Defence Architecture in Early North Karnataka c15.s2: The Fort in Hāngal

Defence Architecture in Early North Karnataka c15.s2

Language: English

c15.s2.t1 Chronology — 6 parts

The Fort in Hāngal

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The Fort in Hāngal - The description and its critical analysis Hāngal, now a Taluka Headquarters in Dharwad District is historically important, atleast from the time of the Sātavāhana rule. In the fort area within the II enclosure, where there is a small structure associated with killing of Kīchaka by Bhīma - the *Mahābhārata* hero, are found scattered pottery such as Red-ware, Black and Red ware typical of the Early historical period.

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During the Early Kadambas of Banavāsi, this important town was described as Pānktipura and a part thereof known 'Kuppatturu' was given as gift to a Brahmin Svāmīśarman of Kaundinya Gotra by Dharmamahārāja Krishna Varma-II of Pānktipura (K.I. 1952, Vol.II, No.1, pp. 1.ff.).

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After the subjugation of the Early Kadambas by the Bādāmi Chālukyas, the former continued to rule that area as the subordinates to the Chālukyas. This was so when the imperial Rāṣṭrakūṭas were supreme, ruling over the whole of the Deccan and when the Chālukyas of Kalyāṇa (Mores George,M. 1931, P.109) established their supremacy at the close of the 10th century, the Kadambas became their feudatories. During this period Hāngal for some time attained the status of a capital and continued to be so now and then till the Kadambas were subjugated by Ballāla-II of the Hoysalas (1931, 156-157). However, they continued to rule till the middle of 14th century, the last king of them being Purandara Rāja (1315-1347 A.D.).

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As a result of this political and the traditional importance the place enjoyed the position of eminence for nearly 1000 years. There are now the remains of extensive fort walls of different periods, many temples and sculptures of merit scattered all over the area. The Tarakeshwara temple is one of the best specimens of the Kalyāṇa Chālukyan architectural style with the Hoysala influence. Nearby is another plain temple noteworthy for its super structure in Rekhā-Nāgar-style. It is locally known as Gaṇēsha temple. Within the fort are a few temples belonging to both Jaina and Śaiva sects.

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Situation:

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The town (Fig. 52) is located on the left bank of the river Dharma a tributory to the Varada and in-between the two tanks Achekeri and Ānekori, the last being very extensive. The ground normally plain, is gradually sloping towards the South bordering the Dharma. There are two large forts (Fig. 53) one within the other irregularly oval shaped in plan, west-north-west and east-south-east oriented. Within the II fort wall, the western part now forms the present site of the town. The eastern part is separated by a main road. In this part there is another small fort that stretches even outside the II fort. It is roughly rectangular and north-south oriented. The northern part of it forms the citadel area. The II fort wall apparently abuts the eastern and western walls of the III enclosure (Fig. 53).

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From the above general analysis, it is obvious that this small fort referred to as enclosure II here forms evidently the earliest of the four enclosures; the other three being the citadel i.e. Enclosure I, the outer fort i.e. Enclosure III abutting the Enclosure II and the outermost fort i.e. Enclosure-IV. Now let us try to understand the architectural features of these Enclosures one by one (Fig.53).

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Enclosure-I (Illn. F1)

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Enclosure-I (N:S 500 M, E:W 200 M) is irregularly oval shaped in plan, north-south oriented that may be taken as citadel within Enclosure-II. The citadel has only one entrance at north-west corner looking west, and is rectangular on plan having opening near the southern wall. At the corner point is a watch-tower (Fig. 54) with flight of steps at the interior corner, tapering towards the flat top. The tower is 50 m wide at the bottom and 38 m high. At the top is a stone square platform with the flat post at the centre. The entrance leads to a small closed area i.e. barbican and at the middle. Another part is again an opening leading to another barbican which opens into the interior of the citadel. Within the citadel there are no structural remains now extant, excepting a temple known as Īśvara temple of the 11th or 12th century. The wall is unusually very high about 25.00 m. and 20 m. wide at the bottom. The wall steeply tapers towards the top resulting in rounded top. The section reveals two parallel core walls of laterite stones with 10 m. space inbetween. Each wall is about 2.00 m. wide. Within the walls and outside, the space is compactly filled with mud and also over them. Consequently the walls are not visible from outside. On the exterior side is a wide moat, about 25 m. wide, that runs round the II enclosure. It is filled with water fed by a tank now known as Shastri tank, which is within the II and III enclosures at the north-east corner.

