in-law. The Vijayanagar administration is under the control of Rama Raya and his two brothers, Tirumala and Venkadadri. The real emperor sitting on the throne was Sadashiva Raya, a descendant of the Tuluvas.
Despite being the most powerful ruler in the Deccan, Rama Raya is denied the opportunity to ascend the throne of Vijayanagar due to his lower caste. The Tuluvas, who view the Aravidu family to which Rama belongs, as inferior, believe he is unfit to rule their kingdom. They see him as merely the son-in-law of Krishnadeva Raya, who should only act as the 'protector' of the Tuluva realm. On the other hand, the people of Vijayanagar despise Rama because he treats Sadashiva, the true king, 'like a chained dog.'
Rama Raya tries to gain royal identity by claiming descent from the Chalukya dynasty. Kalyani, the glorious capital of the Chalukyas, was not under Rama Raya's control. Rama Raya allied himself with whichever Sultan controlled Kalyani as if the city rightfully belonged to him and the Sultan is merely a caretaker. As his power and influence grow steadily, Rama Raya, now in his eighties, became arrogant and ruthless.
"I cannot abandon Kalyana to aliens. I have to ensure its welfare. When Barid Shah started misbehaving, I took it away and gave it to Nizam Shah. But now that the bonds of Vijayanagara and Bijapura have been soldered together again I shall entrust it to you Ali."
Satyabhama (Rama's wife) requests her brother-in-laws Tirumala and Venkadadri to lead the Vijayanagar army against the united Sultans, pointing out Rama Raya's advanced age. However, Rama finds the joint attack by the Sultans as an opportunity to prove his royal status as the Chalukya heir and his capabilities as an emperor. Eager to lead the Vijayanagar army himself, Rama's overconfidence causes him to underestimate the strength of the Sultan's forces.
"This is not like the previous encounters - mere skirmishes we joined in by choice on behalf of some footling Sultan. This time they are challenging me. I am being recognized as Vijayanagara incarnate, as the Tuluva royal family has never recognized me. All my life I've been humiliated by the progeny of Krishna Raya, her royal relatives."
Rama is disgusted with his reputation as ''Son-in-Law of Krishna Raya', 'Aliya Ramarya' - the protector of Vijayanagara, but don't come-near-the throne."
"No more Aliya Ramaraya! 'Ramaraya, the son-in-law' is dead."
"I'm not fighting for Vijayanagara now - I'm fighting for Aravidu glory. These Sultans are the agents of my destiny. They are providing me with a test of the glory of our lineage.
Venkatadri, Tirumala, inform the Sultans. Inform our public. Inform our tributaries, our generals and dependencies. What faces me now is Kurukshetra. A new age will emerge out of this encounter. I am Partha, the Supreme King of the Aravidu clan, the returning scion of the Chalukyas. Let's welcome the New Age! To Chalukya glory!"
At the same time, he attributes the downfall of Vijayanagar to the actions of another woman, Khunza Humayun, the begum of Hussein Nizam Shah. She questions Nizam Shah: "Have you thought of how long you all are going to go on like this - accepting alms from Ramaraya? Today, he wants Kalyan to be handed over to Bijapur. Tomorrow, he'll say give it to Golkonda. Then, he'll say it's the turn of Bidar. And you'll wait around him - bowing and scraping - salivating? ... Do any of you have the strength to say no to that brute?"
She proposes an alliance between Nizam Shah and three other Sultans, by marrying off their daughters Chand Bibi and Bibi Jamal to Ali Adil Shah and Ibrahim Qutub Shah respectively, in order to unite them against Rama Raya.
When Rama and his brothers heard the news of the marriage contracts, they laughed and made sarcastic comments. Neither Ali, Hussein nor Ibrahim invited them for the weddings.
Ali Barid Shah: "Ramaraya has been willfully offending me in various ways and I have tolerated him. But Jahangir Khan was my man. An innocent officer who loyally followed my orders. Ramaraya had absolutely no reason to kill him .... He provides shelter to every aspiring traitor in one's court. Many planning to assassinate me tomorrow may be sharpening their daggers on his whetstone today."
Ali Adil Shah: "When he (Rama Raya) was returning home after sending me the keys of Kalyan, he causally took over the forts of Udgir and Bagalkot. When I sought an explanation, he didn't even meet my messenger. And then he drives me beyond endurance warning me not to accept the hand of Shahzadi Chand Bibi. 'Remember, marrying my enemy's daughter will make you my enemy.' The intent was clear. 'I shall be in charge of your personal life too henceforth.' That I will not accept."
