Social and Political Life in the Vijayanagara Empire (A.D. 1346 – A.D. 1646) v1.c10.s8.53

v1.c10.s8.53

The system of farming out revenues was extended to all sources that were exceptionally productive. Forests, in some instances, were also leased out. In the revenue settlement effected in A.D. 1429-1430, as we have seen, reclaimed forest was taxed.⁷ Trees, especially the areca palms, were likewise rented out. Narasimha Bhaṭṭa, son of Liṅga Bhaṭṭa, in A.D. 1547, gave as *uttār* the fixed rent of seven *haṇa* on 500 areca-nut trees bought by him in the Tālakōḍu-kōhu from the people of Hedese-Tālakōḍu.⁸ Fisheries were also leased out. Dalavāyi Sēvappa Nāyaka, according to an inscription dated only in the cyclic year Vikrama, Tai, 5 . . . ., but presumably of the times of Kṛṣṇa Dēva Rāya, made a gift of the income from the lease of fishery in the tank at Koḍungālūr, in the North Arcot district, for purposes of deepening the tank, for the merit of Tirumala Nāyaka, the Agent of the king.¹ We may conjecture in this connection that the viceroys of the south, especially of Madura, also leased out the famous pearl-fisheries, although there is no proof to support our statement.