Defence Architecture in Early North Karnataka c12.s7.1

c12.s7.1

When Hyder Ali conquered Bādāmi fort, during his and his son and successor's periods two citadels were raised on the top of the hill plateaux on both the hills the north (Illn. 0.5) and south. On the north hill at the western scarp, the hill becomes rather pointed, providing commanding view of the plains not only on the front but also on the sides of the hill, thus it is a strategic point (Illn.0.4). It is at this point,a semi-circular fort wall is raised serving as bastion connecting the earliest walls of the citadel on both the sides. The interior diameter of the bastion is 20 m; this is approached by a flight of steps on the eastern side (Fig.33). The flight of steps consists of seven steps the first four are only 4 m. wide and the remaining three are 14 m wide. Although this method of providing shorter and wider steps is normal, it has some defensive implications too, Suppose the enemy soldiers in many numbers march towards the bastion in attacking the guards, they cannot together ascend because of the narrow length of the frontal four steps; and they had to ascend by that flight of steps only. On the other hand the defenders can spread all along the upper steps and attack the enemies now concentrated at one point. The parapet wall has at regular interval five slits of about 50 cms. wide each. Its height is 2 m., so that the army guards could not be seen at all from outside. Immediately on the northern side of the flight of steps a little behind is a cell with small opening. The cell perhaps a magazine is actually underground; it was probably meant for storing gun-powder. There are two metal guns still preserved within the bastion.