Town Planning in Ancient India c8.25

c8.25

(1) *Mountain-fort* (giridurga or pārvata), i.e., a fort secure in its mountainous position. Situated in a sequestered place, it must have an ample supply of water in its rear in the shape of an undercurrent or fountain.² The road ascending to it must be narrow and difficult of ascent. It must be endowed with fertile fields yielding abundant crops and plenteous with fruit-trees.³ It is subdivided into three classes.⁴ The first is one built on the top of a mountain levelled by means of spades and shovels and sometimes provided with secret exits like subterranean tunnels. It is called ‘prāntara’. It is the most auspicious of all.⁵ The forts of Chitore and Laṅkā are illustrative of this type. The second species is that which is laid out on the slope of a mountain (giripārśva). The town of Bundi is an example of it. The third type is situated in a valley secluded and made inapproachable by an encircling range of mountains with natural passes like a defile. It is technically known as ‘guhā’.¹ Jeypore and Udaypore may be its instances (2) Water-fort,² i.e., a fort rendered difficult of access by natural circumfluent water. It is again subdivided into two species. One is the island-fort (antardvīpa) : it is a fort on both sides of which rivers flow³ or in the midst of a