Timmarusu

Who is Timmarusu?

Saluva Timmarusu or simply Timmarasa was Prime minister of Krishna Deva Raya. He had also served as prime minister under Viranarasimha Raya. He belonged to a Niyogi Telugu Brahmin family. Timmarasa was responsible for the coronation of Krishnadevaraya. Records of Portuguese traveller Fernao Nuniz suggest that Vira Narasimha, while on his death bed ordered Timmarasa to blind his half brother Krishnadevaraya to ensure that his own minor son of eight years would become king of the empire. Timmarasa instead presented the king with a pair of she-goat eyes in order to satisfy the wish of the dying king. This way Timmarasa ensured that Krishnadevaraya became the successor. However records don't confirm this information in any way and according to Prof. K.A.N Sastri, there is nothing to suggest anything but a friendly relationship between the two half brothers.

In 1524, Krishnadevaraya crowned his minor son Yuvaraja. A few months later the prince took ill and died of poisoning. Accusing Timmarusu for this crime, Krishnadevaraya had the entire family of the minister blinded. It is said the King later released Timmarusu, on knowing that the conspiracy to kill his own son was hatched by Gajapathi's of Orissa. The Gajapathi's did not want their princess Jaganmohini to wed Krishadevaraya, as they believed he was not of pure blue blood.The Gajapathis belongs to great Solar Dynasty or Surya Vamsi clan of Orissa.But had to agree to this marriage, owing to Krishnadevaraya's victory over Gajapathi's. Krishanadevaraya's parents, Narasa Nayaka a chieftain from Dakshina Kannada and Nagaladevi a chieftain's daughter from Uttara Kannada, were not from the royal family of Vijayanagara. The king deplored and repented with Timmarusu, later on. On being released, Timmarusu spent the rest of his life begging in Tirupathi. He refused to take any support from his former King. He died a death in poverty.