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Enclosure-II (Illn. F.2)

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The II Enclosure (N-S. 750 m. E-W. 600 m.) is about 20 m. high and 20 m. broad at the bottom (Fig. 53, encl.II). It is similar in its outer measurements to that of the citadel, but in the core the two parallel walls, each about 2 m. wide are of bricks with 10 m. span inbetween (Fig.55). The brick walls (Illn. F.4) are completely well packed both on the interior and exterior. The profile of the wall is rather oval shaped, thus the fort wall is similar to that of the citadel.

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At the junction of the II fort wall and the citadel on the western side is gateway which has a square barbican having openings at the opposite corners in the front and in the rear. It leads to the wide space in the interior. It is rather enigmatic that there is no entrance into the citadel from the interior of the II fort wall. The citadel is totally separated from the interior of the fort. It reminds of a very ancient practice of similar custom of the Indus Valley civilization. The fortifications of the civilization noted in Surkoṭaḍa, Kalibangan etc. distinctly bifurcate the citadel from the lower city. But for the use of different materials stone and brick of the walls of the citadel and the outer enclosure, the structural details of the both are almost exactly the same.

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The moat (Illn. F.3) runs round on the exterior side of the fort,which is fed not only by the Shastri tank but also by the very large Ānekere. Both the gate-ways of the citadel and the outer fort are safeguarded by the moat.

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The watch-tower (Fig.54) has thick and deep stone wall at the peripheral zone to a height of 10 m. from the ground level and again in the middle zone there is another similar stone wall of about 8 m. high. But the size and the method of construction of these two walls at the bottom and in the middle differ from each other. The blocks of the stones of lower wall are not so well cut and are of large size while those of the middle zone are well cut and are of smaller size. Further, the watch-tower has an off-set looking like a step in the front and the back in between the two walls. What appears strange there is that the Watch-Tower had been considerably renovated in considerable measure; thus its exact original plan is not clear. The present flight of steps in all probability is added after the renovation of the original one.

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Now, there is a wide path-way roughly east-west oriented running across the southern part of the fort passing through the walls on the east and the west, connecting the present main road within the III Enclosure and the Dharmā river. There is another road north-south oriented passing through the wall on the southern side and meeting the road in side, near the eastern wall.

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Enclosure-III (Fig. 53, Encl.III)

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The III Enclosure wall (N.S. 1200 m. and E.W. 1800 m.) which is irregularly rectangular, encloses partly the II fort wall including the citadel. The remaining part of the II Enclosure stretches outside the III fort wall. Obviously, the III fort wall is later than the II.

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In the western part of the III Enclosure is the present town. In the centre of the town is the Tārakēśvara temple. The triangular portion of the eastern part is covered by the II Enclosure and the Shāstri tank. The western part is the present habitation site. The fort wall (Fig. 56, Encl.III Section) is smaller in dimensions then the first two. It is about 10 m. high and 15 m. wide at the ground level with a moat all round on the exterior. The profile of the fort wall is an elongated semi-circle. In the core there is a stone wall of laterite on the exterior side. The fort but for the wall is entirely of the mud. On the exterior side there is a moat about 15 m. wide and 1 m. deep. The habitation area is divided into many plots of different sizes by straight roads north-south and east-west oriented. On the whole, the layout of the habitation area with the temple at the centre is well planned.

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Enclosure-IV (Fig. 53, Encl.IV).

