Which of the following statement is NOT correct about the Nayakas (or Amara-Nayakas)?
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 2
The correct answer is Option (2) → The amara-nayakas were military commanders who had no control over the territories given to them by the Rayas.
Option (1) The term “amara” is believed to be derived from the Sanskrit word “samara”, meaning battle or war. — Correct statement. Amara is believed to be derived from the Sanskrit word samara, meaning battle or war; it also resembles the Persian term amir, meaning a high noble.
Option (2) The amara-nayakas were military commanders who had no control over the territories given to them by the Rayas. — Incorrect statement. The amara-nayakas were military commanders who were given territories to govern by the raya. They collected taxes and other dues from peasants, craftspersons and traders in the area and kept part of the revenue for themselves and for their horses and elephants, so they did control their territories.
Option (3) The nayakas hastened the decline of Vijayanagara Empire in the seventeenth century. — Correct statement. During the course of the seventeenth century many of these nayakas established independent kingdoms, and this hastened the collapse of the central imperial structure.
Option (4) Some of the revenue collected was used to maintain temples and irrigation works by the Nayakas. — Correct statement. Some of the revenue was also used for the maintenance of temples and irrigation works.
NCERT (2026-27): “2.3 The rayas and the nayakas … The amara-nayaka system was a major political innovation of the Vijayanagara Empire. It is likely that many features of this system were derived from the iqta system of the Delhi Sultanate. The amara-nayakas were military commanders who were given territories to govern by the raya. They collected taxes and other dues from peasants, craftspersons and traders in the area. They retained part of the revenue for personal use and for maintaining a stipulated contingent of horses and elephants. These contingents provided the Vijayanagara kings with an effective fighting force with which they brought the entire southern peninsula under their control. Some of the revenue was also used for the maintenance of temples and irrigation works. The amara-nayakas sent tribute to the king annually and personally appeared in the royal court with gifts to express their loyalty. Kings occasionally asserted their control over them by transferring them from one place to another. However, during the course of the seventeenth century, many of these nayakas established independent kingdoms. This hastened the collapse of the central imperial structure. …Amara is believed to be derived from the Sanskrit word samara, meaning battle or war. It also resembles the Persian term amir, meaning a high noble.” |