Defence Architecture in Early North Karnataka c16.s2: References to Forts

Defence Architecture in Early North Karnataka c16.s2

Language: English

References to Forts

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Local traditions speak of a town on the right bank of the Tungabhadra, centuries before the birth of Vijayanagar empire. Here certain spots are associated with Rāmāyaṇa episodes, such as Mātanga parvata, Văli-Dibba, Rishyamukha, Malayavanta.

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Vijayanagara was one of the few medieval capital cities that has been described most by foreign visitors. The description by the some of the foreign visitors shed welcome light on the layout and various functions of the different parts of the fort. They are immensely valuable in view of the fact, that practically little traces of the outer forts are extant.

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For instance Torangal, about 33 km. south-east of Hampi, derives its name after its important position in relation to the fort, as the main gate-way and the first to Hampi. Similarly in some other localities encircling Hampi at varying distances, like Kampli, Sāndūr, Hospet and Mallāpur, also were gate-ways.

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Kampli gate way

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Kampli (Gaz. Bellary, 1972, pp. 692-93) is situated 34 km north-east of Kamalāpur and 40 km to the east of Hampi. In 1064 A.D., it is said, it was a capital of a chieftain of Kalyān Chālukyas. Ibna Batuta mentions, it was one of the strongholds of the original chiefs of Anegundi and was a kind of out-post of the city of Vijayanagar. The fort built of dark rock, found from the bed of the Tungabhadra stands at the edge of the river. It is said it was built by one of the Pālyagārs of Bellary. The heros, Kampilarāya and his son Kedugali Kumara Rama died^ here within the fort, fighting the invading Muslims.

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Sandur Gate way

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Originally Sandur (Gaz. Bellary, 1972, p.669) was known as Skandapuri, city of Skanda or Kumaraswāmi. The plase has been fortified during Vijayanagara rule and served as gateway to the city of Vijayanagara. Later Haider Ali built a fort outside altogether, called Krishnanagar fort: It is quadragular in plan, with stone curtains 6 m high,connected with bastions and surrounded by a ditch. Entrance is by only one gate.

Gateway of Hospet

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Hospet (Gaz., Bellary, 1972, pp. 690-91) was built by Krishnadēva Rāya, in 1509 to 1520) A.D. in honour of his wife Nagaladēvi. It was originally known as Nāgalāpur. In his time it was the entrance-gate to the city of Vijayanagara for the travellers coming from Goa and other western countries. According to Paes, a Portuguese traveller, it was a very strong place fortified with walls and towers and it was a part-time residence of the king and he induced the traders to settle there.

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Krishṇadēva Rāya got constructed the enormous embankment south of the town, which connects the two ends of the two parallel ranges of hills, which, further south,enclose the Sondur valley. It was executed by the Portuguese defence engineer Joao-de-la-Ponte.

Kamalāpura gate-way

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Situated north of Hospet and south of Hampi, Kamalāpur (Gaz. Bellary, 1972, P. 691) served as another inner gateway and a part of the site of the old city of Vijayanagara. It contains also a fort with high round towers in the centre and circular bastions in the middle of the walls connecting them.

Mallāpura Gate-way

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It was located (10 km) to the west of Hampi, which had a fortified wall around. Mallāpur served as a gateway to the city of Vijayanagara, from the west. Now it is submerged under the waters of the Tungabhadra Dam.

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All these gateways referred to above were connected with high screen walls and hill ranges concentrically. But, now there are hardly any traces of these concentric fort-walls in these localities.

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The main gateways and the forts, that were there once, have been passed on to legends. They would have been the only sources to know conjecturally about the most invulnerable nature of these forts, but for the foreign notices. It is in this way the descriptions of the foreign visitors are of great value.