Who among the following travellers noted this about the fortification of Vijayanagara Empire: “between the first, second and the third walls there are cultivated fields, gardens and houses”?
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 2
The correct answer is Option (2) → Abdur Razzaq
Abdur Razzaq was an ambassador sent by the ruler of Persia to Calicut in the fifteenth century. He was greatly impressed by the fortifications of Vijayanagara and mentioned seven lines of forts. The most striking point for him was that the walls enclosed farmland as well, so that between the first, second and third walls there were cultivated fields, gardens and houses.
NCERT (2025-26): “3.2 Fortifications and roads … Before we examine the different parts of the city in detail let us look at what enclosed them all – the great fortress walls. Abdur Razzaq, an ambassador sent by the ruler of Persia to Calicut (present-day Kozhikode) in the fifteenth century, was greatly impressed by the fortifications, and mentioned seven lines of forts. These encircled not only the city but also its agricultural hinterland and forests. … What was most significant about this fortification is that it enclosed agricultural tracts. Abdur Razzaq noted that ‘between the first, second and the third walls there are cultivated fields, gardens and houses’.…” |