Ibrahim Qutub Shah: "Six months ago, his men marched through my realm without informing me. And then created a rumpus in Koilkonda and Guntur. Desecrated the mosques there. Ransacked several of my villages. Why? This has never happened before in the Deccan."
The play ends when Rama Raya was captured and beheaded by the Ahmednagar general Rumi Khan, on the orders Hussein Nizam Shah. At a sign from him, Rumi Khan brings a spear and impales Rama Raya's head on it. "Take this to Kashi to wash it of its sins! And here's my dowry to you, Adil Shah. The Deccan! The whole of Deccan!"
The last scene shows the impaled head of Rama Raya in front of Adil Shah, who sits crouched in misery. (Ali Adil Shah considered Rama Raya his father.) The shouts and screams of soldiers increase until the noise is deafening and becomes continuous with the sound track of the Scene. The flow of celebrating soldiers conceals both the severed head and Adil Shah from view. The stage darkens, the noise subsides until there is total silence.
The matrimonial alliances just before the battle were as such: Ali Adil Shah married Hussein's daughter, Chand Bibi, with Sholapur as her dowry, while Ali's sister Hadia Sultana was married off to Hussein's son Murtaza.
According to Rafiuddin Shirazi's Tazkiratul Muluk, the head of Rama Raya was sent to Imad Shah of Berar as he did not join the confederation of the Sultanates.
Throughout the history of the Vijayanagar empire, there were three instances of usurpation. First, Saluva Narasimha, the founder of Saluva dynasty, overthrew the last Sangama ruler, Virupaksha II, and himself captured the throne. Secondly, Veera Narasimha, the founder of the Tuluva dynasty, deposed the last Saluva ruler and seated himself on the throne.
It was Rama Raya's brother Tirumala, who had the fortune to ascend the throne of Vijayanagar! After the death of Sadashiva Raya in 1570, Tirumala crowned at Penukonda and established the Aravidu dynasty. It can be considered as the third usurpation because historians agree that Sadashiva, the last Tuluva ruler, was assassinated by Tirumala's son.
Crossing to Talikota By Girish Karnad
In the preface to his play Rakshasa Tangadi, Karnad mentions that three events stand out when one looks at the history of the Deccan during the last millennium: The revolutionary movement led by Basavanna and the Vacanakaras in the 12th century, the reign of Tipu Sultan, which was the last assertion of national pride against colonial oppression and the remarkable achievements of the 16th century Vijayanagar empire. While Karnad has explored the first two incidents in Tale Danda and The Dreams of Tipu Sultan, Rakshasa Tangadi focuses on Vijayanagar, a powerful and wealthy empire which collapsed overnight after the battle of Talikota.
Rakshasa Tangadi was the last play written by Girish Karnad. It was translated into English by Karnad himself. The English version, titled Crossing to Talikota, premiered in Bengaluru on October 2, 2019, under the direction of Arjun Sajnani. Sadly, Girish Karnad passed away at the age of 81 on June 10, 2019 before the play's staging.
Rakshasa Tangadi or Crossing to Talikota is written on the basis of the works done by two major historians: Richard M. Eaton and Krishna Kolhar Kulkarni. The battle of Talikota took place in 1565 between Aliya Rama Raya, the regent and defacto ruler of the Vijayanagar empire, and the combined forces of the four Deccan Sultans - Ali Adil Shah of Bijapur, Ibrahim Qutub Shah of Golconda, Hussein Nizam Shah of Ahmednagar, and Ali Barid Shah of Bidar.
Choice of the Title
The location of the battle has long been a subject of debate among historians. Talikota has generally been accepted as the village near which the two armies clashed. However, the twin villages of Rakkasagi and Tangadagi, referred to as Rakshasa and Tangadi in contemporary documents such as Ramarayana Bakhairu, also have a plausible claim."I am fascinated by the contradiction implicit in the combination of the Sanskrit word Rakshasa (demon) with the Urdu word Tangadi (shank) and, therefore, have used that name as the title for the Kannada version of this play," noted Karnad.
