Q. With reference to the Saluva Dynasty and the political upheaval that brought it to power, consider the following statements:
1.The rise of the Saluvas is described as the ‘First Usurpation’ because the founder, Saluva Narasimha, was a regional governor (Mahanayakacharya) who seized the throne from a weak Sangama king.
2.The primary political goal of Saluva Narasimha was to re-establish stability and recover lost territories, particularly the Udayagiri fort, which was crucial for controlling the eastern coastal trade.
3.The Saluva period saw the first formal deployment of the Kavalgar system, a local police and watchman network responsible for village security.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Answer: B
Notes:
Explanation:
- Statement 1: Correct. The Saluva Dynasty’s ascension (1485 CE) is the First Usurpation (Saluva Usurpation). Saluva Narasimha, the powerful Mahanayakacharya (chief provincial governor), seized power from the last weak Sangama ruler, Praudha Raya, to protect the empire from internal anarchy and external threats.
- Statement 2: Correct. Saluva Narasimha spent his reign consolidating power, recovering lost regions like the Konkan and the coastal strip. His successor, Immadi Narasimha, lost the crucial Udayagiri fort to the Gajapatis, and its recovery became a priority for the later Tuluva Dynasty.
- Statement 3: Incorrect. The Kavalgar (watchman) system was an ancient local policing practice in South India. While it was highly formalised under the Vijayanagar Empire, it was not specifically ‘first deployed’ during the Saluva period but was an existing part of the overall administration system.
