The Nayaks of Tanjore (Review)

Summary

This review examines V. Vriddhagirisan’s monograph on the Nayaks of Tanjore, part of the Annamalai University Historical Series. The Nayak chiefs of Madura, Gingee and Tanjore filled the political vacuum left by the decline of Vijayanagara, yet historians had devoted little attention to Tanjore compared with the other two. Vriddhagirisan’s work redresses this imbalance. After an introductory essay by Professor C. S. Srinivasachari on the background of the Nayak polity, the book traces the establishment of the Tanjore Nayakship under Sevappa Nayak around 1532. It continues with chapters on Achyutappa (1560–1614), Raghunatha (1600–34), Vijayaraghava (1633–73) and Chengamaldas (1674–75), and closes with an appraisal of the minister and savant Govinda Dikshita. Separate chapters survey administrative structures, revenue policy, military organisation and the cultural life of the court. The reviewer commends the author’s use of inscriptions, Telugu and Tamil chronicles and Portuguese records. He singles out for praise the vivid narrative of Raghunatha Nayak’s reign, including his alliances against the Solaga of Devikottai and the Portuguese at Gingee, as well as his patronage of arts, music and scholarship. The book highlights the contributions of successive Nayaks to temple construction and irrigation and acknowledges the challenges they faced from neighbouring sultans and the emerging Maratha power. While the reviewer notes occasional repetitions and unevenness in stylistic quality, he concludes that the volume’s detailed chronology and rich appendices make it indispensable for students of South Indian history.