Social and Political Life in the Vijayanagara Empire (A.D. 1346 – A.D. 1646) v2.c23.s3.8

v2.c23.s3.8

One particular feature of the houses, which we may be permitted to mention again, is that relating to the gardens and plantations. Paes in the above passage tells us that " behind cities and towns and villages they have plantations of mangoes and jack-fruit trees, and tamarinds and other very large trees, which form resting places where merchants halt with their merchandise."³ This is, however, partially true, since, as already explained, a plantation, or a tōṭa, as it is more popularly known is an indispensable adjunct to a Hindu house.⁴ Paes himself admits this while describing Nāgalāpura: "... and the said city stands in a plain, and round it the inhabitants make their gardens as the ground suits, each one being separate."¹