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There is yet another fort wall (N-S. 2100 m and E-W. 2500 m.) about 400 m. away from the III fort wall. In fact the fort wall terminates at both the sides of the Ānekere in the south-west. There is only one entrance into the interior of the fort wall on the western side. It looks towards the Kambal Kere. Similarly there is another gate on the southern part of the fort wall on the bank of the river Dharmā, that forms as a natural moat at the south-east corner. This gate is known as Diddi-gate opening towards the river.

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The main road that passes through the III fort makes its way through the fort wall on the southern side near the bank of the Ānekere and to the west of the Diḍḍi-gate. The road leads to Sirsi. This wall is the smallest in height i.e. about 5 m. high and 10 m. wide and semi-circular in profile (Fig. 56, encl.IV). It is exclusively of mud. On the exterior side is a moat fed by the Ānekere in the south-west and Achakere in the north-east.

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The space between the IV and III enclosures is more or less even and measures 400 m. wide. There are temples, one of them being small. The big one is known as Rāmelinge-shwara. It is particularly noteworthy that excepting the parallel brick and stone walls in the I, II and III fort walls, all the four fort walls are entirely of mud. The IV fort wall measures N:S. 2100 m. and E:W. 2500 m. and thus the whole complex is probably the most extensive example of mud fort.

Chronology

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Now, this extensive fort complex in view of the political history of the region on one hand and of the structural complex on the other, evidently indicates that the four forts one within the other were built in different periods. The innermost and the II form as if one complex and probably belong to one period. The innermost is probably the earliest. Both the citadel and the fort wall including the moat in height and structural details are of the same period. In view of the place being an important Headquartere described as Pānktipura during the Early Kadamba period and also of the size and the type of bricks used for the construction it may be suggested that this complex of defence was built during the 5th century.

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The location of this small fort with the citadel and also the characteristic entrances i.e. gateways providing separate entrances to the city and the citadel parts are curiously interesting and support the above dating. The fort is about 250 m. away from the river Dharma. No doubt it has a moat all round on the exterior. Separate entrances to the citadel and the city area and the location of the complex on a slopy ground level a little away from the river suggest that the complex is more of protective walls rather than regular defensive fort walls. We are reminded of similar construction in Sannati discussed in Chapter III PP.

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The III fort wall was probably built during the time of the Later Kadambas probably during the period of Irivabedanga (967-980 A.D.) and Kēmadēva (1180-1217 A.D.) i.e. late 10th and 12th century A.D. (Mores George,M. 1931, P.146).

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It may be noted here that the outermost fortification is smaller in height and breadth and is entirely of mud. The space in between also is considerably narrow, so much so a planned habitation could not have been there. Local tradition speaks of the rich cultivation of gardens and trees. Even today the area is used for development of the gardens. Thus it appears that the outermost wall was intended more to check inroads of attacking forces, for the III fort is double the height of the outermost and the space in between is very small, with gardens and forest. Naturally enemies cannot approach the III fort in a planned way and with speed. If they get into the space in between they could be easily attacked by guarding soldiers from the top of the III fort. Here, therefore, we find an intelligent device but in a simple way of attacking enemies at a distance with ease during the medieval times. This aspect is therefore verily noteworthy for we do not have examples of this kind elsewhere.

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It may also be noted that no exterior bastions are provided at regular intervals – a feature common in the other forts, but similar to that of Banavāsi. It appears therefore that this feature seems to be distinctive of the mud forts of this region with many forts. However, it may be noted that the forts of this region had battlements at the top, for there is an excellent sculptural illustration with inscription¹ (Mores George,M., 1931, Plates 23 and 24) from the same locality belonging to the Hāngal Kadambas showing this architectural feature (See Chapter V Appendix). It may therefore be presumed that originally the III fort must have probably been provided with the battlements at the top.

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¹ The inscription on the Vīragal of the time of Kāmadēva (1180-1217 A.D.) refers to the fort as "Chaturvidha Durgga Sankulengalada" (line 4) deciphered and translated by Prof.Kundanagar,K.G. (Mores George,M., 1931, pp. 349-350).