Non-Religious Perspective of the Battle
Robert Sewell was the first historian to threw light on the history of Vijayanagar (Hampi) in his work "A Forgotten Empire" (1900). His portrayal of the battle of Talikota as a religious war between Hindus and Muslims was widely accepted during the colonial era. However, this play challenges the popular narrative and presents an alternative perspective.Religion played a minimal role in this battle. The river Krishna separates Vijayanagar from the five Deccan Sultanates (Bijapur, Golconda, Ahmednagar, Bidar and Berar). Had the Sultans attacked Vijayanagar, the battle would have taken place south of the river Krishna. However, both Rakshasa-Tangadi and Talikota are located north of the river, suggesting that the Vijayanagar army moved northward to face the Sultans. Karnad emphasizes Rama Raya's hubris and ambition to prove himself as the rightful emperor as key factors in his downfall.
Character of Rama Raya in the Play
Rama Raya, the uncrowned regent of Vijayanagar, is the main character of the play. Impressed by Rama Raya's courage and military skills, Krishnadeva Raya had made Rama his son-in-law. The Vijayanagar administration is under the control of Rama Raya and his two brothers, Tirumala and Venkadadri. The real emperor sitting on the throne was Sadashiva Raya, a descendant of the Tuluvas.
Despite being the most powerful ruler in the Deccan, Rama Raya is denied the opportunity to ascend the throne of Vijayanagar due to his lower caste. The Tuluvas, who view the Aravidu family to which Rama belongs, as inferior, believe he is unfit to rule their kingdom. They see him as merely the son-in-law of Krishnadeva Raya, who should only act as the 'protector' of the Tuluva realm. On the other hand, the people of Vijayanagar despise Rama because he treats Sadashiva, the true king, 'like a chained dog.'
Rama Raya tries to gain royal identity by claiming descent from the Chalukya dynasty. Kalyani, the glorious capital of the Chalukyas, was not under Rama Raya's control. Rama Raya allied himself with whichever Sultan controlled Kalyani as if the city rightfully belonged to him and the Sultan is merely a caretaker. As his power and influence grow steadily, Rama Raya, now in his eighties, became arrogant and ruthless.
"I cannot abandon Kalyana to aliens. I have to ensure its welfare. When Barid Shah started misbehaving, I took it away and gave it to Nizam Shah. But now that the bonds of Vijayanagara and Bijapura have been soldered together again I shall entrust it to you Ali."
Satyabhama (Rama's wife) requests her brother-in-laws Tirumala and Venkadadri to lead the Vijayanagar army against the united Sultans, pointing out Rama Raya's advanced age. However, Rama finds the joint attack by the Sultans as an opportunity to prove his royal status as the Chalukya heir and his capabilities as an emperor. Eager to lead the Vijayanagar army himself, Rama's overconfidence causes him to underestimate the strength of the Sultan's forces.
"This is not like the previous encounters - mere skirmishes we joined in by choice on behalf of some footling Sultan. This time they are challenging me. I am being recognized as Vijayanagara incarnate, as the Tuluva royal family has never recognized me. All my life I've been humiliated by the progeny of Krishna Raya, her royal relatives."
Rama is disgusted with his reputation as ''Son-in-Law of Krishna Raya', 'Aliya Ramarya' - the protector of Vijayanagara, but don't come-near-the throne."
"No more Aliya Ramaraya! 'Ramaraya, the son-in-law' is dead."
"I'm not fighting for Vijayanagara now - I'm fighting for Aravidu glory. These Sultans are the agents of my destiny. They are providing me with a test of the glory of our lineage.
Venkatadri, Tirumala, inform the Sultans. Inform our public. Inform our tributaries, our generals and dependencies. What faces me now is Kurukshetra. A new age will emerge out of this encounter. I am Partha, the Supreme King of the Aravidu clan, the returning scion of the Chalukyas. Let's welcome the New Age! To Chalukya glory!"
Satyabhama and Khunza Humayun
Karnad's plays are significant from a feminist perspective. On one side, he highlights the humiliating life of Rama Raya's wife, Satyabhama, the princess of Vijayanagar who, despite being married to this great general, never ascends to the position of queen and remains a mere princess in her father's imperial palace. She remains as the low class Aliya Rama Raya's wife.
