Social and Political Life in the Vijayanagara Empire (A.D. 1346 – A.D. 1646) v2.c24.s2.64

v2.c24.s2.64

The other side of this question is connected with the *koḍage* grants which we have detailed at some length while dealing with etiquette and honours in Vijayanagara. We may nevertheless add a few more instances of the corporate activities of the people in this direction. All the Brahmans of Hariharapura, which is Kellaṅgere, in A. D. 1367, unanimously agreed to make specified payments for the livelihood of the buffalo-man of the tank cart, for oil for wheel grease, crowbar, pickaxe and other necessaries.³ A more interesting instance of the corporate work of the Brahmans is given in an inscription dated A. D. 1410. This epigraph tells us that Dēva Rāya II made a settled agreement (*vyavahāra-nirṇaya*) for the god Harihara and for the Brahmans living in the Harihara-kṣhētra. "On the Brahmans at their own expense building a dam to the river Haridrā within the boundaries of the god Harihara, and leading a channel through the god's land to Harihara; of all the lands irrigated by the so-led channel, as far as it may go, two parts (thirds) shall be for the god Harihara, and one part (third) to the Brahmans who at their own expense constructed the channel. That enjoyment (of the land) may be held in peace" permanently, and free of all imposts. The epigraphs also tell us that "in order that there may be known with certainty what Brahmans have a right to the shares under the agreement, their names, sūtras and gōtras are here written. It was also decided that "also that the water of the channel should be distributed in the same proportions, and the expense of the wells and tanks formed under the channel, or expense connected with the river, should be borne in the same way."¹