From Fields to the Throne Keladi-Ikkeri Rulers and the Culture of Nature
From Fields to the Throne Keladi-Ikkeri Rulers and the Culture of Nature

Summary/Abstract: The territory administered by the Nayakas, first from Keladi and later from Ikkeri (c. 1499–1763 CE), first on behalf of the Vijaya- nagara rulers and then in their own name, was the western strip of Karna- taka, known as Kanara-Malnad. The Kanara coast is very fertile and the hills of neighbouring Malnad (Malladeśa) are noted for their biodiversity. The Śivatattvaratnākara, an encyclopaedic work in Sanskrit authored by the Keladi-Ikkeri king, Basavarāja (r. 1697–1714), besides discussions related to various fields of knowledge, holds not only passages describing the region and the history of its rulers, but also other content that may re- veal a way of thinking about nature and human-nature relationships. Ref- erence will also be made to Pietro della Valle's account of his travels in the area between 1623 and 1624.

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