Social and Political Life in the Vijayanagara Empire (A.D. 1346 – A.D. 1646) v2.c21.s2.t1.5

v2.c21.s2.t1.5

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]