Defence Architecture in Early North Karnataka c12.s6: The Fort of the Vijayanagar Period
Defence Architecture in Early North Karnataka c12.s6
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The Fort of the Vijayanagar Period
c12.s6.1
Further, beyond the small fort enclosure of the Rastrakuta period westwards were the remains of the fort. A ground plan of this fort has been recorded in the survey plan of Bādāmi (22.8.1923), showing caves and temples around the tank,(Drawing published by Superintendent, Archaeological Survey, Poona No.1456). Now, there are hardly any remains of this fort and the present village extends much outside the fort that existed there.
c12.s6.2
From the plan (Fig.22) it appears that the fort was raised during the Vijayanagar period and we have already mentioned about the monuments of the Vijayanagar period such as the temple that is subsequently converted into masjid in the northern part and the brick mortar superstructure of Vijayanagara style to the raised over one of the Garbhagrihas of the Jambulinga temple.
c12.s6.3
The fort is roughly crescentic in plan with an exception of one sharp angle looking the southwest. It is exactly opposite to the deep valley forming the vast Agastya T̂irtha. The fort wall which is in single line, abuts the central part of the north-hill at one end and the southern side of the south-hill at the other. Immediately on the exterior side was a wide moat. The fort wall had a gateway in the middle but rather nearer the northern end and almost in alignment with the narrow passage of the second fort, which in turn is diagonally opposite of entrance No.1 of the Hill citadel. Obviously, therefore, the architect had taken into consideration, while building the fort, the plans of the earlier buildings in the fort, the plans of the earlier forts and the topography of the land.
c12.s6.4
The entrance (Fig.22) unlike those of the first and the second, is zig-zag, the angles being 90o on the exterior side at regular intervals are circular bastions. Unfortunately, the elevational aspect the architectural features of the top and constructional method cannot be known for the reason already mentioned above. However, a small part of it remains at one spot near the modern Chāvḍi (Village Council hall). A close examination of this well reveals that the blocks of stones were well cut rectangular and comparatively smaller in size. The method of placing the blocks is definitely after a regular pattern. The vertical joints of each course is arranged to be in alignment alternately (Fig.27).
c12.s6.5
The village now extends even beyond the fort. All the metal roads and almost all the buildings outside the fort are definitely of the modern period. Thus, the fort of the Vijayanagar period had probably enclosed not only the area of the administrative unit but also the whole city. Thus, this defensive wall can really be described as fort.
c12.s6.6
It was in the course of the expansion of the village, during the modern period in all the directions almost the whole fort wall had been demolished. Even the moat also had been filled up and there are houses in the depression.
c12.s6.7
Thus, in this fort we find three new developments in relation to the earlier forts:
c12.s6.8
1. Introduction of a zig-zag entrance,
2. Provision of circular bastions, and
3. Provision of a moat on the exterior side.