From Fields to the Throne

The territory administered by the Nayakas, first from Keladi and later from Ikkeri (c. 1499–1763 CE), first on behalf of the Vijayanagara rulers and then in their own name, was the western strip of Karnataka, known as Kanara-Malnad. The Kanara coast is very fertile and the hills of neighbouring Malnad (Malladeśa) are noted for their biodiversity. The Śivatattvaratnākara, an encyclopaedic work in Sanskrit authored by the Keladi-Ikkeri king, Basavarāja (r. 1697–1714), besides discussions related to various fields of knowledge, holds not only passages describing the region and the history of its rulers, but also other content that may reveal a way of thinking about nature and human-nature relationships. Reference will also be made to Pietro della Valle's account of his travels in the area between 1623 and 1624.