Tikkana - Political Situation

Political Situation

Although most of the Northern India came under Muslim rule, the strong Chola, Chalukya and Kakatiya empires in the South prevented the Muslim onslaught. Emperor Ganapatideva (1199–1261) of Kakatiya dynasty brought all the Telugu kingdoms under his rule for the first time. Consequently, the clashes between smaller kingdoms came under control making way for the prosperity and development of art and literature.

Tikkana was the Prime Minister (hence the title Tikkanamatya) of Manumasiddhi, the king of Nellore and a descendant of Kakatiya dynasty. When Manumasiddhi was dethroned by his cousins, Tikkana visited Orugallu (the capital of Kakatiya dynasty and today’s Warangal) to request the help of the Ganapatideva. The Emperor gave him a grand welcome in Warangal and restored Nellore throne to Manumasiddhi.

Tikkana dedicated his first literary work Nirvachanottara Ramayanamu, to Ganapatideva. In this work he narrated the later part of Ramayanamu, the story of Sita’s banishment to forests and the birth of Lava and Kusa to Sita in the forest. Later, Tikkana translated Mahabharatamu and dedicated it to Hariharanadha.