A Forgotten Empire (Vijayanagar): A Contribution to the History of India c21.s2.151

c21.s2.151

You must know that when these feasts of which I have spoken are ended, at the beginning of the month of October, when eleven of its days are past, they make great feasts, during which every one puts on new, and rich, and handsome cloths, each one according to his liking, and all the captains give their men handsome cloths of many colours, each one having his own colour and device. On the same day they give great gifts of money to the king, it is even said that they give on that day to the king in money a million and five hundred thousand gold *pardaos*, and each *pardao* is worth three hundred and sixty *reis*, and from this you will be able to know how many *reis* there will be. I wish you to know that on this day begins their year; it is their New Year’s Day, and for this they make the feast and give the gifts; and it is not to be wondered at, for we also do the same on New Year’s Day. They begin the year in this month with the new moon, and they count the months always from moon to moon.¹