Social and Political Life in the Vijayanagara Empire (A.D. 1346 – A.D. 1646) v1.c8.s2.14

v1.c8.s2.14

As regards domestic economy, Sukrāchārya mentions cows, buffaloes, goats, cats, dogs, sheep and deer.² The most popular of these is the cow. How far it could be said that the Vijayanagara monarchs were orthodox in the matter of maintaining the sanctity of the cow will be seen in a subsequent chapter; for the present we shall say something about the prosperous condition of cattle in the capital. Paes is positive about this vital question of the agriculturists. "For the state of this city", says he, "is not like that of other cities, which often fail of supplies and provisions, for in this city everything abounds; and also the quantity of butter and oil and milk sold every day, that is a thing I cannot refrain from mentioning; and as for the rearing of cows and buffaloes which goes on in the city, there is so much that you will go very far before you find another like it". "There are also in this city places where they sell live sheep; you will see the fields round the city full of them, and also of cows and buffaloes—it is a very pretty sight to see,—and also the many she-goats and kids, and the he-goats so large that they are bridled and saddled. Many sheep are like that also, and boys ride them".³