Vijayanagara's Divine Mandate

How did the Vijayanagara Empire, founded in the 14th century after the devastation of the Deccan by Muslim invasions, use Hindu religion to forge a powerful state that lasted over 300 years? This episode explores the story of Harihara I and Bukka Raya I, two brothers who, guided by the sage Vidyaranya, built an empire that saw itself as the protector of Hindu dharma against the Bahmani Sultanate. We look at the role of the Virupaksha temple at Hampi, the divine king ideology, and the empire's architectural legacy, including the magnificent Vitthala Temple. We also discuss the empire's eventual fall at the Battle of Talikota in 1565, and how the memory of Vijayanagara continues to shape South Indian identity today. #VijayanagaraEmpire #HariharaI #BukkaRayaI #Vidyaranya #Hampi #Virupaksha #VitthalaTemple #BahmaniSultanate #BattleOfTalikota #Krishnadevaraya #SriVaishnavism #Ramanuja #SangamaDynasty #Deccan #HinduEmpire #MedievalIndia #History #FexingoHistory Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo