The 'Rayas' in the Vijayanagara Empire were called:
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 3
The correct answer is Option (3) → Narapati
Option (1) Gajapati — Incorrect. Gajapati means lord of elephants; it was the name of a ruling lineage that was very powerful in Orissa in the fifteenth century.
Option (2) Ashvapati — Incorrect. Ashvapati, lord of horses, was the term for the Deccan Sultans in the popular traditions of Vijayanagara.
Option (3) Narapati — Correct. In the same traditions the rayas, the rulers of Vijayanagara, were called narapati, or lord of men.
Option (4) Kudirai Chettis — Incorrect. Kudirai chettis were not rulers at all. They were local communities of horse merchants who took part in the trade in horses from Arabia and Central Asia.
Note: A same/similar question was asked in CUET (UG) in the papers below.
| 2026 | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
| – | 20-05 S1* | – | 14-06 S2 | – |
* A similar question.
NCERT (2026-27): “Elephants, horses and men … Gajapati literally means lord of elephants. This was the name of a ruling lineage that was very powerful in Orissa in the fifteenth century. In the popular traditions of Vijayanagara the Deccan Sultans are termed as ashvapati or lord of horses and the rayas are called narapati or lord of men. 2.1 Kings and traders … As warfare during these times depended upon effective cavalry, the import of horses from Arabia and Central Asia was very important for rival kingdoms. This trade was initially controlled by Arab traders. Local communities of merchants known as kudirai chettis or horse merchants also participated in these exchanges.…” |