Defence Architecture in Early North Karnataka c16.s4: Forts and their Remains
Defence Architecture in Early North Karnataka c16.s4
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Forts and their Remains
c16.s4.1
At present, only the fortification wall of the citadel area is almost completely extant. The second fort wall is not continuous (Fig.58). On the east and west, the walls are raised roughly, in North-South orientation connecting the river on the north and a very large lake locally known as Nagalāpura tank on the south. This fort encloses Kamalapuram, which is about 5 km from Hampi on the bank of the river Tungabhadra and Kadirampuram. Only some parts of this fort are now extant near Kamalapuram and Kadirampuram.
c16.s4.2
It is in between the wall referred to above and the fort wall of the citadel, from Kamalapuram onwards in a circumambulatory way are found numerous stately temples of the Vijayanagara period such as Paṭṭabhirām temple near Kamalapuram, Uddana Vīrabhadra temple, Saraswati temple, Kaḍalekalu Gaṇēsha, Sasivekalu Gaṇēsha, Lakshmi-Narashimha, Krishna temple, Vithala temple, Kōdandarāma temple, Purandaradāsa Mandapam, and the most famous Virupaksha temple. Of these temples, the original part of the temple of Virupaksha was of circa 11th century A.D. At least from about 10th century A.D., therefore, the place was gaining importance.
c16.s4.3
Now, within this citadel is again another enclosure wall surrounding the royal buildings and also the famous temple Hajāra-Rāma. At present, the plan of the fort wall of the citadel alone can be made known (Fig.58).
c16.s4.4
The plan is roughly oval shaped and east-west oriented. On the eastern side is a high hill range full of boulders and difficult for crossing. The fort wall abuts these hill range. It is particularly noteworthy that the main entrance in the citadel wall faces roughly East. The gate is locally called 'Gumbaz Darwāza' or 'Domed Gate' (Fig.61).
c16.s4.5
The Walls (Fig.58)
c16.s4.6
The outer wall (Section 3, fig.67) of the citadel is very thick about 6.60 m. wide at the bottom and slightly tapers upwards. The upper most part of the wall is disturbed almost throughout. At present, the maximum extent of the wall extant is 7.20 m. The core of the wall is made up of mud and pebbles. The blocks of stones used for the sides of the hearting i.e. core, are well laid, with big dimensions and roughly cut into rectangular forms. The exterior faces of them are roughly dressed.
c16.s4.7
At the top, at the exterior edge is an unbroken parapet wall of large blocks of stones, leaving on the inner side flat wide wall walk, that has lime mortar plaster. It is curious to note here that the parapet has no slits at regular intervals like the contemporary Muslim fort in Bijapur. Even the kanguras i.e. battlements are deliberately missing at the parapet wall. The reason for this lacuna in defence architectural member especially in this wall may be assigned to the fact that it is not the outer most enclosure wall of the Vijayanagar city but the IV from outside. The enemies had to cross all those outer walls and then approach this wall under description, whereat a very heavy and alert guards were placed throughout. And hence the battlements atop the parapet wall were not practically needed and therefore they have been avoided. On the exterior side of, the wall is the moat.
c16.s4.8
The intermediary wall (Section 2, Fig.67) enclosing the royal mansions is of stone on the exterior side supported by the slopy earthen ramp of mud and rubbles on the inner side. The height of the wall is 7.00 metres and it is 6.00 m. wide. On the exterior of the wall is another moat. Thus this wall is also as thick and almost as high as the outer wall.
c16.s4.9
Again, some of the most important royal buildings such as Janāna mansion (i.e. royal harem) Public bath, Mahānavami Dibba, Dandanayaka Mansion, Private royal buildings like 'Ranga-Mahal' as known from the recent excavations¹ (1977-78 and 1978-79 and 1979-80) at the Mint area, are enclosed by high but rapidly tapering walls (Section 1, Fig. 67). The wall generally is about 2 metres wide at the top, it has rounded coping about 60 cms wide. The height, in general,of the wall is 10 metres. The hearting is mostly of mud and the stone blocks of the wall are comparatively small in size, well and firmly placed one upon the other.
c16.s4.10
¹ I fortunately participated in the excavations at Hampi in all three seasons. No excavation reports have come out as yet. However, Dr.Nagaraj Rao,M.S. and (late) Sri Mishra,V.K., opine that the structure is 'Ranga Mahal'. I agree with them.
c16.s4.11
Raising up of high walls round the important buildings is the typical feature of the Vijayanagara fort architecture.