Chapter 32: Agricultural Reform
A few days later, the alliance agreement found its way to the tables of both the King of the Maratha Kingdom and Roshan, the Rebel leader.
In the Maratha Kingdom:
As soon as King Rajendra Bansal laid eyes on the alliance agreement, a sense of relief washed over him.
"Lord Vishnu, I thank you for your blessings,"
He expressed his thanks to the deity for the good news. Later, he went to meet his daughter to make arrangements for the upcoming marriage.
Somewhere within the Mughal Empire.
A group of people sat around a table, deeply focused on reading a document. These individuals are the Rebel leaders who bought the weapons from the Vijayanagara Empire. Now, they are discussing the feasibility of the document.
Roshan, by indirectly creating the opportunity, became a leader of the group.
"The Mughal Bridge Group, eh?"
He felt very satisfied with the agreement he had obtained from both monarchs. The fact that their opinions were not considered during the alliance discussions didn't bother him. This resulted from his personal choice to share information about the Vijayanagar Empire. The irony of not being able to name their organization did make him smile, but the relief of avoiding potential consequences was more important than such worries.
Over the next few months, a regular stream of weapons and supplies made its way from the Vijayanagar Empire to the Maratha Kingdom. This movement was made possible by the efforts of the Mughal Bridge Group. At the same time, shipments of goods moved through the Mughal Empire to help improve the resources of the Vijayanagara Empire, making them stronger.
Vijayanagar Empire, Shimoga.
After the recent ending of the Pongal festival, a harvest celebration caught Vijay's attention. With the festival over and the upcoming potash supply, he became interested in the experimental farm, that he had overlooked for a few months. So he quickly got on a carriage and left to meet the old man Narasimha.
When he arrived at the fields, a beautiful scene was presented before him. The landscape revealed new crops being planted in various places. Dedicated farm labourers were hard at work within the farms, carrying out their daily tasks as they always did. What stood out was the remarkable vitality of the lush crops – they were exceptionally healthy and their impressive density was unparalleled in this era.
"Listen, everyone, from near and far,
According to the new decree from the esteemed King Vijay Deva Raya:
* A fresh Krishi Vibhag will be established to share the latest agricultural advancements within the empire.
* The innovative 4-field planting method, designed to increase crop yields, will be put into practice.
* Instructors from the Krishi Vibhag will personally teach these new farming techniques in every village's panchayat, without any cost.
* The new potash fertilizer, which can further increase crop yield, will be sold to the merchants near you at affordable prises.
* Merchants caught overpricing goods will be imprisoned for 10 years or more, depending on the severity of the issue.
* The skill for crafting the new tongue ploughs will be freely shared with all the craftsmen.
* The Krishi Vibhag will also manage the purchase of surplus grain from the people.
* The collected grain will find its place in food banks built across the country.
* During times of drought or natural disasters, the stored grain will be sold at affordable prices."
Upon hearing this news, the common folk reacted with a mix of astonishment and hope:
"More food?"
"At no cost?"
"For disaster relief?"
Amidst the murmurs, the chants of "Long live the great king!" and "Long live Vijayanagar!" resounded throughout the kingdom, carrying gratitude and excitement for the promising changes ahead.