Excerpts about the Mahanavami Dibba
"Public rituals in the capital city highlighted the state's military prowess. A case in point is the nine-day Mahanavami festival associated with veneration of the goddess Durga. All the great nayaka lords and their armies were required to attend the festival, after which a general muster of the troops was held outside the city proper... During the festival itself, the goddess was worshipped by the king both privately and publicly; the two sometimes also shared the Mahanavami Dibba, the large platform upon which the king displayed himself to his lords and in turn was paid homage by them.
...All these festivals, while essentially religious, were in fact a celebration of the regime's success in the economic and political realms. This multitiered platform dominates the skyline of the royal center. That aspect of it is visible from a considerable distance; however, it is only on close scrutiny that the sculpted carvings on every tier are noted. Here we see no religious themes whatsoever, but only those depicting the ruler, the military, and the endless processions essential to these royal celebrations, thus providing an important insight into the concept of kingship under the Vijayanagara rulers." (Asher and Talbot)
Description of the Mahanavani Dibba by 15th century diplomat Kamaluddin Abdul-Razzaq Samarqandi:
"The king of Vijayanagar ordered that from all his realms, which would take three or four months to cross, the leaders and chieftains should come to court. They brought a thousand elephants roaring and raging like mountains and thunderclouds, adorned with weaponry and embellished with howdahs, with acrobats and pyrotechnists, and on the elephants' heads, trunks and ears amazing pictures and strange designs painted in cinnabar and other [colors].
In that pleasant space there were raised pavilions (chahartaq) of three, four and five stories, completely covered from top to bottom with pictures, every picture that could be imagined, of humans, beasts, birds and all other animals, even flies and mosquitoes-all executed with precision and mastery.
...singers and reciters were performing. Most of the singers were girls. A group of girls with cheeks like the moon and pages more beautiful than early spring, with beautiful garments and enchanting countenances like fresh roses, came behind a thin curtain up to the king. Suddenly they pulled aside the curtain, which they were holding on either end, and the girls began to dance in an astonishingly enchanting manner." (Thackston/Razzaq)
Sources:
Catherine B. Asher & Cynthia Talbot, “Southern India in the Age of Vijayanagara, 1350 - 1550” from India Before Europe, Cambridge University Press, 2006, pp. 71 - 72.
W. M. Thackston (sel. and trans.), “Kamaluddin Abdul-Razzaq Samarqandi Mission to Calicut and Vijayanagar” from A Century of Princes: Sources on Timurid History and Art, Timurid History and Art, Cambridge, Mass: Aga Khan Program for Islamic Architecture, 1989.
Full book available here: https://www.archnet.org/publications/5428
Annotated Images
Click to see annotated views of the Mahanavami Dibba
1. This structure is called the Great Platform. It is also known as the “Mahanavami Dibba” (House of Victory) because the king of Vijayanagara sat on top of it during the Hindu Navratri festival. Mahanavami is the last day of the festival. It commemorates the day the goddess Durga drove away Mahishasura (the buffalo-demon). The platform is made up of three levels, stacked on top of each other. The levels were built at different times.
2. There is a staircase on the west side (shown here) and another on the south side. On top, there used to be a wooden structure, where the king sat when he presided over events here.
3. View of the west side of the platform. According to researchers at the Vijayanagara Research Project, this green stone (green chloritic schist) was added in the 16th century. You might recognize the name “schist” from sculptures made in Gandhara. This is another type of schist.
4. This wall is on the lower level, on the south-facing side of the platform. Each row contains a different scene. This bottom row shows the king (far left) greeting visitors and reviewing a military procession. Note the presence of horses. Vijayanagara obtained its war horses through maritime trade. They came from the Persian Gulf, across the Indian Ocean, into ports on the western side of the Indian peninsula.
5. This row shows hunting scenes, including many different scenes of the king hunting all kinds of local animals.
6. This row shows a procession of horses. Some are led by trainers while others are ridden by mounted warriors. The two figures 3rd and 4th from the left probably depict Muslim Arabs, Turks, or Persians because they “are clad in long coats reaching almost to their feet, with sleeves covering their hands [and they] have beard and mustache, and apparently a long head cloth with tassels(?) hanging from the back.” (Dallapiccola & Vergehese)
7. This row also references contact with foreign peoples and lands. It features a procession of dromedary camels plus some foreign musicians and dancers. Dromedary camels were domesticated on the Arabian peninsula and then adopted by people across North Africa, the Middle East, and Central Asia for trade and warfare.
8. This row shows a procession of elephants. South Asian kings used elephants for warfare and Vijayanagara is also famous for its elephant stables. Visitors to Vijayanagara, like Kamaluddin Abdul-Razzaq Samarqandi, reported that there were many hundreds of elephants on parade during the Mahanavami festival.
9. This is another detail of the south-facing wall, alongside the staircase from the ground to the top of the first level. Moving from bottom to top, you can see the Royal Hunter (the king); a procession of horses, horse trainers, and soldiers in different kinds of clothing; a procession of camels and dancing Turkish musicians (with pointed hats); and a procession of elephants.
10. At the very top of the image you see the wall frieze of the second level, including a repeating lotus design.
11. Elephants were initially used to symbolize the Buddha, but by the time the Great Platform was built, elephants alongside doorways had come to indicate power.
12. This image shows an elephant under attack by a lion-like creature. By the time the Mahanavami Dibba was built, this was a common visual motif in both Hindu and Muslim architecture, especially on the gates of forts. For more about this, see “Old fights, new meanings: Lions and elephants in combat” by Pushkar Sohoni.
