Vijayanagara Empire: Agricultural Enclosures, Mahanavami Dibba Rituals, and Ordinary Life

Advantages and Disadvantages of Agricultural Enclosures within Vijayanagara City

Enclosing agricultural land within the fortified area of the Vijayanagara empire offered both advantages and disadvantages:

Advantages:

• Protected agricultural land from enemy attacks and wild animals.
• Allowed for the storage of large quantities of grain in granaries within fortified areas, ensuring food security during sieges.

Disadvantages:

• Increased the cost and complexity of defending the city.
• Made it more difficult for farmers to access their fields during times of peace.

Significance of the Rituals Associated with the Mahanavami Dibba

The Mahanavami dibba, a massive platform located on one of the highest points in Vijayanagara, was the site of important rituals during the Mahanavami festival:

• Worship of the image, state horse, and sacrifice of animals.
• Performances by dancers, wrestlers, and processions of horses, elephants, chariots, and soldiers.
• Ritual presentations by chief nayakas and subordinate kings.
• Inspection of the army and collection of tribute on the last day of the festival.

These ceremonies showcased the prestige, power, and suzerainty of the Vijayanagara kings and had deep symbolic meanings.

Life of Ordinary People in the Vijayanagara Empire

The ordinary people of the Vijayanagara empire came from diverse backgrounds and occupations:

• Small traders and local merchants in cities, trade centers, port towns, and villages.
• Peasants, workers, and slaves.
• Brahmans, traders, and women.

Society was hierarchical, with a few low-caste people at the bottom, including Dombar, Mana, Jogi, Paraiyan, Boi, and Kallar. Some low-caste people converted to Christianity under Portuguese influence.

Ordinary people lived in simple houses and faced challenges such as slavery and the evils of the caste system and untouchability.