MAHANAVAMI celebrations began with the new moon, whereas Razzak says
that the festival he saw began with the "full moon." This, however,
may have been due to a slip of the pen.

However that may be, he certainly was a spectator of a brilliant scene,
and I append his account of it.

"In pursuance of orders issued by the king of Bidjanagar, the
generals and principal personages from all parts of his empire
... presented themselves at the palace. They brought with them a
thousand elephants ... which were covered with brilliant armour and
with castles magnificently adorned.... During three consecutive days
in the month of Redjeb the vast space of land magnificently decorated,
in which the enormous elephants were congregated together, presented
the appearance of the waves of the sea, or of that compact mass which
will be assembled together at the day of the resurrection. Over this
magnificent space were erected numerous pavilions, to the height of
three, four, or even five storeys, covered from top to bottom with
figures in relief.... Some of these pavilions were arranged in such a
manner that they could turn rapidly round and present a new face: at
each moment a new chamber or a new hall presented itself to the view.

"In the front of this place rose a palace with nine pavilions
magnificently ornamented. In the ninth the king's throne was set
up. In the seventh was allotted a place to the humble author of this
narrative.... Between the palace and the pavilions ... were musicians
and storytellers."

Girls were there in magnificent dresses, dancing "behind a pretty
curtain opposite the king." There were numberless performances given