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Raghunatha Nayak

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Raghunatha Nayak
Nayak of Thanjavur
Reign1600–1634
PredecessorAchuthappa Nayak
SuccessorVijaya Raghava Nayak
Co-rulerAchuthappa Nayak (1600–1614)
BornThanjavur
Died1634 (1635)
Spouse
Issue
DynastyThanjavur Nayak dynasty
FatherAchuthappa Nayak
MotherMurtimamba
ReligionHinduism (Vaishnavism)
Occupation
  • Ruler
  • poet
  • composer
  • musician
  • scholar

Raghunatha Nayak was a ruler of the Thanjavur Nayak kingdom in Tamilnadu and the third ruler of the Thanjavur Nayak dynasty.[1] He ruled from 1600 to 1634, initially alongside his father, Achuthappa Nayak, and as sole ruler from 1614.[2] His reign is noted for the flourishing of literature, art and music at the Thanjavur court, and Raghunatha was himself a patron and practitioner of literature and music.[2]

Early life

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Raghunatha Nayak was the eldest son of Achuthappa Nayak. According to courtly accounts, he was born after his father had undertaken intense penance. The Raghunathabhyudayam of Ramabhadramba and the Sahityaratnakara of Yajnanarayana Dikshita are important literary sources for his early life.[2] As a boy, Raghunatha was educated in the shastras and trained in warfare and administration.[2]

Raghunatha had several consorts. Kalavati was his principal queen and is referred to as the Pattampurani in the Raghunathabhyudaya Natakam of Vijaya Raghava Nayak.[3] Ramabhadramba, a distinguished Sanskrit poet at his court, composed the Raghunathabhyudayam, a biographical court epic on Raghunatha and his reign.[4] Her precise status within the royal household is uncertain, and modern scholarship describes her as either a wife or a concubine of Raghunatha.[5]

Wars with the Golconda Sultanate

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Early in his political and military career, Raghunatha fought in support of the Vijayanagara Empire against the Golconda Sultanate, gaining distinction in the campaigns of Venkata II.[2] He became co-ruler with his father, Achuthappa Nayak, in 1600 and ruled alongside him until 1614, after which Raghunatha ruled Thanjavur alone until 1634.

Campaigns and wars

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Following the death of Venkata II in 1614, a succession struggle broke out in the Vijayanagara Empire. A faction led by Jagga Raya imprisoned Venkata's successor, Sriranga II, and supported a rival claimant to the throne. Sriranga II and most of his family were subsequently killed, while his surviving son, Rama Deva Raya, was supported by Yachama Nayaka and Raghunatha Nayak.[6][7]

Accounts of Raghunatha's campaigns differ in their sequence and detail. According to Ramabhadramba's Raghunathabhyudayam, Raghunatha first campaigned against a regional chief known as Solaga, pursuing him through the Kumbakonam region and eventually attacking his island stronghold. The poem then describes an expedition against the Portuguese in connection with Jaffna, followed by Raghunatha's campaign against Jagga Raya at Toppur.[8][6]

The Sahityaratnakara of Yajnanarayana Dikshita gives further details of the background to these campaigns. It describes a council held at the Lakshmivilasam palace by Achuthappa Nayak, Raghunatha and Govinda Dikshita. The council discussed Portuguese aggression against a ruler whom the text calls the king of Nepala, interpreted by Ayyangar as a reference to Jaffna, as well as the activities of Solaga.[9]

The chronology of the campaigns is uncertain. Literary evidence places Raghunatha at Palamaneri in 1616, while later historical studies generally place the Battle of Toppur around the same year.[10][7] Raghunatha and Yachama defeated Jagga Raya's faction at Toppur, where Jagga Raya was killed. Subsequent fighting continued against his remaining allies, during which a Thanjavur force captured Bhuvanagiri.[11]

Campaign against the Solaga

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The Raghunathabhyudayam describes Solaga as the ruler of an island and a subordinate of Krishnappa Nayak of Gingee.[12] His stronghold has been identified with Devakotta, an island near the mouth of the Kollidam (Coleroon).[13] Court accounts portray Solaga as a troublesome local chief who waylaid travellers, seized property and raided the surrounding country.[14][15]

