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Defence Architecture in Early North Karnataka c16.s5: The Gate-ways

Defence Architecture in Early North Karnataka c16.s5

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The Gate-ways

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From the above description in detail, we can understand that what remains of the fort wall is but very small of what was there originally. In the extant outermost wall found in fragments here and there is a gateway known as Penugoṇḍa gate (Fig.59) for the main way from this gate (Fig.58, Schedule 21) leads to Penugoṇḍa (now in Āndhra Pradēsh) during the time of Vijayanagara empire. Its location now is about 2½ km. east of Kamalāpuram. This gate is taken up for the study first, but it does not imply that this was the first gate then. Among the extant gates this is the outermost. Similarly there is another gate in the northern wing of the wall from the Kamalāpuram tank, almost at the same distance west of Kamalāpuram, but now this gate is not much known and not used by the public.

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Penugonda Gate (Fig. 59 and Fig. 58, Schedule 21)

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With regard to the Penugonda gate, only its lowest part is extant; now we can only know about the ground plan of the gate. It abuts on the northern side a huge boulder. The street through the gate is straight and not zig-zag. The gate is square in plan having guards' Pavilions on the sides of the street. The Pavilion is pillared. There are two pillars in the facade and two and three pilasters in the rear. The pavilion opens into a facade facing the street. Both the pavilions could accommodate a small group of soldiers.

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The plan of the gate indicates that it is quite simple and looks as though less defensive in comparison with the gateways with protective devices in the contemporary Muslim fort of Bījāpur. But here, we should take note of the fact that this gateway is not the first and certainly not of the outermost wall. In fact, the wall with this gate (Fig. 59) is only a sort of protective enclosure to the citadel in side.

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To the south of the gate is a circular bastion in the fort wall with the watch-tower at the top. On the inner side of the gate, the wide street goes straight to Kamalāpuram. On either side of the street are temples here and there; for example: a mandapa on the northern side, an Îshwara temple on the southern side, the nameless pavilions and temples still ahead, as one moves towards Kamalāpuram and the Pattabhirāma temple on the north, in the end. The location of these temples on the sides of the street warrants that the gate under discussion was essentially meant for entrance to the inner citadel and the wall with it served more as enclosure wall than defensive to fight out the enemies.

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From the area of the Pattabhirama temple there is another street leading north-north eastwards to the gate of the citadel and this gate is known as the Domed gate. Similarly, there is another gate in the citadel-wall corresponding to the gate of the citadel-wall near Kadirāmapuram. And in the wide space between the enclosure wall and the citadel wall (Fig. 58) are, as described above, many temples other than referred to just above; such as Gaṉēsh temple near the Domed gate, Basavanna temple, Veerabhadra temple, Śiva temple.

The Gate to the north of Penugonda gate

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In front of the Domed gate and about a kilometre away, but within the enclosure wall, is another gate nameless. It now stands isolated with stumps of fort wall on its sides. Unfortunately, no meaningful traces are available to apprise of its relative position with the enclosure wall. Presumably, there was probably another gate in the enclosure wall leading to this gate. But this part of the wall is not extant. The gate is quite simple in plan and elevation. On the frontal side of the gate are guard rooms. Again another unusual feature is on the jambs of the door are sculptures of the Dwarapalas with Danda in their hands. The upper part of the door is framed into an arch by corbelling with a typical Vijayanagara lotus motif in the brackets. On the sides of the passage through the gate there are no guard rooms. The street fr this gate leads to the Domed gate.

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The Domed Gate: (Fig. 61)

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The Domed gate is the main entrance through the citadel into the palace complex area. In fact in the citadel proper, from one end to the other, there are six entrances at irregular intervals providing access from different areas with temples, Bazars etc. outside the citadel (Fig. 58, Schedule 17).

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The Domed gate (Illn. G4) faces east and probably forms the main entrance in view of its defensive architectural character. It may be noted here that at the entrance and on the top of the walls there are no bastions and kanguras i.e. battlements respectively.

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The entrance is a simple opening with 5.60 m. wide with an arched facade rising above from top of the wall. At the top is again an elongated cylindrical domed structure. The dome has a horizontal band. The door-way upto the apex of the arch is 7.80 m. high and the total height from the ground level to the top of the dome is about 13.00 m., while the height of the wall is 3.80 m. Here, the verticality has been distinctly emphasized as if to proclaim the glory of the emperors.

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On the inner side of the gateway is a barbi<ins>c</ins>e<ins>a</ins>n divided into two compartments, by projecting a wall in the barbican. Within the barbican, on the sides of the door-way are two temples dedicated to Îsvara and Hanumān. The partition wall obstructs the direct view from the door-way of the other compartment of the barbican. The area of the barbican is about 30 m. east-west and 30 m. north-south in the other compartment. From this compartment, in the northern wall, is another entrance (Illn.43) provided with corbelled gate. The passage passes in between the two guard-rooms on the sides on the other side of the compartment.

