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Kumara Kampanna
South India had seen several independent Muslim rulers based at Madurai, independent from the Delhi Sultanate between 1335 and 1378. The Ma’bar Sultanate was also called Madurai Sultanate. In this brief period, it was headed by 8 rulers.
The Sultanate raided and plundered villages, poisoned drinking water sources, razed religious places of worship beheaded idols. They had Mujahids, holy warriors and Ghazis, killers of non-believers in Allah to ensure complete annihilation. The famous Madurai temple or the Srirangam temple did not escape their assault, the latter being the handiwork of Malik Kafur
Kumara Kampanna Udaiyar, son of Bukka Raya, took Tiruvannamalai as his capital and defeated the King Sambuvaraya of Kanchipuram, a vassal of the Delhi Sultanate, who refused Kumara Kampanna’s planned assault on Madurai Sultanate and proceeded to Madurai to end the rule of the Sultanate. The battle, which started in 1364 raged until 1378 until the Muslims were defeated. The Madurai Sultanate was ended by the great Vijayanagara Empire, which was founded by Harihara and Bukka Raya. Madurai was razed and plundered by successive Muslim invaders resulting in the end of Pandya Empire. Kumara Kampanna revived Hindu culture and rebuilt many temples razed by the invaders and helped the Pandya Kings.
His wife Ganga Devi has chronicled Kumara Kampanna’s brave battles in a Sanskrit epic poem called Madhura Vijayam (the victory over Madurai). A significant service was restoration of the famous Srirangam Ranganathar temple, which was invaded
Tamil Nadu has failed to remember or recognise the great soldier, who was instrumental for the defeat of Madurai Sultanate, ostensibly because Kampana was a Udaiyar, a Kannadiga and belonged to Deccan Plateau.
My head bows in reverence to Kumara Kampanna and such forgotten heroes of ancient India.
Sampath Kumar
pic: merely representative
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