The Aravidu Dynasty of Vijayanagara, Vol. I v1.c13.242

v1.c13.242

Knowing that agriculture is one of the best sources of wealth, Visvanatha fostered it with great interest by the creation of extensive water-courses which he ordered to be opened in Madura ¹, in Trichinopoly ², and in Tinnevelly ³; and in this way the rivers communicated with the fields. Thus he fertilized extensive districts ⁴ and laid out new fields for tillage and brought new inhabitants to cultivate them ⁵. His interest in the progress of agriculture is also shown by the fact that he once dispatched his minister Ariyanatha to inspect the agricultural improvements of the District of Tinnevelly ⁶. The progress in agriculture increased the number of inhabitants; hence many new villages were built by Visvanatha's order in these three districts, while the old ones were repaired and beautified ⁷.