Which of the following statements about the Vijayanagara Empire is / are true?
- 1The kings claimed to rule on behalf of the God Virupaksha
- 2Rulers used the title “Hindu Suratrana” to indicate their close links with Gods
- 3All royal orders were signed in Kannada, Sanskrit and Tamil
- 4Royal portrait sculpture was now displayed in temples
Select the correct answer using the code given below :
- A4 only
- B1 and 2 only
- C1, 2 and 3
- D1, 2 and 4
Explanation
Statement 1 is true: Vijayanagara kings presented themselves as ruling on behalf of the god Virupaksha of Hampi. Statement 2 is true: rulers such as Bukka I used the title 'Hindu Suratrana' (sultan among Hindu kings), signalling their sovereign parity with the Delhi sultans and closeness to divine authority. Statement 4 is true: royal portrait sculpture, such as the bronze portraits of Krishnadevaraya at Tirupati, began to be displayed in temples. Statement 3 is not accepted by the official key - royal orders were issued in Kannada, Telugu and Sanskrit, not in the claimed Kannada-Sanskrit-Tamil trilingual signing. Statements 1, 2 and 4 are true, option (D).