Abdur Razzak, the traveler to Vijaya- nagar, had referred to the presence of a number of flower merchants in Vijayanagar and noted a particular flower that seemed as necessary as food to the people of that part. Which variety of flower was being referred to by Abdur Razzak?

Abdur Razzaq, the Persian ambassador who visited Vijayanagara in 1443 during the reign of Deva Raya II, provided a detailed account of the city's social and economic life. He specifically observed the vibrant trade in the city's bazaars and noted the immense popularity of flowers. Razzaq remarked that the flower merchants sold roses in abundance and that these flowers were so integral to the daily lives of the citizens that they seemed as necessary as food. He noted that the people of Vijayanagara could not live without roses, and they were used extensively for personal adornment and rituals. This observation highlights the high standard of living and the cultural emphasis on aesthetics and luxury in the Vijayanagara Empire, where even common citizens prioritized the purchase of flowers alongside essential sustenance.

Sources

1. [1] THEMES IN INDIAN HISTORY PART II, History CLASS XII (NCERT 2025 ed.) > Chapter 7: An Imperial Capital: Vijayanagara > Finding out about the city > p. 176