Music
The music was an important part of the Vijayanagara society, as is directly linked to the Hindu religious tradition. The Carnatic music traditional, typical of South India, dating back to the times of the Vedas , but thanks to the Bhakti movement , which takes place at this time, renewed and reached levels never seen before in number and quality.
The musical tradition-bearers as an extension of religion were the Brahmins and some noble families of ancient lineage. The spaces that were commonly practiced Mandira or temples, and the languages in which they sang the Sanskrit or Telugu .
The first of the great composers of Carnatic music developed during the Empire was Annamacharya (1408-1503), master composer of Tirumala temple , whose prolific work includes more than 32,000 poems and even a poetic way of Ramayana . Today it is considered by some fans a reincarnation of Vishnu .
However, considered the true father of Carnatic music was Purandara Dasa (1484-1564). His birth and formation coincided in time with the ascent to the throne of Krishna Deva Raya . Until then, Carnatic music was religious chants a few lines long. Purandaradasa, however, his compositions drew from the experiences of ordinary people. synthesized and merged the basic musical patterns, creating new ways of making music. All the great composers of Carnatic music have since worked Purandaradasa following established rules.
Religion
Although the fate of the empire was proclaimed to preserve the dharma Hindu Muslim enemy, kings were tolerant towards all religions and sects that practiced in their territory. The kings used titles like Go brahmana prati palana acharya ('protector of the cows, the Brahmins and the people ') or line Hindu suratrana (' defender of the Hindu faith "), which enhanced her intention to protect Hinduism .
The same founders Harihara I and Bukka Raya I were Shaivism confessed, but promoted the Vaishnavism in places like Shringeri through its patriarch, Vidyaranya, and made the Varaha (the boar, the symbol of Vishnu ) emblem. Other kings, as Saluver and tuluva were Vaishnavas, but fell down the same way to Virupaksha (representation of Shiva ) in Hampi and to Venkateshwara ( Vishnu ) in Tirupati . A work in Sanskrit, the Jambavati Kalyanam, written by Krishna Deva Raya, Karnataka Rajya called Virupaksha raksha mani (jewel protective or Karnataka Karnataka Empire, another name by which the rule was known in his day). also when the successive kings visited Udupi , worshiped the order dvaita (doctrine of 'duality') was founded there in the thirteenth century by Madhu Acharya .
The movement bhakti (devotional) permeated the lives of millions of people. Like the movement virashaiva XII century, large Haridasa or monks came out of retirement and the age old Hindu traditions spread among ordinary people. There were two types of Haridas: the vyasakuta , who know the Vedas , the Upanishads 'the Puranas and other scriptures, and dasakuta , diffusers Madhvacharya message through devotional songs (Devara Nama and kirtanas ) in Kannada .
Dwaita doctrine was transmitted by such eminent disciples as Naraharitirtha , Jayatirtha , Vyasatirtha , Sripadaraya , Vadirajatirtha , among others. Vyasatirtha guru Vadirajatirtha, Purandara Dasa , the father of Carnatic music , and raised the admiration Kanakadasa Krishna Deva Raya. The king even came to honor considering it a kuladevata Purandara Dasa (family deity), and honest in their writings. It was at this time that, in the city of Tirupati , the musician Annamacharya composed hundreds of Kirtana in Telugu .