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An Imperial Capital : Vijayanagara
What do the buildings that survived in the Royal capital of Vijayanagar tell us? Mention any two points.
(i) The capital city of Vijayanagara empire was Hampi. It was said to be the best prominent city in the world.
As most of the rulers of the Vijayanagara empire took keen interest in welfare of the farmers as well as in agricultural progress they constructed dams to store water and built water canals and tanks.
(ii) The state of Vijayanagara was famous for fine buildings, fortresses, temples, palaces and works of irrigation. Ruins of Hampi show the grandeur cities.
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What have been the methods used to study the ruins of Hampi over the last two centuries? In what way do you think they would have complemented the information provided by the priests of the Virupaksha temple?
How were the water requirements of Vijayanagara met?
What do you think were the advantages and disadvantages of enclosing agricultural land within the fortified area of the city?
What do you think was the significance of the rituals associated with the Mahanavami dibba?
Fig. 7.33 is an illustration of another pillar from the Virupaksha temple. Do you notice any floral motifs? What are the animals shown? Why do you think they are depicted? Describe the human figures shown.
Discuss whether the term “royal centre” is an appropriate description for the part of the city for which it is used
What does the architecture of buildings like the Lotus Mahal and elephant stables tell us about the rulers who commissioned them?
What are the architectural traditions that inspired the architects of Vijayanagara? How did they transform these traditions?
What impression of the lives of the ordinary people of Vijayanagara can you cull from the various descriptions in the chapter?
On an outline map of the world, mark approximately Italy, Portugal, Iran and Russia.Trace the routes the travellers mentioned on p.176 would have taken to reach Vijayanagara.
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