Social and Political Life in the Vijayanagara Empire (A.D. 1346 – A.D. 1646) v1.c14.s1.7

v1.c14.s1.7

This indiscreet ambassador, whose name is not given in the Bakhair of Rāma Rāja, was in no small measure responsible for the coalition of the Muhammadans against the Hindus. There is reason to believe that he was rather inaccurate in his estimate of the great Hindu Regent. For in the same account we are informed that the moment "he (the Mahaldar, or as he was also called 'Harracarra')³ came to the Gates (of the Capital), the Raja sent for his Dalavāy and ordered him to lodge the Mahaldar in the Ananda Mahall near Chaupesh-hazara".⁴ The Vijayanagara ruler at once "also ordered him (the Dalavāy) to defray all his (the Mahaldar's) expenses. The Dalavāy accordingly lodged the Public Messenger Harracarra there and defrayed his expenses agreeable to his rank and reported all these circumstances to the King".⁵ Even after the disagreeable incident of the fowls and the swine for which none but the Mahaldar was responsible, the Vijayanagara monarch "took pains to quiet his (the Mahaldar's) uneasiness and presented him with Clothes and Betle (suited to his rank) and despatched him apparently in good humour".¹