Timmarusu

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Saluva Timmarusu or Saluva Nayaka or simply Timmarasu was the Prime Minister (Mahapradhana) of Krishna Deva Raya. He is also known as "Appaji". He had also served as Prime Minister under Viranarasimha Raya and Tuluva Narasa Nayaka. He belonged to a Telugu Niyogi Brahmin family.^[1] Timmarusu was born on 1451 in Machilipatnam. Timmarasu was responsible for the coronation of Krishnadevaraya. Records of Portuguese traveller Fernao Nuniz suggest that Vira Narasimha, while on his death bed, ordered Timmarasu to blind his half brother Krishnadevaraya to ensure that his own minor son of eight years would become king of the empire. Timmarasu instead presented the king with a pair of she-goat eyes in order to satisfy the wish of the dying king. This way Timmarasu 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. Timmarusu had very close relations with Tenali Ramakrishna and was a supporter of him.

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 minister and his son Prisoned and Blinded. It is said the King later released Timmarusu, on knowing that the conspiracy to kill his own son was hatched by Gajapatis of Odisha. The Gajapatis did not want their princess Jaganmohini to wed Krishadevaraya, as they believed he was not pure. The Gajapatis belonged to Suryavansha (Solar Dynasty) clan of Odisha. But had to agree to this marriage, owing to Krishnadevaraya's victory over Gajapatis. Krishanadevaraya's parents, Narasa Nayaka a chieftain from Dakshina Kannada and Nagaladevi a chieftain's daughter from Andhra, 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. His Samadhi is in Penukonda, Anantapur district of Andhra Pradesh.

In film[]

Mahamantri Timmarusu is a 1962 Indian Telugu-language historical drama directed by Kamalakara Kameswara Rao. Gummadi played the key role of Prime Minister Timmarusu. The film won a silver medal at the National Film Awards in 1962. 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[]

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)