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The locations of temples especially of Hanumān at the entrance is a feature to be noticed for the first time in the development of the fort architecture through the centuries.

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Bhīma Gate (Fig.62)

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From the Domed gate the street originally led to another gate known as Bhīma gate (Illn.G2). But now, in the place of the road a big reservior has been raised recently disconnecting specially the two gates.

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Why this gate is called Bhīma gate may be explained from the sculptural relief on the wall looking north within the berbican (Figure at the spot B). In the panel Duśhyāsana has been smashed by Bhīma and Draupadi stands nearby with her hair dishevelled - an important episode of Mahābhārata. Probably the representation of this episode on this gate is significant for it seems to suggest a warning to the people that they would meet a similar end like Duśhyāsana at the hands of Bhīma, if they do not behave properly, for the gate is very close to the palace complex including the harem.

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In front of the entrance is a Vishnu temple, but in view of the fact of the three sockets in a row on the pedestal in the Girbha-griha and a bas-relief of Garuda in the lintel of the entrance to the Gairbha-griha, suggests that the temple was dedicated to Sri Rāma, Laxmana and Sîta, like that of Hajāra Rāma temple near the palace complex.

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The Bhîma gate (Fig.58, Schedule 18) stands as if isolated, but probably it was part of another enclosure wall running round the palace complex. Only some stumps of the wall here and there are extant. For example, near the octagonal structure, probably meant for bath, is one such a stump. Nearby there is another temple. But it should be noted that the exterior sides of the gate have finished surface, suggesting that it was an independent entrance without walls on the sides, similar to the gate of north of Penugonda gate. If this observation is correct, again for the first time we find erection of gates at specific points through which the main street passed. On either sides of the street there must have been well planned mansions. This is again another important feature to be noticed in the fort architecture.

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Now, coming to the gate proper, it is quite simple having a wide opening in the centre about 4.15 m. wide and 7.00 m. high. It has a corbelled roof with architectural motif of lotus buds hanging over at the centre. On the inner side of the gate is barbican, rectangular in plan; but the ground plan of the barbican is regularly zig-zag, created by the projected wall at the entrance point on the inner side. The passage takes left turn, then right, again right i.e. north-wards leading to another gate. On the other side of the gate, on the sides of the passage are guard rooms. Similarly in the front of the right turn is another guard room.

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Dakhani Gate (southern gate): (Fig.65)

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The 'Dakhani gate' (southern gate) is so called as it looks southwards. Superficially, it looks like one of the main entrances into the citadel in the present state of its existence, but in reality it was not an entrance gate but a trap-gate, a fore runner of the Allapur gate of the Bijāpur fort. Actually the gate (Fig.58,Schedule 16) is on the out side of the fort wall and within the moat surrounded by the waters therein. In fact, the gate is meant for permanent exit for enemies and for escape of the inmates of the citadel, which is at a close proximity to the east of this gate, in times of overcoming danger.

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Significantly, there is a Śiva temple right in front of the opening; for enemies it signifies their attainment of Kailasa and for the inmates it implies shelter symbolically.

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The gate in the fort wall, opening into the barbican on the outside, leading to the big opening, is simple with the corbelled arch at the top. The width of the gate is 3.80 m. and the barbican is 13.80 m x 4.00m. There is an 'L' shaped wall in the middle of the barbican projecting from the eastern wall not connected to the other walls. It forms as if a closed screen to the opening. Enemy, when persued through this gate, will have to get into the barbican and then is pressed through the narrow space. On the other side of the 'L' shaped wall from where alone he can see the opening and the back wall of the Śiva temple. In a fit of fear and anxiety to save his life, he naturally tries to escape through the opening but actually falls fatally into the dangerous moat. The opening is narrow (3.00 m) and the back wall of the Siva temple provides a sort of illusion that the space inbetween the wall and the temple is an open space for escape.

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On the northern side near the extremity of the citadel wall abutting the natural wall of gigantic boulders, is another gate.

The Talar Ghatta Gate

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From the gate described above was another ancient road leading to Ānegundi across the river Tungabhadrā. At the point of the ford (Fig.58, Schedule 20) about 250 inside from the bank, is a gate built in between two huge boulders and connected to them with masonry walls on the sides. It forms as if a Mahadvara from Ānegundi side towards the citadel.