Raghunatha pursued Solaga and eventually attacked his island stronghold on the Kollidam.[16] Solaga was supported by Krishnappa Nayak, the Portuguese and Muslim troops, and offered strong resistance before being defeated by Raghunatha's forces and artillery.[16] Contemporary accounts state that Solaga was captured with members of his family and taken prisoner.[17][13]

Intervention in Jaffna

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Before his death in 1617, Ethirimana Cinkam, king of the Jaffna kingdom, maintained a difficult relationship with the Portuguese while assisting the Kandyan kings Vimaladharmasuriya I and Senarat in obtaining support from South India against Portuguese expansion. Like Bhuvanekabahu VII of Kotte, he pursued a careful balancing policy towards the Portuguese and retained a considerable degree of political autonomy despite their growing influence.[18][19]

Following Ethirimana Cinkam's death, Cankili II seized the Jaffna throne in 1617. His rule faced local opposition, and in 1618 a revolt supported by the Portuguese drove him to Kayts. Cankili sought assistance from Raghunatha Nayak, who sent a Thanjavur force under Varunakulattan, known in Portuguese sources as Khem Nayak, to support him.[20]

The Nayak court accounts differ from the Portuguese sources in describing Raghunatha himself as leading the expedition, while Portuguese records identify Khem Nayak as the commander of the Thanjavur forces.[20] The intervention restored Cankili's position temporarily. In 1619, Portuguese forces under Filipe de Oliveira invaded Jaffna, defeated Cankili and his allies, and brought the independent Jaffna kingdom to an end.

Battle of Toppur

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During the succession crisis that followed the death of Venkata II, Raghunatha Nayak supported Rama Deva Raya, the surviving son of Sriranga II, against the faction led by Jagga Raya. Jaggaraya had Sriranga II and most of his family killed and supported a rival claimant to the Vijayanagara throne.[21] He was joined by the Nayak of Madurai and the Nayak of Gingee, while Raghunatha allied with the Vijayanagara commander Yachama Nayaka, who supported Rama Deva Raya.[22] Their forces included infantry, cavalry, elephants and artillery.[23]

The opposing armies met at Toppur, near Tiruchirappalli. The battle began with an artillery engagement, followed by attacks by Raghunatha's cavalry and the combined forces of Raghunatha and Yachama.[24] Jaggaraya was killed during the fighting, after which his forces and allies retreated.[25] The victory considerably strengthened Rama Deva Raya's position in the continuing Vijayanagara succession struggle.[25]

Later campaigns

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Raghunatha continued to oppose Portuguese control of Jaffna after the fall of the Aryacakravarti dynasty in 1619. He supported a series of attempts to restore local rule, supplying troops to rebellions led by Jaffna chiefs including Migapulle Arachchi and Varunakulattan.[26] Portuguese accounts record six attempts to challenge their rule in 1620 and 1621, several of which involved forces from the Thanjavur Nayak kingdom.[27]

In March 1620, Migapulle Arachchi sought assistance from Raghunatha and launched a rebellion with Thanjavur support. A further rising later that year included about 2,000 Thanjavur troops under Varunakulattan.[26] Another Thanjavur force landed in northern Jaffna in early 1621 but was defeated by the Portuguese. According to Vriddhagirisan, Raghunatha sent five expeditions between 1619 and 1621 in attempts to recover Jaffna, none of which succeeded in dislodging Portuguese rule.[26]

Patronage

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Arts, literature and music

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Raghunatha was an important patron of Carnatic music and literary activity at the Thanjavur court.[28][29][30] He was himself a composer, poet and accomplished veena player, and composed several Telugu kavyas and Yakshaganas.[29] Traditional accounts place Kshetrayya, the composer from Muvva, at Thanjavur during Raghunatha's reign, where he composed padas.[29]

Raghunatha's reign was also associated with developments in musical theory and the veena. Sources credit him with innovations in the instrument, the development of the Raghunatha-mela-vina, and the introduction of the raga Jayantasena and the tala Ramananda.[28][30] The musicological treatise Sangita Sudha was traditionally associated with Raghunatha, although its authorship has also been attributed to his minister and teacher Govinda Dikshita.

