According to Portuguese writer Nuniz, the women in Vijayanagara Empire were expert in which of the following areas? 1. Wrestling 2. Astrology 3. Accounting 4. Soothsaying Select the correct answer using the code given below.

Answer: D. According to Nuniz, Vijayanagara women were expert in ALL FOUR: wrestling, astrology, accounting, AND soothsaying. FERNAO NUNIZ was a PORTUGUESE HORSE TRADER and chronicler who visited the Vijayanagara Empire around 1535-37 CE (during the reign of Achyuta Raya). His chronicle 'Chronica dos reis de Bisnaga' is a key European source on 16th-century Vijayanagara life and court. Nuniz observed and documented that women at the Vijayanagara court were trained in a remarkable variety of skills, including: (1) WRESTLING — CORRECT. Nuniz mentions women trained as PROFESSIONAL WRESTLERS in the royal household; some served as palace guards. (2) ASTROLOGY — CORRECT. Women were trained in ASTROLOGY and the calculation of celestial events. They served the court in advisory and divinatory roles. (3) ACCOUNTING — CORRECT. Women maintained ACCOUNTS and records of royal expenses, household management, and treasury affairs. This was a notable departure from contemporaneous European norms. (4) SOOTHSAYING — CORRECT. Women were also engaged in SOOTHSAYING and divination, alongside astrology and ritual functions. Other contemporary accounts (Domingo Paes, Niccolo de Conti, Abdul Razzaq) corroborate aspects of women's roles, including women in military bodyguards, dancers, musicians, and palace administration. Vijayanagara is notable in Indian history for the relatively high public visibility of women in court life. Source: 'A Forgotten Empire' (Robert Sewell's translations of Nuniz and Paes) / NCERT Class 12 Themes in Indian History Part II 'An Imperial Capital — Vijayanagara'.