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Here, a thicker wall of 5.80 m wide is raised in between the two boulders with the gate in the centre. The door-way of the gate is 5.50 m. wide. The entrance passage is straight and on the platform of the gateway is a two storeyed super structure. The lower storey has three entrance, on either side and the upper at the topmost flat-roof of the upper storey is a row of decorative projections. From these two storeys one can have a clear sight of the movements of people etc., over a considerable distance. The storeys have the commanding view of the river side. The ground-floor is of ashlar masonry, with the lime mortar as the binding material.

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The fort wall on the other sides of the boulders, with the Talār Ghaṭṭa gate in between, is nearly half the thickness of the wall of the gateway.

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It may be noted here that the river itself acts as natural perennial moat in this side.

Pan-Supāri Gate

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Within the citadel, almost in the middle there is a crescentic row of huge boulders forming as if a natural fort wall, dividing the citadel into two parts, the north-eastern and the south-western. In the south-western part are the various mansions of the royal family.

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Now, there is a narrow open space between two boulders of this natural wall and here is raised a gate known as pan-supari gate (Fig.58, Schedule 19) connected with the walls to the boulders on the sides. This gate leads to the residental area of the royal family.

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It is not known, if the present name is original; however there is an age long tradition especially among the higher classes to welcome invitees, friends and relations with due ceremonies including offering of leaf and betel-nut (i.e. Pān-Supārī), probably guests were welcomed by the royal dignitaries at this gate, then, and this episode has remained symbolically in the name, it appears.

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The gate faces east. It has a rectangular barbican. On the outside of the gate is an entrance looking north. The gate has straight entrance passage without guard rooms. At the top is a corbelled arch.

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Watch-Towers (Fig.66 and Illn. 81)

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Close to the Janānā enclosure within the residential area is an enclosure (Fig.58, Schedule 22) having the inner apartment of the royal ladies. At the four corners of the wall are watch-towers. All of them are similar to one another. Each tower is about 30 m. high and 5 m square. At the top is a balcony with three arched openings on each side. And it has somewhat gabled roof. There is a stair-way within the tower leading to the balcony. The enclosure wall is about 10 m high and 2 m thick.

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Observations:

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It is worthy of note that the fort in Bījāpur chronologically follows immediately the Vijayanagara fort. It may not be ruled out that the building activity of the fort by Vijayanagara rulers might have been still continued when the fort in Bījāpur began to be constructed (1480-1510 A.D. - the period of Yusuf Ali Ādil Shāh). In view of this close proximity and even to a small extent of the overlap, we find here fundamental differences in the pattern of the layout of the gate-ways and the crowning part of the gateways of the fort.

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The concept and the form of the former are more in the line of those of the forts, excluding later additions and modifications of the proceeding ages i.e. the stone forts in Bādāmi, Malkhēd, Hāngal etc. It becomes evident by considering the lineal development of the style of Vijayanagara that the fort appears to be still traditional but for its extent and certain architectural components crowning the gate-ways. They appear to display more the glory and grandeur to visitors, than strictly for defence purposes. None of the gate-ways of the citadel and those, that are within and without, do not display architectural devices to trap enemies such as zig-zag narrow passages provided with not readily visible guard-rooms. Secondly, the gate-ways are not heavily and boldly fortified by imposing buttresses, rectangular or semi-circular in plan and at the top there is no provision of having a series of kanguras (battlements) helping soldiers to attack the enemies at the ground level at the same time being protected by the battlements from the onslaught of the enemies.

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On the other hand the gateways of the Bijāpur fort have all the architectural devices such as the extraordinarily fortified gate-ways with secret guard-rooms opening into narrow zig-zag passages. Enemies entering through the gateways can be got concentrated and trapped within the barbicans and can be destroyed from the top of the fort. At the top, there is a thick festoon line parapet wall with bastions at required intervals and on the top of the bastions are heavy guns, which have a very wide range so much so all round the fort, to a certain distance outside, the area is well protected from the enemies. The Bijāpur fort, therefore, displays a highly advanced military strategy to face enemies who are well equipped with advanced machinery including guns. The fort, therefore, clearly exhibits a striking and highly developed architectural device in response to the advanced military attacks. Probably it is this aspect of the Vijayanagara fort in relation to that of Bijāpur that accounts as one of the fundamental reasons for its downfall at the hands of the severe Muslim attacks.

