Indian Antiquary Vol 43

Author(s): Richard Carnac Temple, Devadatta Ramkrishna Bhandarkar
Publisher: Swati Publications

Page 52

THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY.
[MARCH, 1914
The Death of Krishna Deva In the year 1530 Krishna Deva Raya joined his fathers, leaving a void in South Indian history which could hardly be filled by any other statesman. His death was a blow to the Empire from which it never recovered. His brother and successor, Achyuta Raya, was not wanting in capacity, but the moment the eyes of Krishna Deva closed, there was a universa! rebellion in the Empire, and Achyuta Raya had to go to the south and quell it. It was this formidable rebellion that indirectly led to the establishment of the Naik dynasty in Madura. but in order that the condition of Madura and the south in general may at the time of the establishment of the Naik dynasty be well understood, it is necessary that the civilization of South India in the period of Vijayanagar supremacy must be described. I shall therefore proceed to sketch the features of South Indian civilization in the next section. and then describe, in the next chapter, the events of Achyuta Raya's administration, which ultimately led to the Naik Raj in Madura.
BOOK NOTICE THE GARDENS OF THE GREAT MUGHALS. By C. M. enables her readers to get at the inner life of the VILLIERS STUART. London, Black, 1913.
people : always valuable information. THIS is notable work for two reasons. It The author is rather severe on modern British breaks new ground and has been written by the wife
| taste in gardening as being inapplicable to India, of a voung officer of a British Regiment serving whereas the formal Mughal garden and its sur temporarily in India. In the lattc: respect it supplies
sors are fully suited to situation and climate. a welcome answer to the complaint that English
The present writer cannot agree with this view ladies obliged to reside in India for a while take altogether. India is a vast country and there are no interest in the country.
conditions in places to which the modern English This is no butterfly book, but a serious attempt system seems to be admirably suited, while in at the history of modern Indian gardening as others, especially in the arid, dusty plains, the introduced from further North and West by Babar formal walled system seems to specially succeed. and his successors, and at comprehending the symbo- What does appear to be faulty taste is to mix up lism in which the Indian lady of to-day enshrines her the modern British system with the Mughal, and carden. There are minor mistakes in it, of course, to attempt, as is sometimes done, to combine both for the writer is young and has had perforce to look within the same four walls. The irresistible tenfor information and guidance to more experienced denoy in all Oriental countries 18 to follow the persons, who have not always guided her aright. governing powers, and there is no doubt a danger But this fact need not trouble the reader. If he under British rule of all the formal Indian gardens is experienced, he can put the errors straight for becoming Anglicised to their damage. If the author himself. If he is not, they will not affect him succeeds in giving native ladies a pride in their form The main fact for both classes of readers is that of gardening and in thus checking & mischievous this book seriously starts a line of enquiry well tendencing towards indiscriminate Anglicising, she worth following up by those who would know what will have performed a work of permanent usefulness. is in the minds of the natives of India, while they In view of the severe controversy bound to arise live out their daily lives.
over the ordering of the new Delhi this book is The fact of the author being a woman gives most opportune. Gardens on a great scale will be her an advantage that no man, however experienced necessary and both British and native sentiment and learned in things Indian, could have. Garwill have to be considered. This book will supply dens are everywhere naturally attached to dwellings much necessary information on the latter point, in such a way that the women occupying the which would not otherwise be forthcoming. I must. hounes can have ready and continuous access to however, point out that the Mughal System to be thom. So she has been able to make friends with beautiful and successful is "millionaire" gardening, the wives and other female belongings of the owners, and if followed on a cheap scale is bound to be the and find out at first hand from them what their unpleasant failure that the modern Indian malg gardens mean to them, and how their contents achieves when left to himself. and forms have come to be preserved. All this
R. C. TEMPLE