Social and Political Life in the Vijayanagara Empire (A.D. 1346 – A.D. 1646) v2.c21.s3.t9.19

v2.c21.s3.t9.19

There is one more traveller who also witnessed this unfortunate custom. It was Gasparo Balbi who writes about the events of A. D. 1582 thus: "Without the Citie of Saint Thomas is another Citie environed with walls, made of earth, and inhabited with Gentiles Souldiers, whose Chieftaine is called Adicario (adhikāri ?), who hath power to execute justice. They observe the custome to burne their Dead in this Citie, as at Negapaton; but neere to this is a Citie called La Casta de gli Orefici, Goldsmith rowe; they have a custome when the Husband is dead, to make a pit in the earth, and there to place the dead corpse crosse-legged; and on the other side his living Wife in the same manner, and their kindred cast earth upon her pressing her downe, that shee may die also....”¹ Here we have the same practice current among the goldsmiths on the east coast.