Maarg Manthan · Topic 4.5

Social and Cultural Life Under the Vijayanagara Empire

Medieval History › Vijayanagara Empire · Topic 4.5

Society in Vijayanagara was thickly populated and unequal: rich nobles and merchants lived in splendid cities, while villagers lived modestly in thatched houses. The rulers protected Hinduism and built temples, schools and maths, patronised Telugu, Kannada, Tamil and Sanskrit, and allowed freedom to other faiths, with Muslims living in separate quarters of the capital.

5 min read · UPSC Prelims · History · Vijayanagara Empire

At a Glance

Population Thickly populated towns and villages
Religion Protectors of Hinduism; freedom to others
Languages Telugu, Kannada, Tamil, Sanskrit
City layout Caste or profession quarters; separate Muslim quarters
Contrast Wealthy nobles and miserable peasants
Exam link UPSC Prelims, Medieval History: Vijayanagara Empire

Where Does It Fit?

This is the fifth topic of the category on the Vijayanagara Empire. The previous topic covered its administration, and this topic turns to the people and culture under it. The next topic covers the economy of the empire. Previous topic: Vijayanagara Administration (Nayankara System).

How Did People Live?

In short: Vijayanagara society showed sharp contrasts, with a prosperous city and nobility alongside peasants who lived simply.

Historians do not agree on the economic condition of the peasants, because most travellers knew little of village life and spoke in general terms. It may be presumed that the life of the people stayed much the same. Their houses were mostly thatched with a small door, they went about barefooted and wore little above the waist. Upper classes sometimes wore costly shoes and a silk turban, but did not cover themselves above the waist. All classes liked ornaments in their ears, on their necks and on their arms. The Russian traveller Nikitin said the land was overstocked with people, that those in the country were very miserable, and that the nobles were extremely affluent and delighted in luxury.

What Was City Life Like?

Aspect	Report
Population	All travellers agree that the country was thickly populated with numerous towns and villages
Layout	People of one caste or profession lived in one quarter; Muslims appear to have lived in separate quarters provided for them
Splendour	Seven citadels and walls enclosed each other; long, broad bazaars from the palace; running streams and canals of chiselled stone
Size	A later traveller said the city was larger than Rome
Wealth	The kings were reputed to be very wealthy; hoarding of bullion was an ancient tradition, though hoarded wealth stayed out of circulation and sometimes invited attack

Towns grew, many of them around temples, which were large and needed food supplies for worship, priests and pilgrims. Temples were rich and took part in internal and overseas trade.

What Was the Religious Policy?

The Vijayanagara rulers were considered great protectors of Hinduism. Under their patronage many temples, schools and maths were built. Temples became very elaborate in structure and organisation, and even old temples were amplified with pillared halls, pavilions and other subordinate structures. The empire nevertheless tolerated other faiths. Barbosa wrote that the king allowed every man to come and go and live according to his own creed, without asking whether he was Christian, Jew, Moor or heathen. Muslims served in the army, as in the 10,000 attributed to Deva Raya I and the 2,000 enlisted by Deva Raya II.

What Did Visitors Notice?

Visitor	Remark
Nicolo Conti, 1420	The city was sixty miles round and the king was more powerful than all other kings in India
Abdur Razzaq	Seven citadels and long bazaars; very fertile and well cultivated country
Nikitin	Crowded land, miserable countryside, rich nobles
Barbosa	Freedom of creed and justice in Krishna Deva Raya’s time
Paes	A great ruler of much justice, but subject to sudden rage

How Did Literature and the Arts Flourish?

Telugu literature grew under the Vijayanagara rulers, and Krishna Deva Raya extended his patronage to Telugu, Kannada and Tamil poets alike. His reign opened a new era in Telugu when imitation of Sanskrit works gave way to independent works. Sanskrit scholarship continued, and Krishna Deva wrote a drama in Sanskrit. The capital at Hampi has a ceremonial platform known as the Mahanavami Dibba and many temples, as described in the topic on Hampi. The Chola tradition of village self-government weakened, but the temple remained the hub of social and cultural life.

