Raya by Srinivas Reddy is a biography of the legendary Indian King of the Vijayanagara Empire, Krishnadevaraya. The book references “Rayavacakamu,””Amuktamalyada,” and various sources from foreign travelers and merchants who visited the empire during its heydays under his reign in the early 16th century. While the book serves as a basic introduction to Raya and the life and times of that era, it lacks depth and tries too much to “secularize” the narrative that falls flat.

We learn about Raya and the history of the Vijayanagara kingdom from Harihara and Bukka, establishing it with the guidance of sage Vidyaranya, to the Saluva dynasty, which preceded the Tuluva dynasty of which Raya was part. We also get a good sense of the geopolitical landscape and the challenges to the empire - The Gajaptis to the east and the Bahmani Sultans to the north, who were 5 distinct kingdoms.

The book is divided into three parts and speaks about Raya’s dream to fulfill Saluva Narasimha’s desire to capture the three fortresses of Udayagiri, Mughal, and Raichur, and how he successfully led his troops under challenging terrains and leveraging allies, including the Portuguese with their high precision snipers to expand his empire. The critical battles covered are those between Gajapati King Prataparudradeva and Bijapur Sultan Adil Shah.

There is also an undercurrent exploration of his low-born caste, the dynamics of Hindu-Muslim “unity,” and how things weren’t black and white as portrayed in history books. These parts fall flat as they lack depth and research from the author on well-established facts.

Overall, the book is a passable read.

Also published here.