Administration and Social Life under Vijayanagar c13.s3: Section VI. Luxuries
Administration and Social Life under Vijayanagar c13.s3
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Section VI. Luxuries
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The pageantry and grandeur of the court, and the character of a few classes of people gave rise to certain wants which came to be satisfied. The people craved after some luxuries which seemed to be necessary not only to maintain their position and status, but also to satisfy their passion for display. The luxuries consisted of ornaments, perfumes, betel and other stimulating substances.
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Ornaments :
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The Hindus had a great liking for costly ornaments which they generally wore on important occasions. No foreign traveller who visited Vijayanagar failed to be struck by the costly jewels worn by the sovereigns and the people alike. Abdur Razāk, for instance, referring to the ornaments worn by Dēva Rāya II, says that “he had round his neck a collar composed of pure pearls of regal excellence and the value of which a jeweller would find difficult to calculate”.²³⁸ Paes too noted the pateca (Padakkam, pendant) of diamonds round Kṛṣṇadēva Rāya’s neck which was of very great value.²³⁹
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²³⁸ Elliot, Hist. of Ind., IV, p. 113.
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²³⁹ Sewell, op. cit., p. 252.
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As said above the people also used to bedeck themselves with costly ornaments. Abdur Razāk says: “All the inhabitants of the country whether high or low even down to the artificers of the bazaar, wear jewels and gilt ornaments in their ears and around their necks, arms, wrists and fingers.”240 Barbosa mentions the many rings set with precious stones and many ear-rings set with many fine pearls on their ears.²⁴¹
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²⁴¹ Barbosa, I, p. 207.
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About the ornaments used by women we get equally valuable details. Barbosa speaks of the nose screws made of fine gold wire with a pearl, sapphire or ruby pendant, ear-rings set with many jewels, necklaces of gold and jewels and very fine coral beads, bracelets of gold and precious stones and many coral beads fitted to their arms.²⁴² Paes' description of the women is more detailed. About the women that had assembled at the capital for the Mahānavami festival he says that they wore collars on the neck with jewels of gold very richly set with many emeralds, diamonds, rubies and pearls, many bracelets on their lower arms and many girdles of gold and precious stones which hung in order one below the other almost as far down as half the thigh. Besides these the women wore many other jewels such as strings of pearls round the ankles.²⁴³
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²⁴² Ibid., pp. 207-08.
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²⁴³ Sewell, op. cit., p. 273.
244. 35 of 1891.
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The inscriptions also give us some idea of the ornaments used in those days. An epigraph of A.D. 1446 mentions the following ornaments: large diadem (paṭṭa), neck-ring (paṭṭakkārai), two joined neck-rings (iraṇḍupaṭṭakkārai), nose ornament (mukkutti), eyes for idols (tirukkaṇmalar), chest ornaments (padakkam), etc.244
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As a mark of distinction the gaṇḍapeṇḍāram or the anklet of the heroes was worn by men of distinction.
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*Perfumes and Flowers:*
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The people used perfumes for their fragrance. They anointed themselves after their bath with white sandalwood, aloes, camphor, musk and saffron, all fine ground and kneaded with rose water.²⁴⁵ The women used to apply saffron or musk to their breasts in winter.246 Along with the perfumes can be mentioned the scented flowers used by the women.247
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²⁴⁵ Barbosa, I, p. 205.
246. Āmukta., II, v. 60.
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*Betel Leaf*:
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A stimulating substance which the people then used as they do now was the betel leaf, which they took along with lime and a piece of arecanut. The Persian ambassador notes this custom, and naively adds that " it is probably owing to the stimulating properties of this leaf, and to the aid of this plant, that the king of that country (Vijayanagar) is enabled to entertain so large a seraglio ".²⁴⁸ It was used on all ceremonial functions, and it was the first thing offered to the visitors.²⁴⁹ It was, however, the peculiar custom observed in the Vijayanagar court that no one except the dancing women were allowed to use the betel leaf in the presence of the king.²⁵⁰
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²⁴⁸ Elliot, Hist. of Ind., IV, p. 114.
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²⁴⁹ Pietro della Valle, Travels, I, pp. 36-7.
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²⁵⁰ Sewell, op. cit., p. 242.
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*Beds*:
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The luxurious extravagance which prevailed at the Vijayanagar court is also indicated by the costly and well equipped beds which were used in the palace. Paes and Nuniz give vivid descriptions of the beds and cots used in the palace. While describing a bed room in it, Paes says : " It has a four-sided porch made of cane-work over which is a work of rubies and diamonds²⁵¹ and all other kinds of precious stones, and pearls, and above the porch are two pendants of gold ; all the precious stone work is in heart shape, and interweaved between one and another is a twist of thick seed-pearl work ; on the dome are pendants of the same. In this chamber was a bed which had feet similar to the porch, the cross bars covered with gold and there was on it a mattress of black satin ; it had all around it a railing of pearls a span wide ; on it were two cushions and no other covering ".²⁵² He also speaks of another " cot of silver with its curtains."253 Nuniz also has something to say about the beds in the palace at Vijayanagar. Speaking about Acyuta Rāya he says : " The bedsteads in which his wives sleep are covered and adorned with silver plates. Every wife has her bed in which she sleeps, and that of the King is plated and lined and has all its legs of gold, its mattress of silk, and its round bolster worked round the ends with large seed pearls. It has four pillows of the same pattern for the feet, and has no other sheet than a silk cloth on top. He always carries with him a mosquito curtain with a frame of silver;²⁵⁴ and he has a house made of pieces of iron in which is contained a very large bed, which is intended for such times as he takes the field.²⁵⁵ He also says that he took with him a bedstead of ivory inlaid with gold if a son or daughter followed him to the battlefield.²⁵⁶
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²⁵¹ See Sewell's note on this at p. 285, ibid.
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²⁵² Ibid., p. 285.
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²⁵⁴ See Sewell's note at p. 285 op. cit.
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²⁵⁵ Ibid., pp. 369-70.
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²⁵⁶ Ibid., p. 370.
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Swing-cots were also in use. Paes says that in a particular corridor there was a cot suspended in the air by silver chains. "The cot had feet made of bars of gold so well made that they could not be better, and the cross bars of the cot were covered with gold; this cot had feet of gold with much setting of precious stones and the cross bars were covered with gold."²⁵⁷
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²⁵⁷ Ibid., p. 287.
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Vessels:
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The luxury of the court was also seen in the vessels which were used in the palace. All the things made use of in the services in the palace, such as basins, bowls, stools, ewers and other articles were made of gold and silver. Rooms were covered with silver plates and gold wires.²⁵⁸
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²⁵⁸ See Ibid., pp. 369-70; and also pp. 285, 289.
Cites (1)
- Āmuktamālyada — Kṛṣṇadevarāya 1515, Telugu