Social and Political Life in the Vijayanagara Empire (A.D. 1346 – A.D. 1646) v2.c20.s3.1

v2.c20.s3.1

From the above sketch it is clear that women, especially in southern India, had practically transgressed the limits which the lawgivers had imposed on them as regards activities not pertaining to domestic life. Their traditions were maintained in Vijayanagara times. One of the functions to which women were accustomed was service in the royal palace. According to Barbosa: "... and they do all the work inside the gates, and hold all the duties of the household. They are all gathered inside the palaces, where they have in plenty all that they require, and have many good lodgings."⁴ It is these whom Paes evidently refers to in the following words : "The rest remains for him, over and above these expenses and of the expenses in the houses of his wives, of whom I have already told you that he keeps near him twelve thousand women...."¹