Reborn In 17th century India with Black Technology

Chapter 7: Royal Tour?

It has been a few days since the council's founding, now that Vijay has freed his hands from the minor affairs of Vijayanagara for the most part, he has planned to take a tour of the empire before starting his reforms. he may have all the theoretical knowledge in his head, but he does not have any practical experience.

"Vinod, prepare everything that is needed, I'm going on a tour of Vijayanagara".

"As you wish your Majesty" .a young man with black hair, black eyes and a handsome face replied. Vinod is a 30-year-old young man who is an orphan raised by the royal family since birth, and he was Uncle Ravi's protege, as such he took over from Uncle Ravi as his butler, and loyalty is guaranteed.

Accompanied by a small retinue of loyal advisers and guards, Vijay set out on his horse-drawn carriage early one morning. The people watched in awe as their ruler passed through the bustling streets of Hampi. His journey took him through many towns and villages in each part of the empire.

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In the first village he visited, Vijay Deva Raya was welcomed with Scared faces and folded hands. He conversed with farmers toiling in the fields, learning about their struggles with water shortages and landlord taxation. Vijay just found out that all the taxes collected from the poor peasants were going to the landlords and had nothing to do with the royal court. Although most of the taxation rights were taken back by his father, it was mostly land tax, but the farmers still paid their local landlords 60-70% of their grain, leaving them with barely enough to eat. Vijay was furious and clenched his hand very tightly, which resulted in a bruise. He wanted to eradicate the unjust taxation system, but he held back, realizing, "It's not the time yet," he said to himself. He waved his hands and reassured the villagers that he would find a solution for them, all while wearing a warm smile.

As Vijay's journey continues, he gets to know more about his people and customs, and he notices a major problem. Vijay only read about it in books in his past life, but he now knows the horror of the caste system, which is deeply ingrained in Vijayanagara society, dividing people into hierarchical social groups without any development platform. Brahmins (priests and scholars) were at the top, followed by Kshatriyas (warriors), Vaishyas (merchants), and Shudras (labourers). Below these castes were the Dalits (untouchables), who are considered outside the caste system and often faced severe discrimination.

His journey takes him to the coastal regions of Vishakapatnam, where Nagappa is the head of the coastal village, a very famous South Indian port in his past life. "It will be perfect as a commercial port," he thought. Then, he saw fishermen who risked their lives at sea to provide for their families. Vijay witnessed them struggling for their life in a small, tattered fishing boat.

"Nagappa, why don't we have bigger boats? Can't we make a larger boat for fishing?" Vijay asks doubtfully.

"Your Highness, we can build bigger boats, but all the bigger boats that go to the sea never come back. We think there is a curse on the big boats in our country," he says trembling.

Vijay frowns. As a person from the 21st century, of course, he will not believe in such superstitions, but he begins to ponder and gains a clue. "Alright, I will arrange a grand offering to Lord Varuna," he said not wanting to worry the common folk.

Nagappa is relieved. Vijay's journey continues.

As he made his way into bustling Bengaluru, Vijay reminisced about studying in this city in his past life. The memories of the city's splendour filled him with a sense of nostalgia, and he couldn't help but be a bit biased in favour of making it his future capital city. Despite being far from the sea and lacking considerable natural resources, he saw the strategic advantages it offered. Bengaluru was located within acceptable distance to all major South Indian states and occupied a central position in the region. This made it a potential political centre for his empire, allowing for better governance and accessibility to various parts of the kingdom.

While Vijay acknowledged the significance of Hampi, he realized that its proximity to the Mughal states might pose some challenges. Therefore, he believed that Bengaluru, with its strategic location and existing infrastructure, would be a wiser choice for the capital.

Vijay interacted with merchants, traders, and artisans. He observed the economic vibrancy and cultural diversity that thrived within the city . However, he also noticed the stark contrast between the opulence of the nobility and the poverty endured by some of the poor.

As Vijay ventured deeper into the heartland, he was moved by the devotion of the people to their respective faiths. He visited many temples and shrines, seeking blessings for the prosperity and unity of his kingdom. He admired the richness of their spiritual lives but also became aware of the encroachment of Islamic and Christian monasteries in the region.

Vijay never liked both religions, not for any other reason, but because they seemed like both sides of the same coin. Each religion believed that their god was the supreme god, and those who didn't believe in their god were considered outsiders or not part of their people. But Hindus consider all Indians as their people; there is even a Muslim-practising Sufi saint (Sai Baba) worshipped as a god by millions of Indians. Both Muslims and Christians could not do it, moreover. The Christians had successfully wiped out Nordic and Greek gods through their belief that Christ is the only God, considering all other deities as heresy, and both religions came to the modern world with the blood of countless indigenous religions on their hands. Vijay was determined not to let history repeat itself. He knew he couldn't forcefully eliminate other religious beliefs, as there were millions of people following different faiths. Instead, he pondered on finding a way to integrate them as peacefully as possible.

Throughout his journey, Vijay Deva Raya embraced the hardships and joys of his subjects. He dined with commoners, danced with tribal communities, and sat by the fire listening to the folk tales of the elders. The living conditions of his people became etched in his heart, driving him to be a more empathetic and conscientious ruler.

After months of traversing his kingdom, Vijay returned to Hampi with a profound sense of purpose.