Hari Hara Veera Mallu is famously known as Hari Hara I or Veera Mallu or Veera Hari Hara I. So who is Hari Hara Veera Mallu? What is his story? Recently we have seen the teaser of Power Star Pawan Kalyan's movie "Hari Hara Veere Mallu."
So, in this article, we are going to know about the great person, warrior, and king who was the main reason for establishing the prominent dynasty in Indian history.
Before Hari Hara I (Hari Hara Veera Mallu)
To know about Veera Mallu, we must travel 900 years back. In the 11th century, India faced many invasions. During that time, many foreign countries invaded India. These invasions made the start of the medieval period in Indian history.
During this period, many Muslim rulers invaded India from the northwest to spread the Islam religion. They also plundered the wealth of India. These invasions started the Islamic era in Indian history. After 200 years, many Muslim rulers invaded and conquered the northern part of India.
The Muslim invaders ruled India by making Delhi their capital. After establishing their empire in the northern part, the Muslim kings tried to extend their kingdoms by invading the southern part of India too.
What's happening in South India?
But during that time many Hindu kingdoms such as Kakatiyas, Hoyasalas, and Pandyas were ruling south India. Compared to the northern kingdoms, southern kingdoms are rich in wealth and other aspects. But there was no unity between these kingdoms.
This became an opportunity for the Muslim rulers to the southern kingdoms. In the year 1327, Sultan Mohammad bin Tugluq was ruling the Delhi Sultanate. This is the period when the situation in India became worse. They destroyed Hindu cities, temples, king's halls, houses, and many others.
People were treated very badly at that time. The Delhi Sultanate started conquering some of the south Indian kingdoms too. But, here came a new kingdom that laid a foundation stone for India's greatest empire. This empire is famously known as the "Vijayanagara Empire."
Tughlaq's Invasion
In the year 1323, Sultan Mohammad Bin Thuglaq invaded the Kakatiya dynasty. At that, the Kakatiya dynasty was ruled by Prathaparudra. In the battle, Prathaparudra was killed by Mohammad bin Tugluq and captured the kingdom.
In the Prataparudra's treasury, there were two brothers named Hari Hara and Bukkaraya who maintained the treasury. After the invasion, both Hari Hara I and Bukkaraya went to Kampili and joined the Anegundi dynasty.
Rise of Veera Mallu
Hari Hara and Bukkaraya belong to the sanagama clan. King Kampilideva gave shelter to these brothers. In the year 1326, Mohammad bin Tugluq conquered Kampili. After conquering Kampili, Tugluq took both Hari Hara I and Bukkaraya as hostages. He took both brothers to Delhi.
In Delhi, they were converted to Muslims by force. The people of Kampili started a revolution against Tugluq. So, Tugluq sent Hari Hara I, Bukkaraya, and a few other soldiers to Kampili to re-capture the kingdom.
Hari Hara I succeeded in capturing Kampili back again. After that Hari Hara I declared Kampili an independent kingdom. This incident gave him the title "Hari Hara Veera Mallu." This battle laid the foundation stone for the great Vijayanagara Empire.
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Establishing Vijayanagara Empire
In 1336, after capturing Kampili, Hari Hara Veera Mallu declared himself an independent king of anegundi. Till then both the brothers were still Muslims. Through the influence of Sri Vidyaranya Swami, both brothers again converted back to Hinduism.
Later Hari Hara Veera Mallu opposed Sultan Mohammad bin Tugluq and established the mighty Vijayanagara Empire. Veera Mallu's first task was to consolidate his position and establish a kingdom for comprehensive protection.
Hari Hara I believe that the kingdom's strength lies in the walls. So to strengthen his kingdom, Hari Hara Veera Mallu strengthened Badami, Udayagiri, Gooty, and Anegundi.
Change of Capital
Hari Hara thought that anegundi is a weak place to have his capital. As it was already invaded two times in the past 10 years. The main reason for this is it was on the north shore of the Tungabhadra river. So he chose another place to build his capital.
Veera Mallu chose the place near the Virupaaksha temple which is situated around the Hemakuta mountain. He made this place his new capital. His dearest brother Bukkaraya took the construction work on his shoulders and completed it in 7 years i.e., in 1343 the capital became fully ready.
In the year 1344, the capital was shifted from anegundi to Vidya Nagara. After 1340, Bukkaraya successfully captured penugonda from the Hoyasalas and made it his primary center. In the year 1342, Veera Mallu invaded Mathura ruled by the Pandyas, and killed the Bhallala III in the war.
In the year 1346, the Hosalayas kingdom was submerged into the Vijayanagara Empire. In the entire reign of Veera Mallu, Hoysalas's submission is the most prominent one.
Art and Architecture
Hari Hara I was also a patron of arts and architecture. During his rule, the Vijayanagara style of architecture emerged. This architectural style contains towering gateways, intricate carvings, and ornate pillars.
One of the most famous examples of architecture from this period is the famous Hazara Rama Temple in Hampi. This temple depicts scenes from the Hindu epic Ramayana. Other notable structures are the Virupaksha Temple and the Vithala Temple. These two temples showcase the exquisite craftsmanship and attention to detail of Vijayanagara artisans.
In addition to architecture, art also flourished during Veera Mallu's reign, with a focus on painting and sculpture. The Vijayanagara style of painting is known for its bright colors and intricate details. Some of the best examples are the murals of the Virupaksha Temple and the ceiling paintings of the Hazara Rama Temple.
Overall, HariHara I's reign was a time of great artistic and architectural achievement, and the legacy of the Vijayanagara Empire continues to inspire and captivate people to this day.
Historical Mentions
In the Sringeri book, it was mentioned that Hari Hara Veera Mallu ruled the land between the two seas of west and east and Vidya Nagar was his capital. The dynasty of Hari Hara Veera Mallu has named the Sangama dynasty which came after his father's name "Sangama."
Hari Hara I dynasty was evenly disturbed between his four brothers Bukkaraya, Kampana, and Muddppa. So that they can expand the kingdom in all directions. After Hari Hara Veera Mallu, the Vijayanagara Empire became an unstoppable kingdom in the next 3 centuries.
Legacy and Impact
Hari Hara I's legacy lies in his creation of a powerful and culturally rich empire. The empire endured for over three centuries, with a significant impact on the history and culture of South India. His patronage of arts and literature, particularly in the Kannada and Telugu languages, helped to foster a vibrant cultural scene.
Moreover, the Vijayanagara Empire became a center of international trade and commerce. The Vijayanagara Empire attracted merchants from all over the world. This helped to establish the region as an important economic hub, with lasting impacts on the development of South India.
Criticisms and Controversies
Veera Mallu is remembered for his contributions to art, literature, and religion. But his reign was not without controversies and criticisms. One of the major controversies surrounding Hari Hara I was his policy of forced conversion of Muslims to Hindus.
This policy was widely criticized by Muslim rulers and scholars which led to tensions between the Vijayanagara Empire and neighboring Muslim kingdoms.
Veera Mallu also faced criticism for his heavy taxation policies and his treatment of lower-caste people. Some historians argue that his policies were responsible for the decline of the Vijayanagara Empire in the centuries that followed.
Despite these controversies, HariHara I remains an important figure in South Indian history and his legacy continues to be studied and debated by scholars today.
