Cultural Study of Nisitha Curni

Author(s): Madhu Sen
Publisher: Sohanlal Jain Dharm Pracharak Samiti Amrutsar

Page 59

POLITY AND ADMINISTRATION
39 (iii) Other Employees of the Palace Apart from the abovementioned officers who were particularly entrusted with the duty of guarding the royal harem, there were a number of other employees employed to serve the various departments of the royal house-hold. The management of the royal kitchen was under the charge of a particular officer. The royal cooks (sūyāra--süpakāra)1 were proficient in preparing various types of dishes. The royal kitchen was divided into six sub-sections? (i) kotthagara or granary where all the varieties of provisions, e.g. wheat, rice, pulses etc. were stored, (ii) bhän lāgāra or the place for keeping the costly vessels of the royal household, (iii) liquor and other varieties of drink were kept in the pāņlgāra or panasala, (iv) milk products were stored in khiraghara or khirasala, (v) the fuel was stored in the gamjasala, a place for grinding the corn and (vi) mahanasasală was the actual cook-house where the food was prepared for the members of the royal house-hold, Besides the members of the royal house-hold, the guests of the State (rannı-pahun iga) and the employees of the royal house-hold, i.e. the soldiers and guards, the needy persons and the monks were also fed from the royal kitchen. The people were given food at the time of epidemic or famine (dubbhikkha).* The king bad his own doctors and physicians (vejja) who were well versed in the various branches of medicine. Astrology (joisa ) being a popular science of the age, the kings very often consulted the astrologers ( joisiya ) and fortune-tellers ( nemittiya ) for various ceremonies and important matters of the State.
Among the personal attendants of the king, sirorakṣa? or the royal body-guard was the most important. He has been
1. NO. 1, p. 15. 2. NC. 2, pp. 455-56. 3. Ibid. 4. NO. 2, p. 455. 5. NO. 3, p. 423; Prabandha Cintāmani, p. 55. 6. NC. 1, p. 22. 7. trivoi si cela pt cariteit-TTTH:-NC. 2, p. 234.