a forgotten empire-vijayanagar-第14章

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Mr。　Rice　has　shown　that　one　of　the　ministers　of　Deva　Raya　II。　was　named　Naganna；　he　had　the　title　〃Dhannayaka；〃　implying　command　of　the　army。



CHAPTER　7

The　City　of　Vijayanagar　in　the　Reign　of　Deva　Raya　II。　（A。D。　1420　（？）；　1443）

Description　given　by　Nicolo　to　Bracciolini　　The　capital　　Festivals　　Immense　population　　Abdur　Razzak's　description　　His　journey　　The　walls　　Palaces　　The　Mint　　Bazaars　　The　great　Mahahnavami　festival。

It　will　be　well　to　suspend　our　historical　narrative　for　a　time　in　order　to　acquire　some　idea　of　the　appearance　and　condition　of　the　great　city　of　Vijayanagar　in　these　days。　We　have　already　noticed　that　as　early　as　1375　A。D。　Sultan　Mujahid　of　Kulbarga　had　heard　so　much　of　the　beauty　of　this　capital　that　he　desired　to　see　it；　and　it　had　grown　in　importance　and　grandeur　during　the　succeeding　half…century。　About　the　year　1420　or　1421　A。D。　there　visited　Vijayanagar　one　Nicolo；　an　Italian；　commonly　called　Nicolo　Conti　or　Nicolo　dei　Conti；　and　if　he　was　not　the　earliest　European　visitor；　he　was　at　least　the　earliest　that　we　know　of　whose　description　of　the　place　has　survived　to　this　day。　His　visit　must　have　taken　place　shortly　after　the　accession　of　Deva　Raya　II。　Nicolo　never　apparently　wrote　anything　himself。　His　stories　were　recorded　in　Latin　by　Poggio　Bracciolini；　the　Pope's　secretary；　for　his　master's　information。　Translated　into　Portuguese；　they　were　re…translated　from　the　Portuguese　into　Italian　by　Ramusio；　who　searched　for　but　failed　to　obtain　a　copy　of　the　original　in　Latin。　This　original　was　first　published　in　1723　by　the　Abbe　Oliva　of　Paris　under　the　title　P。　BRACCIOLINI；　DE　VARIETATE　FORTUNAE；　LIBER　QUATUOR。

Nicolo；　on　reaching　India；　visited　first　the　city　of　Cambaya　in　Gujarat。　After　twenty　days'　sojourn　there　he　passed　down　the　coast　to　〃Pacamuria；〃　probably　Barkur；　and　〃Helly；〃　which　is　the　〃Mount　d'Ely〃　or　〃Cabo　d'Eli〃　of　later　writers。　Thence　he　travelled　inland　and　reached　the　Raya's　capital；　Vijayanagar；　which　he　calls　〃Bizenegalia。〃＇125＇　He　begins　his　description　thus：　

〃The　great　city　of　Bizenegalia　is　situated　near　very　steep　mountains。　The　circumference　of　the　city　is　sixty　miles；　its　walls　are　carried　up　to　the　mountains　and　enclose　the　valleys　at　their　foot；　so　that　its　extent　is　thereby　increased。　In　this　city　there　are　estimated　to　be　ninety　thousand　men　fit　to　bear　arms。〃

I　must　here　interpose　a　correction。　There　were　no　〃mountains〃　properly　so　called　at　Vijayanagar；　only　a　confused　and　tumbled　mass　of　rocky　hills；　some　rising　to　considerable　altitude。　The　extent　of　its　lines　of　defences　was　extraordinary。　Lofty　and　massive　stone　walls　everywhere　crossed　the　valleys；　and　led　up　to　and　mounted　over　the　hillsides。　The　outer　lines　stretched　unbroken　across　the　level　country　for　several　miles。　The　hollows　and　valleys　between　the　boulder…covered　heights　were　filled　with　habitations；　poor　and　squalid　doubtless；　in　most　instances；　but　interspersed　with　the　stone…built　dwellings　of　the　nobles；　merchants；　and　upper　classes　of　the　vast　community；　except　where　the　elaborately　constructed　water…channels　of　the　Rayas　enabled　the　land　to　be　irrigated；　and　in　these　parts　rich　gardens　and　woods；　and　luxurious　crops　of　rice　and　sugar…cane；　abounded。　Here　and　there　were　wonderfully　carved　temples　and　fanes　to　Hindu　deities；　with　Brahmanical　colleges　and　schools　attached　to　the　more　important　amongst　their　number。

As　to　the　appearance　of　the　scenery；　I　cannot　do　better　than　quote　the　description　given　in　1845　by　a　distinguished　South…Indian　geologist；　Lieutenant　Newbold：＇126＇　

