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An Imperial Capital : Vijayanagara
Highlight any four aspects observed by the Portuguese Traveller Barbosa on the Urban Core of the Vijayanagara Empire.
Barbosa has described that the houses of ordinary people are thatched:
i. Houses are well built and strong
ii. Houses were arranged according to occupations in long streets with many open places
iii. Entire area had many shrines and small temples which indicates the prevalence of variety of cults
iv. Rainwater tanks and temple tanks served as sources of water for the people.
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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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