A Forgotten Empire (Vijayanagar): A Contribution to the History of India c14.177

c14.177

“In pursuance of orders issued by the king of Bidjanagar, the generals and principal personages from all parts of his empire . . . presented themselves at the palace. They brought with them a thousand elephants . . . which were covered with brilliant armour and with castles magnificently adorned. . . During three consecutive days in the month of Redjeb the vast space of land magnificently decorated, in which the enormous elephants were congregated together, presented the appearance of the waves of the sea, or of that compact mass which will be assembled together at the day of the resurrection. Over this magnificent space were erected numerous pavilions, to the height of three, four, or even five storeys, covered from top to bottom with figures in relief. . . Some of these pavilions were arranged in such a manner that they could turn rapidly round and present a new face : at each moment a new chamber or a new hall presented itself to the view.
“In the front of this place rose a palace with nine pavilions magnificently ornamented. In the ninth the king’s throne was set up. In the seventh was allotted a place to the humble author of this narrative. . . Between the palace and the pavilions . . . were musicians and storytellers.”