His Telugu works included Valmiki Charitram, Achyutendrabhyudayam, Gajendramoksham, Nalacharitram and Rukmini Kalyanam. The poets and scholars Ramabhadramba, Madhuravani, Chemakura Venkataraju and Krishnadhvari were associated with his court.[28] The royal manuscript collection developed during his reign into the Saraswati Bhandar, regarded as a precursor of the present Saraswathi Mahal Library.

Religious and Brahmin patronage

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Religious endowment formed an important part of Raghunatha's reign. His biographies and inscriptions record substantial patronage of Brahmins, temples and religious institutions. He founded and supported agraharas, made gifts to learned and poor Brahmins, and provided charitable assistance to the disabled.[31]

Raghunatha also made extensive temple endowments. A 1604 inscription from Narattampoondi records his grant of the village of Kailasapuram for the maintenance of the Srirangam temple. His reign also saw patronage of the Ramaswamy Temple at Kumbakonam and works at the Adi Kumbeswarar Temple, Oppiliappan Temple and Rajagopalaswamy Temple, Mannargudi. Temple festivals at Thiruvaiyaru and Pasupathikoil also received royal support.[31]

Raghunatha maintained particularly close connections with the Madhva institutions of Kumbakonam. Vriddhagirisan records lavish gifts to the Madhva pontiff Vijayendra Tirtha and to the Sri Mutt at Kumbakonam.[31] His patronage also extended to Vijayendra's successor, Sudhindra Tirtha, who is recorded as receiving support from Raghunatha Nayak.[32] Raghavendra Tirtha, Sudhindra's successor, was likewise associated with Raghunatha's court; traditional accounts place his initiation into the ascetic order at Thanjavur under the king's patronage.[33]

Although the Thanjavur Nayaks were predominantly Vaishnavite, their religious patronage was not confined to Vaishnava institutions and also extended to Shaiva temples and other Hindu establishments. Raghunatha's support for temples, Brahmin settlements and learned religious figures formed an important part of the cultural life of his court.

Relationship with European powers

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Raghunatha maintained cordial relations with the Danes and the English. The Portuguese had established factories at San Thome and Nagapattinam on the eastern coast before the accession of Raghunatha, while the Dutch founded a settlement at Tegnapatnam in 1610. South Indian rulers patronized and supported the Dutch to neutralize the belligerent Portuguese. [34] Ove Gjedde of the Danish East India Company founded the settlement of Tranquebar on 19 November 1620.[35][36] Following a visit to Raghunatha's court, the English captain John Johnson and Brockedon, the President of the English settlements, tried to convince the directors of the East India Company to send a mission to Thanjavur. [37] Johnson wrote home:

... the Great Naik demands of men what the reason is that the English do not desire to trade in his land as well as Portugal, saying they shall have the pepper and anything the land doth afford and likewise buy the commodities that they do bring with them as tin, lead, iron and red cloth is well sold. Little does our nation know how they are expected all this land, and thus the Danes do trade under the name of the English and are marvelous well used.[37]

Johnson's proposal was approved; a mission landed at Karaikal on 23 May 1624 and proceeded inland to Thanjavur to seek an audience with the king, reaching the capital in June. Raghunatha received the visitors warmly and granted them permits to trade freely in Karaikal. However, Raghunatha later withdrew his concessions and demanded an annual rent of 7,000 riyals. This volte-face has been attributed to pressure from the Portuguese and the Danes. Nevertheless, Johnson rejected the Nayak's offer and returned to England, where his activities were severely censured. The English also tried to get Pondicherry from the Gingee Nayaks and failed.[38]

Extent of Raghunatha's kingdom

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Raghunatha's kingdom extended beyond the immediate Thanjavur region. Inscriptions from his reign have been found at Thirukoshtiyur in present-day Sivaganga district, Lalgudi in Tiruchirappalli district, Govindavadi in Kanchipuram district, and Nedungunam and Narattampoondi in present-day Tiruvannamalai district, indicating the wider geographical reach of Thanjavur Nayak authority and patronage under his rule.[39]

