Defence Architecture in Early North Karnataka c15.s1.2

c15.s1.2

The area of Kalyāṇa, as a part of the Deccan region has a past history of many a ruling dynasty from the very early days, though it came to prominence only from the 10th century onwards. In the ancient past in the 3rd century B.C., this region along with other parts of the Deccan formed a part of the Mauryan empire, though there are no direct evidences to say so, but there is an important Asokan inscription at Maski in the District of Raichur further south of Bidar District, testifying to the area being virtually part of his empire. The region subsequently, appears to have come to lime light under the influence of Buddhism as indicated by the Buddhist remains at Sannati. Undoubtedly, further the area was a part of Sātavāhana kingdom political centre of which was Pratiṣṭhānpura (Paithan). To the north of Kalyāṇa, traditionally, this area of Kalyāṇa had contacts with the Kadambas of Banavāsi, and during the period of Chālukyas of Bādāmi, 5th to 8th century A.D., it came under their direct sway as the Chālukyan rule extended farther far beyond in the north upto the Narmada. Later, the Rāṣṭrakūṭas initially from Velāpur, Ellora in Mahārāṣṭra, and subsequently from Mānyakhēṭa, Malkhed in Gulbarga not very far off from Kalyāṇa, ruled practically the whole of the Deccan and naturally the Kalyāṇa area became the part of the core of the empire, during the 8th to 10th century. Now during the period of the rise of the later Chālukyas, with the establishment of their political power from the late 10th century upto the end of the 12th century, Kalyāṇa was made its capital. This period contributed original fort layout and major fortificational activity of Hindu order, while the subsequent period with external incursions witnessed a substantial alterations and modifications thereat, of Muslim style. Kalyāṇa remained as the capital of the Kalachūris also, upto 1283 A.D. Following the invasion of Malik-Kafur in 1308–1310 A.D., the fortune and political importance of Kalyāṇa went into the hands of Muslims, whose hub of the political activities became Devagiri and further with the passage of time it lost its importance and grandeur and thus sank into oblivion. It further, in the late medieval period remained as a small Headquarters of Muslim feudatories of the Tughluks, the Barīd Shāhs, the Mughals, the Marāthās and the Nizāms.