Vijayanagara's Divine Mandate: How a Hindu Empire Rose from Ruins

In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore the Vijayanagara Empire, a powerful Hindu kingdom that flourished in South India from 1336 to 1646. They focus on its founding by the Sangama brothers—Harihara I and Bukka Raya I—who were inspired by the sage Vidyaranya. The conversation delves into the empire's unique relationship with religion, particularly the worship of Virupaksha (a form of Shiva) as the state deity and the role of the Ramanuja-inspired Sri Vaishnavism. Lucas explains the concept of 'Hindu Rashtra' in the Vijayanagara context, the empire's sophisticated irrigation systems, and its capital city of Vijayanagara (modern Hampi), with its iconic Vitthala Temple and stone chariot. They also discuss the empire's military strategies against the Bahmani Sultanate and the eventual decline after the Battle of Talikota in 1565. The episode highlights how the Vijayanagara rulers used temple patronage and religious symbolism to legitimize their rule and unify diverse communities. #VijayanagaraEmpire #HariharaI #BukkaRayaI #Vidyaranya #Virupaksha #Hampi #VitthalaTemple #BahmaniSultanate #BattleOfTalikota #HinduRashtra #SriVaishnavism #Ramanuja #Krishnadevaraya #Deccan #SouthIndia #MedievalIndia #History #FexingoHistory Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo