Hakka & Bukka - Dawn of the Vijayanagara Empire | Book Review

Review of Kamal Niranjan's - Hakka & Bukka - Dawn of the Vijayanagara Empire | Book Review

• Title - Hakka & Bukka - Dawn of the Vijayanagara Empire
• Author - Kamal Niranjan
• Publisher - WNP Pvt. Ltd
• Year published - 26 June 2022
• Pages - 333
• Genre - Historical fiction
• Reading Age- 15 years and up
• Format -Paperback . Kindle edition is also available.

An underdog's story that delves into the lives of these lesser-known heroes of the Sangama dynasty. These valiant brothers rose from the ashes of defeat and from their sorrowful past to charter a golden period in medieval Indian history that lasted for three centuries. Hakka & Bukka - Dawn of the Vijayanagara Empire is about their beginnings and the birth of Vijaynagara - the Land of Victory.

 I am a huge fan of history –be it factual or laced with a small dose of fiction and this book was something that I was looking forward to reading. Vijayanagara samrajya was a part of the history lesson in school and it was just an outline of how the two brothers established a vast and flourishing kingdom. I was further enthralled reading about Hampi and the beautiful architectural pieces that now lie in ruins giving me a yearning to visit this wonderful place.

Now, coming to the book,it starts with the list of Kingdoms and their rulers, followed by a couple of maps and then the contents. The story flows through and the book ends with a list of reference materials.

The story courses through the various kingdoms, their rulers, the betrayals and wars, and of course about the brothers Harihara[Hakka] and Bukka Raya [Bukka] who were solely responsible for the birth of the Vijayanagara Empire, rising from defeat, putting behind a sorrowful past and charting a golden era.

The book is very well written. The language is lucid and engaging. The plots and the storyline have been penned in such a way that keeps the readers engrossed and at the edge of their seats.

There are so many historical facts that I got to know after reading this book. The author has done a great deal of research right from the simplest of things to the more known ones to make this work an authentic version of the narration. This gives the reader a clear picture of those days – their lifestyle, their governance, even their dress, social setup, and many such. Though some of the characters are fictional, they kind of add more appeal to the history we know.

There are 4 main kingdoms and a host of characters which may give an idea of getting confused but once you start reading everything falls into place and carries you along without deviating from the storyline or causing any confusion. The chapter names give us an outline of what the contents are. The maps and kingdom and rulers' outline is a helpful tool in understanding the story better.

In all, it is an engaging read about the rise of the Land of Victory and the events that led to the establishment of this glorious empire. I would recommend this book to all those who love to read historical fiction and history buffs for the sheer fact that this book is filled with loads of info about the lesser known and unsung heroes of our land all blended beautifully into an engaging storyline.

A definite 5/5 star read for me.

Kamal Niranjan is an IT professional, based in Bengaluru, He is an avid book reader who loves to read about Indian history and mythology. This is his first attempt at historical fiction.

Get in touch with him on

Insta @Kamal_niranjan

Email - Kamal.niranjan@gmail.com

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