Social and Political Life in the Vijayanagara Empire (A.D. 1346 – A.D. 1646) v2.c25.s1.70

v2.c25.s1.70

Since we know that "young women richly adorned" have never been, and are not, carried in the great temple chariots during the rathasaptami festival; and that the description of people hanging "themselves to the chariot by way of ornament" refers to a festival which is quite distinct from the one under review, we may be cautious in accepting Nocolo dei Conti's other remark that many carried away by the fervour of their faith, cast themselves on the ground before the wheels in order to attain salvation.