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Social and Political Life in the Vijayanagara Empire (A.D. 1346 – A.D. 1646) v2.c21.s2.t1: A. Etiquette in the Royal Palace

Social and Political Life in the Vijayanagara Empire (A.D. 1346 – A.D. 1646) v2.c21.s2.t1

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A. Etiquette in the Royal Palace

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Whether it was in the presence of the king or on the battle-field, in regard to foreign ambassadors or leaders of merchant guilds, washermen or dancing-girls, the people of Vijayanagara observed certain rules of procedure in public matters. Paes tells us the following: "Before you enter the place where the king is there are two gates with many guards, who prevent any one from entering except the captains and men who have business there; and between these two gates is a very large court with its verandahs round it, where the captains and other honoured people wait till the king summons them to his presence."¹ As regards admission into the palace, especially on grand occasions, Paes continues thus: "They do not admit every one at once (they allowed us to go into the open part that is between the gates), but there go inside only the wrestlers and dancing-women, and the elephants, which go with their trappings and decorations, those that sit on them being armed with shields and javelins, and wearing quilted tunics."² Then again: "The different pavilions are separated by doors, so that no one may enter unless he is invited."³

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¹ Sewell, *For. Emp.*, p. 246.

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² *Ibid.*, p. 268.

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³ *Ibid.*

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Paes also relates about people who desired to seek an interview with the king. "...and he (the king) was barefooted: for no one ever enters where the king is unless he has bare feet, and the majority of the people, or almost all, go about the country barefooted."⁴ But those who were privileged to see the king had to salute him. While describing the royal ceremonies in the palace, Paes informs us the following: "After the king has talked with these men (i.e., the great lords) on subjects pleasing to him he bids enter the lords and captains who wait at the gate, and these at once enter to make their salaam to him. As soon as they appear they make their salaam to him, and place themselves along the walls far off from him; they do not speak one to another, nor do they chew betel before him, but they place their hands in the sleeves of their tunics (cabayas) and cast their eyes on the ground; and if the king desires to speak to any one it is done through a second person, and then he to whom the king desires to speak raises his eyes and replies to him who questions him, and then returns to his former position. So they remain till the king bids them go, and then they all turn to make the salaam to him and go out. The salaam, which is the greatest courtesy that exists among them, is that they put their hands joined above their head as high as they can. Every day they go to make the salaam to the king."[¹]

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⁴ *Ibid.*, p. 252.

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¹ Sewell, *For. Emp.*, pp. 250-1.

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This mode of salutation being so different from that to which the foreign travellers were accustomed, it is not surprising that they should have keenly observed it. Nuniz gives us details about it: "The manner of the salaam which the nobles make to the King every day is this:—In the morning the nobles go to the palace at ten or eleven o'clock, at which hour the King comes out from within where his wives are, and after he has taken his seat they open to the nobles, and each one comes by himself and bows his head and raises his hands. This is what they call the 'salaam' (salema). With the king are about ten or twelve men who have the duty, on the entrance of each captain, of saying to the King: 'See, your Highness, your captain so-and-so, who makes salaam to You.'"[²]

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² Ibid., p. 372.

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Barradas, while describing the plot by Jaga Rāya to dethrone Chikka Rāyulu, the nephew of Veṅkaṭapati Dēva Rāya I, says: "He (the new King) passed through the midst of the soldiers with a face grave and severe, and with eyes downcast. There was no one to do him reverence with hands (as is the custom) joined over the head, nor did he see salute any one."¹ Salutation, as a sign of allegiance, was made in the manner roughly indicated by Couto, who speaks of Tirumala Rāya and his three brothers. These, according to him, "went on one day every year and prostrated themselves before their lawful sovereign in token of his rights over them".²

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¹ Sewell, For. Emp., p. 225.

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² Couto, Dec. VI, 1, v., cap. 5; Sewell, ibid., p. 180. For different modes of salutation, see Manu, II, 119-27, pp. 51-3.