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[Figure: NOTE: BASED ON SURVEY OF INDIA MAP PUB.- BANGALORE (1974)

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SCALE 0 60 120 KMS

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MAHARASTRA BHĪMĀ KAGINA KRISHNĀ ANDHRA PRADESH GOA VARADĀ TUNGABHADRA FORT OF VIJAYANAGARA (HAMPI) ARABIAN SEA KĀVĒRĪ KĒRALA TAMIL NĀDU

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Karnātaka — LOCATION OF THE FORT OF VIJAYANAGARA (HAMPI),]

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VIJAYANAGARA (HAMPI) : FORT

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[Figure: VIJAYANAGARA (HAMPI) : FORT SCALE 0 1 2 KM A RIVER TUNGABHADRA HAMPI VENKATAPUR KADIRAMPUR KAMALAPUR TANK LB CANAL HOSPET SKJ.]

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SCHEDULE:

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1. VIRŪPĀKSHA TEMPLE 2 KŌDANDA RĀMA " 3.VITHALA " 4.PURANDARA MANDAP 5.SŪLE BAZAR 6.GANAPATI 7.SARASVATI TEMPLE 8 NARASIMHA 9 DANDANAYAKA ENCLOSURE
10. MINT
11. HAJAR RAMA TEMPLE
12. MAHANAVAMI DIBBA
13. QUEENS' BATH
14. OCTAGONAL BATH
15. WESTERN GATE 16 DAKKHANI GATE 17 DOMED GATE 18 BHIMA GATE
19. PĀN SUPARI GATE 20.TALĀR GHATTA "
21. PENGONDA " 22 JANANA ENCLOSURE 23 ELEPHANTS' STABLE 24 PATTĀBHIRAMA TEMPLE.
25. GATE
26. "

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VIJAYANAGARA (HAMPI) FORT, PENUGONDA GATE.

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[Figure: BASTION WITH WATCH TOWER ISHWARA TEMPLE FROM PENUGONDA TO PAṬṬĀBHI RĀMA TEMPLE MISSING PORTION OF GUARD ROOMS MANDAPA NOTE :- PENUGONDA GATE LEADS TO DĀRŌJI, DĒVALĀPURA KUDATI ALIPUR, BELLARY & FURTHER TO PENUGON.]

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[Figure: VIJAYANAGARA (HAMPI) FORT — A GATE TO THE NORTH OF THE PENUGONDA GATE FIG. 60 6·60 GL 3·75 ELEVATION WALL DEPICTION OF NANDI, SHIVA & THE DEVOTEE. FORT WALL GUARD ROOMS (NOW MISSING) DWĀRAPĀLĀS CORBELLED ARCH 3·75 4·40 PLAN

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[Figure: FIG.61 VIJAYANAGARA (HAMPI) FORT, DOMED GATE. 3.80 4.80 2.30 2.00 7.80 5.60 WALL IN ASHLAR MASONRY GL ELEVATION SCALE m 0 3 6 9 30.00 30.00 m CORBELL GATE BARBICAN DOMED GATE 5.60 4.30 HANUMĀN ISHWARA LINGA PLAN

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[Figure: NOTE · B- WALL SCULPTURAL DEPICTION OF BHÎMA KILLING DUSHYĀSANA. ELEVATION ( SPANNED BY STONE LINTELS SUPPORTED FROM BELOW BY CORBELS IN HINDU STYLE OF ARCHITECTURE.) PLAN VIJAYA NAGARA (HAMPI) FORT — BHÎMA GATE

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[Figure: VIJAYANAGARA (HAMPI) FORT -- PĀN-SUPĀRI GATE TO THE EAST OF ELEPHANT'S STABLE.

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ELEVATION

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VIJAYANAGARA (HAMPI) FORT — TALĀR GHAṬṬA GATE

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[Figure: ELEVATION SCALE PLAN]

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[Figure: VIJAYANAGARA (HAMPI) FORT — FIG · 65 SOUTHERN GATE

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CORBELLED ARCH ELEVATION SCALE MOAT PILLARED MANDAPAM (WATCH TOWER) SHIVA TEMPLE BARBICAN FORT WALL CORBELLED ARCH PLAN

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[Figure: VIJAYANAGARA (HAMPI) FORT — FIG. 66 WATCH TOWER ABUTTING TO THE NORTHERN WALL OF JANĀNĀ ENCLOSURE ELEVATION

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[Figure: OUT SIDE ↑ 10.00 IN SIDE ↓ ENCLOSURE WALLS OF IMPORTANT APA-RTMENTS IN SIDE THE CITADEL. GL 2.00 7.00 FORT WALL NEAR BHÎMA’S GATE EARTHERN RAMP MOAT 6.80 GL PARAPET WALL WALK WITH LIME MORTAR TOP 7.20 m FORT WALL NEAR DOMED GATE MOAT 6.60 m GL HEARTING IN MUD AND RUBBLES]

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VIJAYANAGARA (HAMPI) FORT — CROSS-SECTIONS SHOWING DIFFERENT METHODS OF CONSTRUCTION

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