SALUVA RAYAS

The problem of Narasimha’s relationship to the old royal line has never yet been satisfactorily solved. He belonged to a family called SALUVA, and we constantly hear, in the inscriptions and literary works of the time, of powerful lords who were relations or descendants of his. There was one more Saluva/salva who was well known by name Saluva Timma, whom Nunez calls “Salvatenia” who was a minister of king Krishna Deva Raya.

An inscription of the Saka year 1395, which corresponds to A.D 1472-73 speaks of Narasimha as a great lord, but a great lord ONLY, and so does another of 1482-83. In one of A.D.1495-96, however he is called “MAHARAYA”or the “KING”. But, although the exact date of the usurpation and the exact relationship of the usurper to the deposed king may be difficult to ascertain, the fact remains that Narasimha actually became sovereign about this time, that Muhammedan aggression was stayed by his power and the force of his arms, and that the empire of Vijayanagar was under him once more consolidated.

Saluva=>Salva

Maharaya=>Mudiraya=>Mudiraja=>Mudiraj

Maharaya=>Muthiraya=>Muthuraya

Muthuraja=>Muthuraj

The Saluva and Tuluva most probably represent two different regions and also warrior clans in the ancient Vanara kingdom that existed in the present day Telugu, Tulu, Kannada regions with Bellary as its centre. They were all known as Raya clans.Hanuman was also known as Hanumantha Raya.

One thing is a fact and crystal clear that Saluvas were a part of MAHARAYA clans who ruled Vijayanagar kingdom and many other parts in Maharashtra and North India. They were most probably Indo-Aryans(Arayars, Arasars, Arasus) who invaded south India under different political circumstances at different times could be the Kalchuris and their variants. The Bunt Kurubas and Bant Mudiraj were also the part of Maharaya warrior community which made Vijayanagar Empire a great Telugu nation of those times. From the founder rulers to the last rulers were all Maharayas (Muthurajas Mudirajas)and were all Telugu speaking Rayars. Arayars, Arasars, Arasus are one and the same people and they are known to be sub caste of Muthuraja in Tamilnadu today.

Saluva Narasimha and Saluva Timma were well known, prominent and powerful political luminaries in Vijayanagar Empire.

Elugu Rayudu who ruled his kingdom with Podili in Andhra Pradesh as capital was known to the last ruler of Saluva dynasty. Elugu surname belongs to Mudiraj and this surname got modified as Alagan in Tamil. The Alagans were one of the clans who ruled one of the Tamilakams in Tamil speaking lands.