RAS question
The Vijayanagara Empire was founded in 1336 by Harihara I and Bukka Raya I of which dynasty?
Correct answer: (C) Sangama dynasty.
Harihara I and Bukka Raya I, who founded the Vijayanagara Empire in 1336, belonged to the Sangama dynasty.
Explanation
The founding dynasty was Sangama, not one of the later Vijayanagara lines. The Sangama dynasty was the empire's first ruling dynasty, running from 1336 to 1485; Harihara I and Bukka Raya I founded it under the guidance of sage Vidyaranya, and it was named after their father, Sangama. Britannica states that Vijayanagara's city and first dynasty were founded in 1336 by five sons of Sangama, with Harihara and Bukka becoming the first kings, and it separately names the first dynasty as Sangama. The 1336 foundation therefore belongs to the empire's origin under Sangama, not to a later succession phase.
Why the other options are wrong
- (A) Saluva is wrong because it was the second dynasty, whereas the founders belonged to the first Vijayanagara dynasty, Sangama.
- (B) Aravidu is wrong because it was the fourth and last dynasty, not the founding line of Harihara I and Bukka Raya I.
- (D) Tuluva is wrong because it was the third dynasty, while the 1336 foundation is tied to the earlier Sangama dynasty.
Concept
In medieval Indian history, the dynastic sequence of the Vijayanagara Empire runs through Sangama, Saluva, Tuluva and Aravidu rule. RAS often uses founder-dynasty links because they anchor chronology and separate the major Vijayanagara lines.