At the same time, he attributes the downfall of Vijayanagar to the actions of another woman, Khunza Humayun, the begum of Hussein Nizam Shah. She questions Nizam Shah: "Have you thought of how long you all are going to go on like this - accepting alms from Ramaraya? Today, he wants Kalyan to be handed over to Bijapur. Tomorrow, he'll say give it to Golkonda. Then, he'll say it's the turn of Bidar. And you'll wait around him - bowing and scraping - salivating? ... Do any of you have the strength to say no to that brute?"
She proposes an alliance between Nizam Shah and three other Sultans, by marrying off their daughters Chand Bibi and Bibi Jamal to Ali Adil Shah and Ibrahim Qutub Shah respectively, in order to unite them against Rama Raya.
When Rama and his brothers heard the news of the marriage contracts, they laughed and made sarcastic comments. Neither Ali, Hussein nor Ibrahim invited them for the weddings.
Unity of the Sultans
Hussein Nizam Shah: "We four have always had our differences of opinion about our territories. But since Ramaraya came on the scene, he has turned it into an endless game, pitting us against each other. The world is laughing at us. Unless we come together, we'll continue to be made monkeys of by him."Ali Barid Shah: "Ramaraya has been willfully offending me in various ways and I have tolerated him. But Jahangir Khan was my man. An innocent officer who loyally followed my orders. Ramaraya had absolutely no reason to kill him .... He provides shelter to every aspiring traitor in one's court. Many planning to assassinate me tomorrow may be sharpening their daggers on his whetstone today."
Ali Adil Shah: "When he (Rama Raya) was returning home after sending me the keys of Kalyan, he causally took over the forts of Udgir and Bagalkot. When I sought an explanation, he didn't even meet my messenger. And then he drives me beyond endurance warning me not to accept the hand of Shahzadi Chand Bibi. 'Remember, marrying my enemy's daughter will make you my enemy.' The intent was clear. 'I shall be in charge of your personal life too henceforth.' That I will not accept."
Ibrahim Qutub Shah: "Six months ago, his men marched through my realm without informing me. And then created a rumpus in Koilkonda and Guntur. Desecrated the mosques there. Ransacked several of my villages. Why? This has never happened before in the Deccan."
End of Rama Raya
Rama Raya sits on a palanquin and encourages his soldiers to fight for the glory of the Aravidu dynasty.The play ends when Rama Raya was captured and beheaded by the Ahmednagar general Rumi Khan, on the orders Hussein Nizam Shah. At a sign from him, Rumi Khan brings a spear and impales Rama Raya's head on it. "Take this to Kashi to wash it of its sins! And here's my dowry to you, Adil Shah. The Deccan! The whole of Deccan!"
The last scene shows the impaled head of Rama Raya in front of Adil Shah, who sits crouched in misery. (Ali Adil Shah considered Rama Raya his father.) The shouts and screams of soldiers increase until the noise is deafening and becomes continuous with the sound track of the Scene. The flow of celebrating soldiers conceals both the severed head and Adil Shah from view. The stage darkens, the noise subsides until there is total silence.
Notes
Aliya Rama Raya's wife was Tirumalamba, the eldest daughter of emperor Krishnadeva Raya. Also known as Mohanangi, she wrote a Telugu poem called Mareechi Parinayamu.The matrimonial alliances just before the battle were as such: Ali Adil Shah married Hussein's daughter, Chand Bibi, with Sholapur as her dowry, while Ali's sister Hadia Sultana was married off to Hussein's son Murtaza.
According to Rafiuddin Shirazi's Tazkiratul Muluk, the head of Rama Raya was sent to Imad Shah of Berar as he did not join the confederation of the Sultanates.
Throughout the history of the Vijayanagar empire, there were three instances of usurpation. First, Saluva Narasimha, the founder of Saluva dynasty, overthrew the last Sangama ruler, Virupaksha II, and himself captured the throne. Secondly, Veera Narasimha, the founder of the Tuluva dynasty, deposed the last Saluva ruler and seated himself on the throne.
It was Rama Raya's brother Tirumala, who had the fortune to ascend the throne of Vijayanagar! After the death of Sadashiva Raya in 1570, Tirumala crowned at Penukonda and established the Aravidu dynasty. It can be considered as the third usurpation because historians agree that Sadashiva, the last Tuluva ruler, was assassinated by Tirumala's son.
Reference
Girish Karand's Crossing to Talikota: Digging into the Past before He Bade Adieu By Prof. R T Bedre and Dr. M D SasaneCrossing to Talikota By Girish Karnad
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