Social and Political Life in the Vijayanagara Empire (A.D. 1346 – A.D. 1646) v1.c15.s2.t3: III. Elephants
Social and Political Life in the Vijayanagara Empire (A.D. 1346 – A.D. 1646) v1.c15.s2.t3
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- English
III. Elephants
v1.c15.s2.t3.1
The third main division of the Hindu army was made up of elephants. 'Abdur Razzāq, as we have already seen, was astonished at their size; and he tells us of the houses in which they were lodged.²
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² Elliot, *Hist. of India*, IV, pp. 105, op. cit.; Major, *India*, p. 27.
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As regards the method in which they were armed, we have the following from Paes. "The elephants in the same way are covered with caparison of velvet and gold with fringes, and rich cloths of many colours, and with bells so that the earth resounds; and on their heads are painted faces of giants and other kinds of great beasts. On the back of each one of them are three or four men, dressed in their quilted tunics, and armed with shields and javelins, and they are arrayed as if for a foray".³
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³ Sewell, ibid., p. 277.
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This number of men carried by an elephant which Paes gives agrees with that given by Faria y Sousa, who, as remarked in a previous page, says that each elephant carried four men in its "castle". Nuniz says: "The war-elephants go with their nowdalis (castellos) from which four men fight on each side of them, and the elephants are completely clothed, and on their tusks they have knives fastened, much ground and sharpened, with which they do great harm".¹ Varthema tells us, however, that in the very large and strong wooden box carried each on side of the elephant, there were in all seven persons, among whom was included the elephant driver. The description of a war-elephant given by Varthema has already been cited.²
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¹ Sewell, For. Emp., p. 328.
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² Varthema, Jones, p. 126; Temple, p. 51. Cf. The description of the war elephants given by Nikitin, Major, India, p. 12; Sewell, ibid., p. 104.