Society in Vijayanagara Empire
Social life under the Vijayanagara Empire was highly developed and richly documented. Foreign travellers such as Nuniz, Paes, Nicolò Conti, and Barbosa left vivid accounts of the splendour of its buildings and the luxurious social life of the city of Vijayanagara.
Royal Court
- The king and his courtiers led an extravagant and luxurious life, standing in sharp contrast to the modest living standards of the common man, who bore the burden of taxation.
- The royal palace maintained a large establishment that included a considerable number of women, specially chosen for their youth and beauty — some brought from abroad, others captured and enslaved in war.
- Many of these women were courtesans, skilled in music and dance, while others served as concubines of princes, nobles, and courtiers.
- Paes describes the beautiful houses of the wealthy and their large retinues of household servants, while Nicolò Conti refers to the prevalence of slavery in the empire.
Caste System
- The institution of caste, with all its social and economic implications, was a universally accepted form of social organisation.
- The poet Allasani Peddana, in his celebrated work Manucharitramu, mentions the four castes that existed in Vijayanagara society: Brahmins, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas, and Shudras.
Position of Different Castes in Society
- Brahmins occupied a highly respected position in civil life. With the exception of a few who entered state service, most devoted themselves to religious and literary pursuits.
- Nuniz describes them as “honest men, given to merchandise, very acute and of much talent, very good at accounts, lean men and well formed but little fitted for hard work.”
- Domingo Paes notes that Brahmins were vegetarians, and that their womenfolk were known for their beauty and seclusion.
- Kshatriyas were generally associated with the ruling dynasties, assisting them in matters of state and warfare; most nobles and men of rank belonged to this caste.
- Vaishyas were essentially the merchant class, engaged in trade and commercial activity.
- These upper castes enjoyed the privileges attached to their social status — they were economically well placed, commanded royal favour, and had access to education.
- Shudras were considered inferior in status and performed manual labour to earn their livelihood. Both in towns and villages, castes tended to live in separate quarters, following their own distinct customs and habits.
- The outcastes, who tilled the land and performed menial work, lived in hamlets set apart at a distance from the main village.
Position of Women in Society
- Women played an important role in the social life of the Vijayanagara Empire. Although their overall position had not markedly improved, some women were highly learned and accomplished.
- They received training not only in literature and fine arts such as music, but also in wrestling, and were employed as astrologers, keepers of accounts, and even judges.
- Princesses of the royal family generally received a good education in literature and the fine arts. Gangadevi, wife of Kampana, authored the celebrated work Maduravijayam, while Tirumalamba was a distinguished Sanskrit poetess during the reign of Achyuta Raya.
- According to Nuniz, large numbers of women were employed in the palace as dancers, domestic servants, and palanquin (palki) bearers.
- The custom of devadasis — dancing girls attached to temples — was in vogue, as recorded by Paes; they were also summoned to perform at festivities held in the royal palace.
- Polygamy was a recognised and accepted practice among the wealthy, and child marriage was similarly common.
- Nuniz records that the practice of sati was also in vogue, while polygamy was especially prevalent among royal families.
Amusements
- People relaxed from the demands of daily life through hunting, gambling, playing games such as polo, and watching theatrical performances and cock fights.
- Paes records that every morning, before daylight, Krishna Deva Raya would drink gingelly oil and exercise with earthenware weights and a sword, then wrestle with one of his wrestlers before riding out and taking his morning bath.
- Dedicated areas within the royal palace at Vijayanagara were set aside for the amusement of the monarch and his court, where animal fights and wrestling matches — including bouts involving women wrestlers — were staged.
- Festivals and fairs also served as important sources of amusement for the general population.
Dress and Food Habits
- Silk and cotton were the principal materials used for clothing, while perfumes, flowers, and ornaments were widely used by the people.
- Both the king and the general public were meat-eaters, consuming the flesh of most animals except oxen or cows; animal sacrifices were common. Certain sections of the population — Brahmins, Jains, and Saivas — remained strict vegetarians.
Religion
- The early Vijayanagara rulers of the Sangama dynasty were predominantly Saivites, with Virupaksha as their family deity. Later dynasties came increasingly under the influence of Vaishnava saints, and the Srivaishnavism of Ramanuja gained wide popularity.
- The Vaishnava text Prapannamritam gives a legendary account of the conversion of the Vijayanagara king Virupaksha to Vaishnavism. Krishna Deva Raya himself was devoted to both Vishnu and Shiva.
- Sadasiva Raya followed a liberal religious policy, worshipping Shiva, Vishnu, and Ganesha alike. A large number of temples were built during this period, and numerous festivals were celebrated.
- All Vijayanagara kings displayed marked religious tolerance. Besides the Vedic religion, other sects such as the Jains also enjoyed royal protection and patronage.
- Muslims were employed in the administration and were freely permitted to build mosques and practise their faith. Barbosa, who visited the court of Krishna Deva Raya, observed: “The king allows such freedom that every man may come and go and live according to his own creed without suffering any annoyance and without enquiries whether he is a Christian, Jew, Moor or Hindu.”
