Defence Architecture in Early North Karnataka c12.s1: Preliminary Remarks
Defence Architecture in Early North Karnataka c12.s1
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Preliminary Remarks
c12.s1.1
In the last chapter, having known the structural details of the parts of the fort belonging to the early historical and the early Kadamba periods besides noting the later additions and renovations made to the fort it is appropriate to study the fort of the Chālukyas of Bādāmi. For as known from the history, the Chālukyas, during the early part of the 6th century A.D., gradually established their political authority overpowering the Kadambas and began to extend their Kingdom gradually.
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Pulikēśhi I, the third from the known genealogical line from their own inscription, was the first to make Bādāmi as the capital of the kingdom.
c12.s1.3
Pulikeshi I is particularly important not merely for having made Badami as the capital of the kingdom but more so for his tremendous effort of constructing the fort on the high hill plateau, now called the North-Hill, from the point of our study. His only known stone inscription, it is interesting to note, essentially speaks of the construction of the fort, the only one of its kind known so far belonging to the period of ancient Karnataka. The inscription (Panchamukhi, R.S., *K.I.*, 1940, Vol.II) is worth quoting. It is located in the middle part of a vertically steep side of the high hill.
c12.s1.4
'Svasti śakavarṣēṣu chatussatēṣu
panchaṣaṣṭi yutēṣu
Asvamēdhādi yajnānam yajva s'rauta
vidhānataḥ,
Hiraṇyagarbha sambhūtschalikyo
vallabhēs'varaḥ,
Dharādharēndra vatāpīmajēyambhūtayē
Bhuvah,
Adhastātuperistāchha Durgamētada
-chīkarat
c12.s1.5
Translation: Hail! The sake year four hundred added by sixty five (having elapsed). The Chālukya (king) performer of Asvamēdha and other sacrifices, according to the 'Srauta' rites, born of Hiraṇyagarbha and Vallabhēśvaraḥ, made the best hill of Vātāpi (or Vātapi in the best hill) into an unconquerable fortress (difficult of access) from the top as well as from the bottom, for the prosperity of the earth".
c12.s1.6
The inscription is important in several ways but more important in two respects for our study. The first line contains the date in Saka era i.e. 465 (543 A.D.) and the last line describing the impregnable character of the fort during that time that is inaccessible both from the top and the bottom. Let us discuss the fort against the background of the geological, geographical and economical conditions of the place, that attracted Pulikēśhi I, to make the place as the capital of his kingdom.
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Background
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Bādāmi (Fig.21) is located in a deep, wide steep gorge of a vast mighty red sand stone hill-ranges of the Kalādagi series. The gorge is open on the west and has two steep side wings on the north and the south and vast hill plateau on the east. In the wide valley is the natural pond. It attained sanctity in the course of time by having traditional association with the celebrated sage Agasthya; hence the pond is known as "Agastya Tīrtha".
c12.s1.9
Traditionally Bādāmi and the nearby three well-known places namely Mahākūṭa (Hale and Hosa), Paṭṭadkal and Aihoḷe, all located on the banks of the river Malaprabhā within a distance of about 30 km, are believed to have been inhabited by the two demons Vātāpi and Ilvala. They were a great menace to the pious and innocent. The sage Agastya on his way to south subjugated them, thus the place has gained sanctity. Besides, the environmental condition especially in and around Mahākūṭa, such as deep valley covered with moderate green forest and perennial water resources not easily available to commonpeople, has been most suitable for people with spiritual bent of mind to carry out their religious practice, unhindered by worldly disturbances. Thus, it appears, the Pāśhupata Saivas given to yogic practices, had selected this locality and carried on their practices at least from the pre-Chalukyan period; thus the whole area had a spiritual atmosphere.
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Thirdly, Ptolemy (C. 150 A.D.) refers to Bādāmi, Aihoḷe and Pattaḍkal as the places of commercial importance in this compilation of the places known for their trade activities in his book on Geography. Bādāmi - Aihoḷe group is located on the ancient trade routes connecting the upper Deccan with Sōpara, Paithan etc. as important trade centres and the south India with Nāgārjunakonda, Amarāvati, Kānchi etc.
c12.s1.11
Thus, religiously, economically and also from the strategic point of view, Bādāmi had qualified itself as to become the capital of a kingdom. Pulikeshi I had realised fully well all these aspects and therefore must have made it as the capital and built the fort.