〃The　whole　of　the　extensive　site　occupied　by　the　ruins　of　Bijanugger　on　the　south　bank　of　the　Tumbuddra；　and　of　its　suburb　Annegundi　on　the　northern　bank；　is　occupied　by　great　bare　piles　and　bosses　of　granite　and　granitoidal　gneiss；　separated　by　rocky　defiles　and　narrow　rugged　valleys　encumbered　by　precipitated　masses　of　rock。　Some　of　the　larger　flat…bottomed　valleys　are　irrigated　by　aqueducts　from　the　river。。。。　The　peaks；　tors；　and　logging…stones　of　Bijanugger　and　Annegundi　indent　the　horizon　in　picturesque　confusion；　and　are　scarcely　to　be　distinguished　from　the　more　artificial　ruins　of　the　ancient　metropolis　of　the　Deccan；　which　are　usually　constructed　with　blocks　quarried　from　their　sides；　and　vie　in　grotesqueness　of　outline　and　massiveness　of　character　with　the　alternate　airiness　and　solidity　exhibited　by　nature　in　the　nicely…poised　logging　stones　and　columnar　piles；　and　in　the　walls　of　prodigious　cuboidal　blocks　of　granite　which　often　crest　and　top　her　massive　domes　and　ridges　in　natural　cyclopean　masonry。〃

The　remains　of　palaces；　temples；　walls；　and　gateways　are　still　to　be　seen；　and　these　abound　not　only　on　the　site　of　Vijayanagar　proper；　but　also　on　the　north　side　of　the　swiftly　rushing　river；　where　stood　the　stately　citadel　of　Anegundi；　the　mother　of　the　empire…city。　The　population　of　this　double　city　was　immense；　and　the　area　occupied　by　it　very　extensive。　From　the　last　fortification　to　the　south；　beyond　the　present　town　of　Hospett；　to　the　extreme　point　of　the　defences　of　Anegundi　on　the　north；　the　distance　is　about　twelve　miles。　From　the　extreme　western　line　of　walls　in　the　plain　to　the　last　of　the　eastern　works　amongst　the　hills　lying　in　the　direction　of　Daroji　and　Kampli　the　interval　measures　about　ten　miles。　Within　this　area　we　find　the　remains　of　the　structures　of　which　I　have　spoken。　The　hovels　have　disappeared；　and　the　debris　lies　many　feet　thick　over　the　old　ground…level。　But　the　channels　are　still　in　working　order；　and　wherever　they　exist　will　be　found　rich　crops；　tall　and　stately　trees；　and　a　tangle　of　luxuriant　vegetation。　On　the　rocks　above　are　the　ruins　of　buildings　and　temples　and　walls；　and　in　many　places　small　shrines　stand　out；　built　on　the　jutting　edges　of　great　boulders　or　on　the　pinnacles　of　lofty　crags；　in　places　that　would　seem　inaccessible　to　anything　but　monkeys　and　birds。

In　the　central　enclosure　are　the　remains　of　great　structures　that　must　once　have　been　remarkable　for　their　grandeur　and　dignity。　These　immediately　surrounded　the　king's　palace；　but　in　1565　the　Muhammadans　worked　their　savage　will　upon　them　with　such　effect　that　only　the　crumbling　ruins　of　the　more　massive　edifices　amongst　them　still　stand。　The　site　of　the　palace　itself　is　marked　by　a　large　area　of　ground　covered　with　heaps　of　broken　blocks；　crushed　masonry；　and　fragments　of　sculpture；　not　one　stone　being　left　upon　another　in　its　original　position。

To　return　to　Nicolo。　He　continues：　

〃The　inhabitants　of　this　region　marry　as　many　wives　as　they　please；　who　are　burnt　with　their　dead　husbands。　Their　king　is　more　powerful　than　all　the　other　kings　of　India。　He　takes　to　himself　12；000　wives；　of　whom　4000　follow　him　on　foot　wherever　he　may　go；　and　are　employed　solely　in　the　service　of　the　kitchen。　A　like　number；　more　handsomely　equipped；　ride　on　horseback。　The　remainder　are　carried　by　men　in　litters；　of　whom　2000　or　3000　are　selected　as　his　wives　on　condition　that　at　his　death　they　should　voluntarily　burn　themselves　with　him；　which　is　considered　to　be　a　great　honour　for　them。。。。

〃At　a　certain　time　of　the　year　their　idol　is　carried　through　the　city；　placed　between　two　chariots；　in　which　are　young　women　richly　adorned；　who　sing　hymns　to　the　god；　and　accompanied　by　a　great　concourse　of　people。　Many；　carried　away　by　the　fervour　of　their　faith；　cast　themselves　on　the　ground　before　the　wheels；　in　order　that　they　may　be　crushed　to　death　　a　mode　of　death　which　they　say　is　very　acceptable　to　their　god。　Others；　making　an　incision　in　their　side；　and　inserting　a　rope　thus　through　their　body；　hang　themselves　to　the　chariot　by　Nay　of　ornament；　and　thus　suspended　and　half…dead　accompany　their　idol。　This　kind　of　sacrifice　they　consider　the　best　and　most　acceptable　of　all。

