Timmarusu

Saluva Timmarusu or Saluva Nayaka or simply Timmarasu was the Prime Minister of Krishna Deva Raya. He had also served as Prime Minister under Viranarasimha Raya. He belonged to a Telugu Niyogi Brahmin family.[1] Timmarasa was responsible for the coronation of Krishnadevaraya. Records of Portuguese traveller Fernao Nuniz suggest that Vira Narasimha, while on his death bed, ordered Timmarasa to blind his half brother Krishnadevaraya to ensure that his own minor son of eight years would become king of the empire. Timmarasa instead presented the king with a pair of she-goat eyes in order to satisfy the wish of the dying king. This way Timmarasa ensured that Krishnadevaraya became the successor. However, K. A. N. Sastri believes that there is nothing to suggest anything but a friendly relationship between the two half-brothers.

Saluva Timmarusu
Prime Minister of Vijayanagar Empire
"Mahamantri Timmarusu"
Personal details
Born	31 December 1456 Vijayanagar Empire
Died	Vijayanagar Empire
Mother	Nandini Devi
Father	Saluva Yamarusu

Vijayanagara Empire

Sangama dynasty Harihara I 1336–1356 Bukka Raya I 1356–1377 Harihara Raya II 1377–1404 Virupaksha Raya 1404–1405 Bukka Raya II 1405–1406 Deva Raya I 1406–1422 Ramachandra Raya 1422 Vira Vijaya Bukka Raya 1422–1424 Deva Raya II 1424–1446 Mallikarjuna Raya 1446–1465 Virupaksha Raya II 1465–1485 Praudha Raya 1485 Saluva dynasty Saluva Narasimha Deva Raya 1485–1491 Thimma Bhupala 1491 Narasimha Raya II 1491–1505 Tuluva dynasty Tuluva Narasa Nayaka 1491–1503 Vira Narasimha Raya 1503–1509 Krishna Deva Raya 1509–1529 Achyuta Deva Raya 1529–1542 Venkata I 1542 Sadasiva Raya 1542–1570 Aravidu dynasty Aliya Rama Raya 1542–1565 Tirumala Deva Raya 1565–1572 Sriranga I 1572–1586 Venkata II 1586–1614 Sriranga II 1614 Rama Deva Raya 1617–1632 Venkata III 1632–1642 Sriranga III 1642–1646

In 1524, Krishnadevaraya crowned his minor son Yuvaraja. A few months later the prince took ill and died of poisoning. Accusing Timmarusu for this crime, Krishnadevaraya had the entire family of the ministers blinded. It is said the King later released Timmarusu, on knowing that the conspiracy to kill his own son was hatched by Gajapathis of Orissa. The Gajapathis did not want their princess Jaganmohini to wed Krishadevaraya, as they believed he was not of pure blue blood. The Gajapathis belonged to Suryavansha (Solar Dynasty) clan of Orissa. But had to agree to this marriage, owing to Krishnadevaraya's victory over Gajapathis. Krishanadevaraya's parents, Narasa Nayaka a chieftain from Dakshina Kannada and Nagaladevi a chieftain's daughter from Uttara Kannada, were not from the royal family of Vijayanagara (Sangama Dynasty). The king deplored and repented with Timmarusu, later on. On being released, Timmarusu spent the rest of his life in Tirupati. He refused to take any support from his former King. He died a death in poverty.

In film

Mahamantri Timmarusu (Telugu: మహామంత్రి తిమ్మరుసు) is a 1962 Telugu historical drama directed by Kamalakara Kameswara Rao. Gummadi Venkateswara Rao played the key role of Prime Minister Timmarusu. The film won a silver medal at the National Film Awards in 1962. Mahamantri Timmarasu had two Nephews,They got married with timmarasu's two daughters after that Timmarasu has given some portion of Land to his nephews 1)(Bollapally),Vinukonda Taluka,Guntur Dist 2)Boppudi Chilakuraripet(Mandal),Guntur Dist

In 1970 B. R. Panthulu Directed and produced Kannada movie Sri Krishnadevaraya also acted as Mahamantri Timmarusu and won 1969-70 Karnataka State Film Award for Best Actor.

References

1. Burton Stein (1989). The New Cambridge History of India: Vijayanagara. Cambridge University Press. p. 49. Saluva Nayaka was one whom historians identify as Saluva Timmarasu, a Telugu (Niyogi) Brahman

Bibliography

• K. A. Nilakanta Sastry, History of South India, From Prehistoric times to fall of Vijayanagar, 1955, OUP, New Delhi (Reprinted 2002)
• Dr. Suryanath U. Kamat, Concise history of Karnataka, 2001, MCC, Bangalore (Reprinted 2002)