As an analytical point, the picture is of a court culture that was open and rich, a countryside that bore a heavy burden, and a temple-centred society in which religion, trade and learning were joined. For the economic side, see the next topic, and for the buildings, Hampi as the Capital – Architecture and Art of the Vijayanagara Empire.

Why Is This Topic Important?

Toleration A repeated theme in exam answers on Vijayanagara
Contrast Wealth versus misery is a standard Mains observation
Temple role Temples as the centre of urban life

What Came Next?

The next topic covers the economic condition of the Vijayanagara Empire. Next topic: Economic Condition of the Vijayanagara Empire.

Key People and Terms

Maths Religious institutions
Pillared hall Mandapa added to temples
Nikitin Russian traveller
Barbosa Writer on toleration
Caste quarter Residential area by caste or craft
Mahanavami Dibba Ceremonial platform at Hampi

Exam Corner

Points to Remember

Villagers’ houses were thatched; people went barefoot.
Muslims lived in separate quarters.
Barbosa praised toleration.
Krishna Deva patronised Telugu, Kannada and Tamil poets.
Towns grew around temples.

Do Not Confuse With

Nikitin and Barbosa Peasant misery versus freedom of religion
Math and temple Religious institution versus place of worship
Telugu and Sanskrit works of Krishna Deva Poem on polity versus the drama

Memory Hook

Nobles glitter, peasants walk barefoot, temples feed towns, poets write in four languages.

Mains Angle

Questions on Vijayanagara society ask about contrasts and patronage. These points add depth.

Inequality Rich nobles and poor villagers
Religion Protection of Hinduism with toleration of others
Culture Language and temple patronage

A Question You May Face

An original practice question, not a past paper question.

“Describe the social and cultural life of the Vijayanagara Empire as reported by foreign travellers.”

How to Answer

Society Nikitin and others on contrasts.
City Caste quarters, bazaars and canals.
Religion Barbosa on toleration.
Arts Telugu and temples.

GS Relevance

Prelims: Vijayanagara society, religion and literature. GS Paper 1: social and cultural life in medieval south India.

Frequently Asked Questions

How did ordinary people live in Vijayanagara?

Villagers lived in thatched houses with small doors, went barefoot and wore little above the waist. All classes liked ornaments, and Nikitin said that country people were miserable while nobles were extremely affluent and fond of luxury.

How were the people organised in the capital?

People of one caste or profession lived in one quarter of the town, and Muslims appear to have lived in separate quarters. The city had seven citadels, long bazaars and canals, and one later traveller said it was larger than Rome.

Was Vijayanagara tolerant?

Yes. Barbosa wrote that every man could live by his own creed in Krishna Deva Raya's empire, whether Christian, Jew, Moor or heathen. The rulers protected Hinduism but also employed Muslims in the army and respected other faiths and worshippers who came to the city.

Which languages did Vijayanagara patronise?

Vijayanagara patronised Telugu, Kannada, Tamil and Sanskrit. Krishna Deva Raya supported poets in all of them, and his reign began a new era in Telugu literature with independent works replacing imitations of Sanskrit models and giving the language its own voice.

What role did temples play in Vijayanagara?

Temples were large and rich, needed food supplies for worship and pilgrims, and took part in internal and overseas trade. Many towns grew around temples, and the rulers built schools and maths beside them, so temples were the hub of social and cultural life for ordinary people and for the court.

PYQ Practice — Statement Analysis

1 Muslims lived in separate quarters in Vijayanagara city.

True

Caste and professions also had quarters.

2 Nikitin described the nobles of Vijayanagara as poor and the peasants as rich.

False

He said the nobles were extremely affluent and the country people miserable.

3 Barbosa praised the religious toleration of the Vijayanagara king.