It is obvious that the history of Sanskrit literature as well as the picture of Indian society cannot be treated as complete without taking into consideration women’s writing. Each and every single manuscript brought to our attention is important as generally there is a lack of works authored by women. Additionally, Kerala women’s literary creativity can show the specificity and rank of Sanskrit literature in the South of India. The right starting point for the investigations seemed to be Sanskrit education in Kerala, especially with regard to women. The literary creativity of three generations of women literati from the royal family of Cochin is briefly presented in this paper. The historical and cultural background of the region is also taken into account.
A visit to a temple before a battle, or visiting a holy place on the way to a military campaign, as well as paying homage to a god and offering rich gifts after a victorious battle are well attested in literature and inscriptions. However, Vijayanagara ruler Acyutarāya’s southern campaign depicted by the poet Rājanātha Dindima, as will be shown further in the paper, is in fact a pilgrimage route of a pious Hindu. Thus, while accompanying the monarch on his war expedition, instead of witnessing bloody battles, the reader becomes acquainted with sacred geography of South India.