Rare Portrait of Sri Krishna Devaraya

Om! Gam! Ganapathaye! Namaha!
Om! Sri Raghavendraya Namaha!
Om! Namo! Bhagavathe! Vaasudevaya!
Om! Ham! Hanumathe! Sri Rama Doothaya Namaha!

Portrait of Sri Krishna Devaraya

For a period of one month between July 5th and August 8th, 2010 Andhra Pradesh is celebrating the 500th coronation anniversary of Sri Krishna Devaraya, the great Emperor of Vijayanagara dynasty. The celebrations are officially launched by the Govt. of Andhra Pradesh and inaugurated by the President of India. On this occasion his original portrait has been published in news papers. The picture was drawn by a Portuguese traveller by name Domingo Paes who took 15 months to draw the same. Said to have been bought to light by noted historian Dr. Krishna Rao Keshav, the picture was preserved in Bharateeya Ithihaasic Samshodhan Mandal at Pune.

(Portrait of Sri Krishna Devaraya)

When you think of Vijayanagara dynasty, it reminds us of four prominent names viz. Sri Krishna Devaraya, Maha Manthri Thimmarusu, Hampi, and the Ashta Diggajas. Undoubtedly Sri Krishna Devaraya was the most successful ruler of Vijayanagara dynasty. With Hampi as his capital, Sri Krishna Devaraya ruled the Vijayanagara kingdom during 1509-1529 AD. He was a dynamic and multifaceted personality, a great warrior, a great leader and a good administrator. He was ably assisted by his mentor Sri Thimmarusu affectionately called as Appaji and popularly known as Maha Manthri Thimmarusu. He was also his (Krishna Devaraya’s) Prime Minister who was known for his knacks. Sri Krishna Devaraya was associated with the great Madhwa saint and philosopher Sri Vyasarajaru (Vyasarayaru) who was his Raja Guru who helped Sri Krishna Devaraya to pass through a crisis in his life by ascending the throne for a brief period.

Apart from being a great ruler and warrior, Sri Krishna Devaraya was also a great patron of art and culture. He himself was a great scholar and poet and he had in his court many poetic stalwarts in different languages. Prominent among them were eight great poetic personalities who were referred to as Ashta Diggajas. He had a great passion for Telugu language besides himself being a great scholar and poet in Telugu.

He had lot of association with Andhra region and even today we find, four districts in Andhra Pradesh, Ananthapur, Kurnool, Cuddapah, and Chittoor together being referred to as Rayalaseema. Sri Krishna Devaraya was a great devotee of Lord Sri Venkateshwara and a great patron of Tirumala Temple. As a token of his patronization to Tirumala temple one can find even today, the statues of Sri Krishna Devaraya and his consorts in the temple complex of Tirumala Sri Venkateshwara Swamy temple. Being a devoted and pious person Sri Krishna Devaraya had liberally patronized many temples in South India.

Incidentally it is said as per scripts that his coronation took place on 26th July 1509. His reign was known as a Golden era and his capital Hampi in Bellary district of Karnataka state is today a world heritage centre attracting lakhs of pilgrims from across the world.

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