Social and Political Life in the Vijayanagara Empire (A.D. 1346 – A.D. 1646) v1.c3.2

v1.c3.2

This would necessarily involve an account of the administration, in its various branches, and of the several administrative institutions established therefor. These administrative institutions are described in eight chapters, II to IX. The remaining nine chapters are devoted to a description of the divisions of the people, the social institutions under which they were living, the position of the Brahmans, the status of women in Vijayanagara society, and subjects of that kind. Dr. Saletore, it is clear from the book, has examined the sources exhaustively, and has made his selection judiciously. He collects his information from a large number of sources, sorts them and arranges them in a logical order and presents, on the whole, a readable account. The very extent of the subject and the vastness of detail would baffle any effort in this direction ordinarily, but Dr. Saletore has succeeded in producing a creditable work bearing on the vast subject. The general mass of detail that is brought together and the marshalling of these in successive sections would admit of easy criticism; but taken as a whole, the work gives a correct and complete view of the life of the people under the empire during the three centuries of its fight to preserve Hindu institutions and Hindu civilization. Voluminous as the work is at first sight, let me hope that Dr. Saletore's readers would be many and that they will find both pleasure and profit in the reading of the book.