Correct Option
Harihara I (reigned 1336–1356 CE) was one of the co-founders of the Vijayanagara Empire, along with his brother Bukka I. They established their kingdom following the decline of the Delhi Sultanate's influence in South India. The new city, Vijayanagara, was founded on the south bank of the Tungabhadra River, which is a significant tributary of the Krishna River. Harihara I undertook to rule his new kingdom as the agent of Lord Virupaksha, a form of Shiva, thereby providing religious legitimacy to his reign and symbolically dedicating the land south of the Krishna River to this deity. This act was crucial in establishing the empire's identity as a defender of Hindu traditions in the Deccan.
Incorrect Options
- Amoghavarsha I (reigned 814–878 CE) was a prominent ruler of the Rashtrakuta dynasty. His reign significantly predates the founding of Vijayanagara, and he is known for his patronage of Kannada literature and Jainism, not for founding a city on the Krishna River's tributary with the specified religious declaration.
- Ballala II (reigned 1173–1220 CE) was a powerful king of the Hoysala dynasty. His rule also significantly predates the establishment of the Vijayanagara Empire. The Hoysalas were a distinct South Indian kingdom, and Ballala II was not involved in the founding of Vijayanagara or its associated religious declarations.
- Prataparudra (reigned 1295–1323 CE) was the last independent ruler of the Kakatiya dynasty, based in Warangal, Telangana. His kingdom was eventually conquered by the Delhi Sultanate. He was not associated with the founding of Vijayanagara or the specific religious tenets described in the question.