Social and Political Life in the Vijayanagara Empire (A.D. 1346 – A.D. 1646) v1.c12.s2.t2.18

v1.c12.s2.t2.18

Pūrvada-maryāde as regards the villages and the nāḍus continued even in the latter half of the sixteenth century. This is proved by the inscription dated A.D. 1565 which has been already cited, and which deals with the confirmation of the dues and rights of the Saṇte-Bennūr-sīme, according to former custom, on Liṅgaṇa, younger brother of Appā Bhaṭṭa by Billappa Nāyaka and Keṅgappa Nāyaka.³ That the Vijayanagara monarchs maintained even the primitive village corporations is evident from an epigraph dated A.D. 1544 which, while recording the śāsana given to the barbers by Rāma Rājayya Dēva Mahā-arasu, informs us that in addition to the tax, tribute, alms and the five dues which he had formely remitted to them, he granted "along with the twelve Āyagāra in the country", a svāmya under a tank.¹