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But since we cannot expect more details from foreign travellers on the manner in which princes and peoples prostrated themselves before their sovereign, we may have recourse to Bāṇa, who while describing the etiquette in the court of the king Prabhākaravardhana, speaks of the two royal pages Kumāra Gupta and Mādhava Gupta thus: "Entering, they bowed from afar till their four limbs and heads touched the ground, then assumed a suitable position indicated by a kindly glance from the king."³ Skanda Gupta saluted the king Harshavardhana thus: "Entering the palace, he saluted from a distance, leaning his lotus hands upon the earth and touching it with his head."⁴

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³ Bāṇa, Harshacharita, p. 121.

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⁴ Ibid., p. 191; see also pp. 71, 126, 198, 211 and 238.

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Foreigners, who were not conversant with Hindu etiquette, confounded this ancient custom of saluting one's superiors with kissing their feet. This accounts for the following from ‘Abdur Razzāq: "When the Danaik had returned from his tour, and had been acquainted with all that had transpired, he was astounded, and after being admitted to the honour of kissing the royal feet, he offered up his thanks for the safety of the king's person, and made more than usual preparations to celebrate the festival of Mahānavī."⁵ Nuniz commits the same blunder: "The King confers very high honour, too, if he permits a certain one to kiss his feet, for he never gives his hand to be kissed by any one."⁶

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⁵ Elliot, Hist. of India, IV, p. 117.

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⁶ Sewell, ibid. p. 376.

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An important item in the daily routine of the palace was that in connection with the worship of God. While describing the great Mahānavami festival, Paes relates thus: "Then he (the king) passes all along the top of the buildings, and as soon as he is at the end he takes the cap from his head, and after placing it on the ground turns back (to the place) where the idol is; here he lies extended on the ground."¹ It may be presumed that this was done every day in the palace.

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¹ Sewell, For. Emp., p. 267.

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In this respect some of the provincial rulers were as orthodox as their royal masters. Their puritanism is thus described in a defaced inscription which has been assigned to about the year A.D. 1435. During the reign of Dēva Rāya Mahārāya when Tippa Rāja Oḍeyar's son Gōpa Rāja Oḍeyar was ruling the Tēkal city, "that Siṅga Rāja had the two lines of fortification round this city built, and holding the office of paṭṭaṇasvāmi by order of the god Nāyinār, so that all the people could see, for the god's tirumana had maṇṭapas made before and behind the temples, had a pond constructed called after Gōpa Rāja the Gōpasamudra, had a palace built for Gōpa Rāja to the west of that pond, and to the right of the god, Siṅga Rāja's palace; and that he might at sunrise and at evening twilight bathe at both times, and have a room for domestic sacrifice, from the threshold of which he might look to the spire of Varadarāja's temple, and coming to the temple, offer naivēdya and tāmbūla to the god, and taking the tulasi and tīrtha, make provision for the enjoyment of the god..."²

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² E. C., X, Mr. 4, p. 156. We do not know whether learned Brahmans pronounced a blessing on the reigning sovereign as was done in A.D. 1157 at Tālgunda (Sthanagundur). Rice, Mys. Ins., p. 194. As regards the custom of waving the lamps before the king, see also Lakshmīśa Jaimini Bhārata Sandhi 4, v. 72, p. 78 (Sanderson). See infra for royal ablutions; Bāṇa; Harshacharita, p. 104.

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Some other details in connection with etiquette in the provincial places can be gathered from tradition. "In that place (of Tirumala Nāyaka, south-west of the garden near Rangavilāsam) the king is accustomed to sit down and converse with the ministers or others, his favorites in the evening;

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when flambeaus are lighted up in the avenue at the time of homage, and when female dancers exhibit their skill before the courtiers."1

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The chronicles of the south also contain some interesting information as regards usage in the courts of the provincial rulers. These refer to the times of Vijaya Raṅga Chokkaṇātha Nāyaka. Since he was a minor, his mother Maṅgammal ruled as regent. "During her regency, Mangamala had many *agraras*, temples, and choultries built. But one day, while eating beetle-leaf and areca-nut, she forgetfully took the same with her left hand. Considering the taking of this indulgence with the left hand to be a serious crime, in order to remove its consequences, she constructed roads with avenues of trees, from Casi to Ramiseram, to Canya Cumari (Cape Comorin) and other places; and on the same account had *terpa kulams* (or reservoirs) dug, choultries built, and water booths constructed: she gave away food, and performed other charities, so that her name became renowned to a great distance."2

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