Defence Architecture in Early North Karnataka c15.s1.12

c15.s1.12

The entrance (Fig. 48) leads to inner passage, 2.50 m wide, flanked by two guard-rooms on each side, (1.50 x 1.50 m each guard room). The passage leads to a barbican, which is rather narrow. On the other side of the guard-room, on the north side in the interior are three rooms for another set of watch and ward. The barbican leads to a narrow passage in between two circular bastions. At the top of the bastions are the loop-holes. Suppose, the enemy soldiers enter into barbican, their quick movement is checked by the narrow passage in between the two bastions. In the mean while, the soldiers from the top of the bastions, through the loop-holes, can effectively attack the enemy soldiers gathered in the barbican. From the narrow passage, the way is led to rather rectangular open space, that leads to another entrance looking north (Ent. IV & Illn. E2). Thus, the main entrance and the interior entrance are not in alignment. This entrance leads to another barbican, which is actually on the interior side of the fort wall, abutting southern bastion of the middle entrance IV (Fig. 48).