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Society in Vijayanagara Empire

Essays

The Story of an Unknown Vijayanagara Hero: The Barber Kondoja who Obtained Tax Exemption for his Entire Community

The Story of an Unknown Vijayanagara Hero: The Barber Kondoja who Obtained Tax Exemption for his Entire Community

Kondoja, an expert barber in Karnataka impressed Aliya Rama Raya with his beard-shaving skills and used the opportunity to get a tax exemption for his community throughout the Vijayanagara Empire. The story reveals a wealth of brilliant insights into the social, economic and political life of the pe

By Sandeep Balakrishna
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The Extinct World of the Bhaṭṭārakas or Bhattas is a Dried-up Teardrop of History

The Extinct World of the Bhaṭṭārakas or Bhattas is a Dried-up Teardrop of History

Tracing the brief cultural history of the Bhaṭṭārakas or Bhattas, the talented bards and panegyrists who occupied a central place in the Hindu society for a millennium.

By Sandeep Balakrishna
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The Wonderful World of Vipravinodins: The Forgotten Brahmanas of Vijayanagara

The Wonderful World of Vipravinodins: The Forgotten Brahmanas of Vijayanagara

Vipravinodins were Brahmanas in the Vijayanagara Era whose profession was jugglery. This essay attempts to trace their chequered history using inscriptional evidence.

By Sandeep Balakrishna
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