DDK HistoryF.p65 - CSIR

COMMENTARY TO ILLUSTRATIONS
largest of the 600 assorted pieces which, loaded with bags of copper coin in lieu of
grape-shot, wiped out the great charge of the best Vijayanagar troops, thereby assuring
victory to the Muslim confederates. A cult has been set up on top of the gun by the
custodian and some local people.
56. Gwalior fort, ‘ the jewel among forts’; view of Raja Man Singh’s palace, built
at the end of the 15th century. The hilltop (then called Gopagiri) was held by the Huns
(p. 248) under Mihiragula at the beginning of the 6th century, and must already have
been fortified to dominate the junction of trade routes by the time of the first Gupta
emperors. The palace founded a famous school of Indian music.
57. The outer defences of Lohogao! (IG. 16.170), looking down from the inner
wall upon the main gate and the pass (p. 288) which leads from Karle and Bhaja (to
the left) towards the Fauna valley and the coast. The surviving fortifications are not
older than the Bahmani period.
GROUP VI ; Court life & portraits (58-64)
58. Jahangir receives his son, in the presence of the leading nobles. In the
original colours, this is one of the finest examples of portraiture in Mughal painting,
which reached its zenith under Akbar and Jahangir. The nobles were not hereditary,
but carefully selected from various regions, faiths, and parties, so as to prevent any
strong coalition. This meant progressively greater power in the hands of the actual
feudal landholders.
59. Unknown feudal couple, of the Coja period, votive bronze statuettes with
attached lambs, in the Siva temple at Kajahasti ; contrast the devotional expression
with that of the donor couples at Karle, in no. 47.
60. Kanaka ; inscribed headless statue in yellow sandstone at the museum, Mathura.
The books are characteristic, as is Kusana title devaputra, copied from the Chinese
“Son of Heaven’*. The image of the sun-god, when anthropomorphic (e.g. three such
images in the Archaeological Museum, Gwalior, one at Delhi) is similarly booted and
robed, as would be expected from the importation of the cult, with Magian priests.
from Sakadvlpa, during Ku^ana times.
61. Royal pastimes, relief at Vijayanagar: review of the riding horses, hunting,
fights in the arena, harem scenes, &c.
62. Pediment of the Subrahmanya temple, Chidambaram, showing court ballet
with singers and musicians.
63. King Krsna-deva-raya (1509-29) of Vijayanagar with his two principal queens
; votive copper repousse images in the Srinivasa-Perumal temple, Tirumalai. His
favourite queen Chinna-devi or NagalS-devI (to his right) had been a courtezan. The
king founded the city of Nagalapuram (modern Hospet) in her name, as the first outpost
on the arterial trade route from Vijayanagar through BanavasI to the port at
Bhatkal.
64. Rajendra Coja, late copy of a votive bronze image in the Brha-disvara temple,
Tanjore.