Abdur Razzak, the traveler to Vijayanagar, 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 ?
- A.Jasmine
- B.Lotus
- C.Hibiscus
- D.Rose
Correct answer
Explanation
The correct answer is D, Rose. Abdur Razzak wrote that roses were sold everywhere in Vijayanagara and that the people could not live without them.
Abdur Razzak Samarqandi was an ambassador sent by the Timurid ruler Shah Rukh of Persia. He visited Vijayanagara in the 1440s, during the reign of Devaraya II of the Sangama dynasty. In his account he described the great size of the city, its seven lines of fortification, its busy bazaars, the king's palace and the trade in precious stones. He noted the many flower sellers and remarked that roses seemed as necessary to the people as food. Other foreign visitors to the city included Nicolo de Conti from Italy and Domingo Paes and Fernao Nuniz from Portugal.
A is wrong: jasmine is common in South India, but Razzak's remark was about roses.
B is wrong: the lotus is a sacred flower in art, not the one he described as daily need.
C is wrong: hibiscus is not the flower mentioned in his account.
Exam tip: Abdur Razzak (Persia, 1440s, Devaraya II); Nicolo de Conti (Italy, 1420); Domingo Paes and Nuniz (Portugal, 16th century).
Practice Questions
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