The Brahmanas exercised a predominant influence not only in social and religious matters, but also in the political affairs of the state. The practice of sati was largely prevalent in the noble class.
The evil practice of hard excessive dowries was greatly common among those who were economically well-placed. However, many women were fairly educated and they were employed as clerks in the royal household.
From the account of Paes, we learn that Devadasis held a highly respect- able position in society and were given land grants, maid-servants etc. Overall, the status of women improved during this period. Allasani Peddana’s Manucharitam gives a detailed account of the social conditions especially the caste system of the Vijayanagara empire.
ECONOMIC CONDITIONS
Unbounded prosperity prevailed in the Vijayanagara empire. Agriculture flourished in different parts of the kingdom and the state pursued a wise irrigation policy.
The principal industries were related to textiles, mining and metallurgy and the most important of the minor industries was perfumery. Craftsmen and merchants guilds played an important part in the economic life of the kingdom. The most remarkable feature in the economic condition of the kingdom was Commerce: Inland, Coastal and Overseas. The most important port on the Malabar coast was Calicut.
It had commercial relations with the islands in the Indian ocean, the Malay Archipelago, Burma, China, Arabia, Persia, South Africa, Abyssinia and Portugal. The principal articles of exports were cloth, rice, iron, saltpetre, sugar and spices and the principal imports into the empire were horses, elephants, pearls, copper, coral mercury. China silk and velvet.
The cheap means of transport for inland trade were kavadis, head-load, peak-horses, peck-bullocks, carts and asses. Horses were imported from Central Asia, and local traders were known as ‘Khudrai Chettis’, who controlled the local markets in Vijayanagara empire. Ships were in use for coasting and overseas trade.
COINS OF VIJAYANAGARA
Coins of Vijayanagara consisted of both gold and silver and was embedded with symbols of different Gods and animals. The rulers issued gold coins called Varahas or Pagodas.
The most common symbol was the Varaha, the boar incarnation of Vishnu or is the avatar of the Hindu God Vishnu in the farm boar These help us to know that they were Vishnu worshippers. Impressions found on the Vijayanagara coins include the bull, elephant and various Hindu deities and the Gandabherunda ta double headed eagle holding an elephant in its beaks and claw
On the reverse, they contained the king’s name in Nagari or Kannada script. Harihara I and Bukka I employed the Hanuman symbol, while Krishnadeva Rays had Venkatesh and Balkrishna, Achutya Rays and Garuda, while Tirumala maintained the original Varaha. The Varaka was the main gold with a slight per content. The Porte was half a Viraha. The Fanam one-tenth a Perte. All were of gold mused with alley, with the Fanam as the most useful. Tar was a silver con, which was a sixth of the Fanam. The Jal was a copper con worth a third of the Tur.