Domingo Paes, a 16th-century Portuguese traveller, equated Vijayanagara to Rome, highlighting its architectural splendour. What made Vijayanagara the epitome of urbanisation in pre-modern South India? (Answer in 150 words)

Paes described the capital of Vijayanagara Hampi as "too big for the eye to see in one direction" and among the finest cities of Earth.

Vijayanagara was the South Indian Epitome of urbanization because:

① Possessed a thriving urban community with central markets trading in spices, gemstones

② Syncretic culture dominated → speakers of Sanskrit, Telugu, Kannada were given equality in citizenship

③ High achievements in architecture:

Virupaksha Temple

Sarvegama Pillar → Musical engineering

④ Secular administration promoting equally with presence of mosque with Hindu baroque features (and arcade Hindu temples and state buildings)

⑤ Domes in Queen's Bath

⑥ Wide over-seas trade through the Teling-Bhadra → global identity of Vijayanagara

⑦ State sponsored public infrastructure was given priority

⊕ Durvayi III 's reservoir projects on Tungabhadra

⑧ Hub of cultural activities with literature like → Kannada Katha Manjari

Pilsa Pairiayan

The empire of Vijayanagara was a melting pot of global and local culture in ancient south India.

Virupaksha Temple

Sarvegama Pillar → Musical engineering

⑤ Secular administration promoting equality with presence of mosque with Hindu baroque features (and arcade Hindu temples and state buildings)

⊕ Domes in Queen's Bath

⑥ Wide over-seas trade through the Teling-Bhadra → global identity of Vijayanagara

⑦ State sponsored public infrastructure was given priority

⊕ Durvayi III's reservoir projects on Tungabhadra

⑧ Hub of cultural activities with literature like → Kannada Katha Manjari

Pilsa Pairiayan

The empire of Vijayanagara was a melting pot of global and local culture in ancient south India.

— Varun Tokas · AIR 117