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The Palace and Court of Vijayanagar

The people of Vijayanagar used to cultivate roses and sell roses. Roses and their trade were as popular as their food. There were a lot of professional businesses there. There were also shops selling jewelry made of precious metals such as gold and diamonds. Overflowing streams and numerous canals can be seen there. To the left of the palace stood a palace-sized hall. In front of it was a hall more than two meter high and about twenty meters long. It was within this that court proceedings took place. In the middle of this, the Divan, known as Danaik, sits alone in a high seat, listens to the complainants, and after passing an unopposed verdict, passes through the seven gates and submits the information to the king. Containers full of gold coins were kept in several chambers inside the king's palace. Opposite the Diwan couch, several barns with thatched roofs and strong walls were built to house the elephants. Twelve thousand soldiers guarded the governor's residence on the opposite side. Behind it was a market three hundred meters long and twenty meters wide. It has houses on both sides and stone seats in front of the houses. On either side of the royal streets were made statues of lions, leopards, tigers, and many other animals. There are also descriptions of 'Mahanavami' which was celebrated as a great festival. At the behest of the king of Vijayanagar, generals and important figures from within the empire would come to the palace. They had brought a thousand elephants with them.
For three consecutive days in the month of October, the Mahanavami is celebrated by the crowds, accompanied by Decorated Elephants in a spaciously decorated open space. There will be nine beautifully decorated tents near the palace. The throne for the king will be arranged in the ninth tent. In the seventh tent there will be a scribe who will write this information down. Facilities for musicians and storytellers are provided between the palace and the tent. Behind the curtain opposite the king, beautiful young ladies dance and the elephants perform spectacularly. For three consecutive days, there are magnificent festivities from sunrise to sunset. There are many entertainment activities including fireworks. On the third day the scribe submits the recorded information to the king. The throne of enormous size is encrusted with precious stones. Beautiful pearls are sewn in three rows along the edges of the throne mattress. During these three days the king would sit and witness the festivities. The Mahanavami celebrations will conclude with evening prayers on the last day.
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  1. Anant PaiAugust 20, 2020 at 7:00 AM

    Hi, wanted to understand the source for these details?

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    1. jagathjayaprakashAugust 20, 2020 at 11:59 PM

      Book written by Robert Sewell : A Forgotten Empire Vijayanagar: A Contribution to the History of India (1900)

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