1. The rulers of Vijayanagar associated themselves with divinity. By construction of the capital Vijayanagara in area, that as per local traditions had claim to divinity.
2. The sacred centre as per archaeologists and scholars was at the rocky northern end of the city on the banks of the Tungabhadra.
3. These hills sheltered the Monkey Kingdom of Bali and Sukriva mentioned in the Ramayana. Other traditions suggest that Pampadevi, the local mother goddess, did penance in these hills in order to marry Virupaksha, the guardian deity of the kingdom, also recognised as a form of Shiva.
4. Rulers of Vijayanagara encouraged temple building. The deity was identified with the king. Royal portrait sculpture was displayed in the temples and kings visited to temples were treated as important state occasions on which he was accompanied by important nayaks of the Empire.
5. Apart from choosing a site of the capital marked by existence of shrines of Virupaksha and Pampadevi, the kings claimed to rule on behalf of God Virupaksha.
6. The Vijaynagara kings claimed to rule on behalf of God Virupaksha. All royal orders were signed as ‘Shri Virupaksha’ using Kannada script. Kings remarked their close links with gods by using the title Hindu Suratrana that literally meant Hindu Sultan.
7. It needs to be noted, that temples in early medieval times worked not only as centres of learning but as important religious; social, cultural and economic centres.
8. Rules constructing, repairing; maintaining temples by giving grants of land were important means employed for winning support and recognitions for power wealth and piety.