〃Thrice　in　the　year　they　keep　festivals　of　especial　solemnity。　On　one　of　these　occasions　the　males　and　females　of　all　ages；　having　bathed　in　the　rivers　or　the　sea；　clothe　themselves　in　new　garments；　and　spend　three　entire　days　in　singing；　dancing；　and　feasting。　On　another　of　these　festivals　they　fix　up　within　their　temples；　and　on　the　outside　on　the　roofs；　an　innumerable　number　of　lamps　of　oil　of　SUSIMANNI；　which　are　kept　burning　day　and　night。　On　the　third；　which　lasts　nine　days；　they　set　up　in　all　the　highways　large　beams；　like　the　masts　of　small　ships；　to　the　upper　part　of　which　are　attached　pieces　of　very　beautiful　cloth　of　various　kinds；　interwoven　with　gold。　On　the　summit　of　each　of　these　beams　is　each　day　placed　a　man　of　pious　aspect；　dedicated　to　religion；　capable　of　enduring　all　things　with　equanimity；　who　is　to　pray　for　the　favour　of　God。　These　men　are　assailed　by　the　people；　who　pelt　them　with　oranges；　lemons；　and　other　odoriferous　fruits；　all　which　they　bear　most　patiently。　There　are　also　three　other　festival　days；　during　which　they　sprinkle　all　passers…by；　even　the　king　and　queen　themselves；　with　saffron　water；　placed　for　that　purpose　by　the　wayside。　This　is　received　by　all　with　much　laughter。〃

The　first　of　these　festivals　may　be　the　Kanarese　New　Year's　Day；　which　Domingo　Paes　in　his　chronicle　asserts　to　have　fallen；　during　his　visit　to　Vijayanagar；　on　October　12　　〃FESTAS　EM　QUE　TODOS　VESTEM　PANOS　NOVOS　E　RICOS　E　GALANTES；　E　CADA　HUU　COMO　O　TEM；　E　DAO　TODOS　OS　CAPITAEES　PANOS　A　TODA　SUA　GNETE　DE　MUYTAS　CORES　E　GALANTES。〃＇127＇　The　second　should　be　the　Dipavali　festival；　which　occurs　about　the　month　of　October；　when　lamps　are　lighted　by　all　the　householders；　and　the　temples　are　illuminated。　The　description　of　the　third　answers　to　the　nine…days'　festival；　called　the　MAHANAVAMI；　at　Vijayanagar；　which；　during　the　visit　of　Paes；　took　place　on　September　12。　The　other　feast　of　three　days'　duration　answers　to　the　HOLI　festival。

Conti　next　describes　the　finding　of　diamonds　on　a　mountain　which　he　called　〃Albenigaras〃　and　places　fifteen　days'　journey　beyond　Vijayanagar　〃towards　the　north。〃　He　repeats　the　story　which　we　know　as　that　of　〃Sinbad　the　Sailor；〃　saying　that　the　diamonds　lie　in　inaccessible　valleys；　into　which　lumps　of　flesh　being　thrown；　to　which　the　precious　stones　adhere；　these　are　carried　up　TO　the　summits　by　eagles；　which　are　then　driven　off　and　the　stones　secured。　The　direction　given；　though　it　should　rather　be　east　than　north；　points　to　the　mines　on　the　Krishna　river　being　those　alluded　to　　mines　which　are　often　styled　the　〃mines　of　Golkonda〃　by　travellers。　Marco　Polo　told　the　same　tale　of　the　same　mines　in　the　year　1296。　Conti　continues：　

〃They　divide　the　year　into　twelve　months；　which　they　name　after　the　signs　of　the　zodiac。　The　era　is　computed　variously。。。。〃

After　having　given　a　short　account　of　the　different　coinages　and　currencies；　which　is　interesting；　but　of　which　the　various　localities　are　left　to　the　imagination；　he　writes：　

〃The　natives　of　Central　India　make　use　of　the　ballistae；＇128＇　and　those　machines　which　we　call　bombardas；　also　other　warlike　implements　adapted　for　besieging　cities。

〃They　call　us　Franks　and　say；　'While　they　call　other　nations　blind；　that　they　themselves　have　two　eyes；　and　that　we　have　but　one；　because　they　consider　that　they　excel　all　others　in　prudence。'＇129＇

〃The　inhabitants　of　Cambay　alone　use　paper；　all　other　Indians　write　on　the　leaves　of　trees。　They　have　a　vast　number　of　slaves；　and