References

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  1. ↑ Richman, Paula (2001). Questioning Ramayanas: A South Asian Tradition. University of California Press. p. 166. ISBN 978-0-520-22074-4. Raghunathanayaka, a Balija who ruled Tanjavur during the early seventeenth century, also wrote a Ramayana.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 Vriddhagirisan 1942, pp. 62–65.
  3. ↑ Mari, K. (1996). "The Status of Women under the Nayaks". Proceedings of the Sixteenth Annual Session of the Tamil Nadu History Congress.
  4. ↑ Krishnaswami Ayyangar, S. (1919). Sources of Vijayanagar History. Madras: University of Madras. pp. 284–302.
  5. ↑ Gomez, Kashi (2023). "Sanskrit and the labour of gender in early modern South India". Modern Asian Studies. 57 (1): 167–194. doi:10.1017/S0026749X21000640.
  6. 1 2 Vriddhagirisan 1942, pp. 66–68.
  7. 1 2 Bes 2022, pp. 117–119.
  8. ↑ Ayyangar 1919, pp. 287–290.
  9. ↑ Ayyangar 1919, pp. 271–272.
  10. ↑ Vriddhagirisan 1942, p. 69.
  11. ↑ Vriddhagirisan 1942, pp. 88–92.
  12. ↑ Vriddhagirisan 1942, p. 72.
  13. 1 2 Ayyangar 1919, pp. 267.
  14. ↑ Vriddhagirisan 1942, p. 73.
  15. ↑ Ayyangar 1919, pp. 272.
  16. 1 2 Vriddhagirisan 1942, pp. 74–76.
  17. ↑ Vriddhagirisan 1942, pp. 75–76.
  18. ↑ de Silva, K. M. (2005). A History of Sri Lanka. Colombo: Vijitha Yapa. p. 166. ISBN 955-8095-92-3.
  19. ↑ Abeysinghe, Tikiri (1986). Jaffna under the Portuguese. Colombo: Lake House Investments. p. 3.
  20. 1 2 Vriddhagirisan 1942, pp. 80–82.
  21. ↑ Vriddhagirisan 1942, p. 83.
  22. ↑ Vriddhagirisan 1942, pp. 83–86.
  23. ↑ Vriddhagirisan 1942, pp. 85–86.
  24. ↑ Vriddhagirisan 1942, pp. 86–88.
  25. 1 2 Vriddhagirisan 1942, pp. 88–89.
  26. 1 2 3 Vriddhagirisan 1942, pp. 90–92.
  27. ↑ Abeysinghe, Tikiri (1986). Jaffna under the Portuguese. Colombo: Lake House Investments. pp. 11–12.
  28. 1 2 3 Vriddhagirisan 1942, p. 108.
  29. 1 2 3 Krishna, T. M. (31 January 2011). "The charisma of composers". The Hindu.
  30. 1 2 Chakravarthy, Pradeep (5 August 2005). "The colourful world of the Nayaks". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 6 December 2007.
  31. 1 2 3 Vriddhagirisan 1942, pp. 106–107.
  32. ↑ Sharma, B. N. Krishnamurti (2000). A History of the Dvaita School of Vedanta and Its Literature. Motilal Banarsidass. p. 261.
  33. ↑ "Life of Sri Raghavendra Tirtha". Sri Raghavendra Swamy Matha, Mantralayam. Retrieved 23 September 2026.
  34. ↑ Vriddhagirisan 1942, p. 94.
  35. ↑ Datta, Rangan (15 June 2022). "Tranquebar — A piece of Denmark on the coast of the Bay of Bengal". The Telegraph. My Kolkata. Retrieved 12 October 2023.
  36. ↑ Vriddhagirisan 1942, p. 97.
  37. 1 2 Vriddhagirisan 1942, p. 99.
  38. ↑ Vriddhagirisan 1942, p. 103.
  39. ↑ Vriddhagirisan 1942, p. 105.

References

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