13. This royal hunting scene is on the south-facing wall, alongside the staircase with the lion-like creature and the elephants. You can also see it on the image with annotations #9 and #10. It’s difficult to see details in this image, but the king is the figure with the bow. He is wearing a short dhoti. He is wearing lots of jewelry and a dagger. His long hair is gathered in a bun at the back of his head and he has a mustache and a beard. This attire is Indic, not Islamicate.
14. The king is assisted in his hunt by two hunting dogs.
15. These are kolata dancers, from one of the lower (older) levels of the platform. Though current-day kolata dancers wear different clothing, the dance itself is still recognizable. You can see one example here: https://youtu.be/bie8CTZYSHs
16. This scene depicts the king (center) surrounded by courtiers. Men are on the left, women on the right. The deeper carving and the clothing style show that this is on an upper (later) level of the platform. The king has both jewelry and a yajnopavita (sacred thread). The king and the courtiers on the left are wearing sashes wrapped around their hips, on top of their lower garments. The women on the right are wearing necklaces and scarves that drape over their arms. This fashion is thoroughly Indic, but interestingly, the scene could have taken place in a building with many Islamicate features, like the Lotus Mahal. See “Courtly Style” from the Vijayanagara Research Project to learn more.
- This structure is called the Great Platform. It is also known as the “Mahanavami Dibba” (House of Victory) because the king of Vijayanagara sat on top of it during the Hindu Navratri festival. Mahanavami is the last day of the festival. It commemorates the day the goddess Durga drove away Mahishasura (the buffalo-demon). The platform is made up of three levels, stacked on top of each other. The levels were built at different times.
- There is a staircase on the west side (shown here) and another on the south side. On top, there used to be a wooden structure, where the king sat when he presided over events here.
- View of the west side of the platform. According to researchers at the Vijayanagara Research Project, this green stone (green chloritic schist) was added in the 16th century. You might recognize the name “schist” from sculptures made in Gandhara. This is another type of schist.
- This wall is on the lower level, on the south-facing side of the platform. Each row contains a different scene. This bottom row shows the king (far left) greeting visitors and reviewing a military procession. Note the presence of horses. Vijayanagara obtained its war horses through maritime trade. They came from the Persian Gulf, across the Indian Ocean, into ports on the western side of the Indian peninsula.
- This row shows hunting scenes, including many different scenes of the king hunting all kinds of local animals.
- This row shows a procession of horses. Some are led by trainers while others are ridden by mounted warriors. The two figures 3rd and 4th from the left probably depict Muslim Arabs, Turks, or Persians because they “are clad in long coats reaching almost to their feet, with sleeves covering their hands [and they] have beard and mustache, and apparently a long head cloth with tassels(?) hanging from the back.” (Dallapiccola & Vergehese)
- This row also references contact with foreign peoples and lands. It features a procession of dromedary camels plus some foreign musicians and dancers. Dromedary camels were domesticated on the Arabian peninsula and then adopted by people across North Africa, the Middle East, and Central Asia for trade and warfare.
- This row shows a procession of elephants. South Asian kings used elephants for warfare and Vijayanagara is also famous for its elephant stables. Visitors to Vijayanagara, like Kamaluddin Abdul-Razzaq Samarqandi, reported that there were many hundreds of elephants on parade during the Mahanavami festival.
- This is another detail of the south-facing wall, alongside the staircase from the ground to the top of the first level. Moving from bottom to top, you can see the Royal Hunter (the king); a procession of horses, horse trainers, and soldiers in different kinds of clothing; a procession of camels and dancing Turkish musicians (with pointed hats); and a procession of elephants.
- At the very top of the image you see the wall frieze of the second level, including a repeating lotus design.
- Elephants were initially used to symbolize the Buddha, but by the time the Great Platform was built, elephants alongside doorways had come to indicate power.
- This image shows an elephant under attack by a lion-like creature. By the time the Mahanavami Dibba was built, this was a common visual motif in both Hindu and Muslim architecture, especially on the gates of forts. For more about this, see “Old fights, new meanings: Lions and elephants in combat” by Pushkar Sohoni.
- This royal hunting scene is on the south-facing wall, alongside the staircase with the lion-like creature and the elephants. You can also see it on the image with annotations #9 and #10. It’s difficult to see details in this image, but the king is the figure with the bow. He is wearing a short dhoti. He is wearing lots of jewelry and a dagger. His long hair is gathered in a bun at the back of his head and he has a mustache and a beard. This attire is Indic (rather than Islamicate).
- The king is assisted in his hunt by two hunting dogs.
- These are kolata dancers, from one of the lower (older) levels of the platform. Though current-day kolata dancers wear different clothing, the dance itself is still recognizable. You can see one example here: https://youtu.be/bie8CTZYSHs
- This scene depicts the king (center) surrounded by courtiers. Men are on the left, women on the right. The deeper carving and the clothing style show that this is on an upper (later) level of the platform. The king has both jewelry and a yajnopavita (sacred thread). The king and the courtiers on the left are wearing sashes wrapped around their hips, on top of their lower garments. The women on the right are wearing necklaces and scarves that drape over their arms. This fashion is thoroughly Indic, but interestingly, the scene could have taken place in a building with many Islamicate features, like the Lotus Mahal. See “Courtly Style” from the Vijayanagara Research Project to learn more.