 The festival played a historical role in the 14th-century Vijayanagara Empire, where it was called "Mahanavami" and the festivities are shown in the relief artwork of the outer wall of the Hazara Rama temple of Hampi.The Italian traveller Niccolò de' Conti described the festival's intensity and importance as a grandeur religious and martial event with royal support.The event revered Durga as the warrior goddess (some texts refer to her as Chamundeshwari).