Social and Political Life in the Vijayanagara Empire (A.D. 1346 – A.D. 1646) v1.c8.s1.18

v1.c8.s1.18

Making due allowance for the provincialism which has made the poet speak in disparaging terms about the great people of the south, we may, nevertheless, note that he speaks of the ancient Gaṅgavāḍi in words the truth of which has been amply borne out by foreign travellers. Duarte Barbosa, who was for sixteen years in the Indian seas, and who visited Vijayanagara in A.D. 1504-1515,¹ confirms the opinion of Sarvajña as regards the richness of the soil of the centre of the Empire. "This kingdom of Narsinga," says Duarte Barbosa, "is very rich and well supplied with provisions, and is very full of cities and large townships; and all the country is very fertile and brought under cultivation".²