Defence Architecture in Early North Karnataka c17.s3.t1: 3) Bahamani Gate

Defence Architecture in Early North Karnataka c17.s3.t1

Language: English

3) Bahamani Gate

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The Gate (Fig. 70, Schedule 4) is referred to as 'Bahamani Darwāza, as per the Persian Inscription, that is fixed in the inner arch of the door-way. The gate is rather peculiar in its plan. From the other side of the moat (30 m) there is a stump (12 m. x 17.5 m.) intruding into the moat obliquely. From this stump, is a bridge (27.5 x 4.00 m.) obliquely constructed abutting the lowest offset of the bastion to the left of the gateway. From the point of junction parallel to the door-way, was raised a wall abutting the other bastion. This wall (4.00 wide) is half the height of the bastions (10-80 m and 18-20 m high).

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At present, there is no wall from the bridge upto a distance of 10 metres. Further, the lowest course of the wall indicates that the wall ends there. It is quite likely, therefore, that the entrance was provided here between the end point of the wall and the bridge. This entrance and the main entrance are not in alignment.

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Thus, the open space between the wall and the door-way serves as the barbican (25 m x 10 m). But now, this wall is not connected with the bridge. Originally, if the wall had been raised upto the bridge, and an entrance was provided in the wall near the bridge, cannot be known from the extant remains. Further, from the stump, on the right side of the bridge the moat is filled up with earth forming a road, probably, in the recent times leading to the barbican. But reasonably, that it was so appears to be possible. The purpose of providing the high wall (5.20 m) across the front open space of the door-way is to make extremely difficult for enemy coming from outside towards the door-way; his movements in number and speed are drastically checked up.

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Now, both the bastions are semi-circular (27.5 m in diametre). The bastion to the left of the door-way has appropriate a watch-tower at the top, which is meant for guarding the bridge and the first entrance.

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The main entrance from the barbican is provided with double doors as usual. From this door-way is a narrow passage, (5 x 15.00 m) with guard rooms, to the other door way at the another end.

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It has been suggested above how enemy could be stopped entering from outside. Suppose, the enemy from inside is to be driven out through this gate, probably, during the time the bridge could be collapsed and the enemy had no other go but to fall into the moat. Thus, the gate is another intelligent and rare type in its plan.

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In the normal condition, this gate-way is said to be mainly for trade and industry, for it is open to the main road even in those days leading to Sholāpur, that is the upper Deccan. Even today, the main road from Sholāpur passes through this gate with a check post, near the gate.

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4) <ins>Allāpur Gate</ins> (Fig.75)

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This gate (Fig.70, Schedule 6) is unique not only among the gates of this fort, but also of any other fort known so far, in North Karnāṭaka in particular, for, as in the case of the other gates, there is no approach to this gate from outside and no cause-way across the moat leading right into the front of the gate. There is, in fact, no gate facing frontwards flanked by the bastions from the sides, on the other hand there is only a bastion, which is hexagonal (each side 5 m) in plan. The bastion faces south-east and on the north-eastern wing of the bastion, there is a door-way, that is in line with the moat (40.00 m) i.e. to say it does not look across the moat. Secondly, this bastion is not really solid but hollow, provided with the entrance. Of course, there is now a cause-way obliquely constructed across the moat, but this is of recent origin (7.00 x 42.00 m). In consideration of all these architectural factors, it is obvious, that the bastion with the gate is not meant for approach from outside.

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Now, there arises a question, if this bastion-gate is not meant for entrance from outside, why the bastion is made hollow and provided with entrance. A careful examination of the plan at this part of the fort including the bastion, clearly indicates that it is actually trap-gate to lead enemies, within the fort to confuse them and ultimately to oust them to death. Here we have to take into consideration the whole plan of the fort including its streets and the citadel. There is a direct road between the main entrance of the citadel and this bastion-gate (1 km in length).

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Suppose, enemy succeeds in getting into the fort, then the defendents will fight them as far as possible to drive them out particularly through this gate. Enemies are made to reach by the main road this gate.

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The gate (5.00 m. x 7.50 m.) on inner side has double doors (4.00 m and 4.25 m wide) entrance with guard rooms (4.00 m x 3.50 m each) on the sides. To the right side of the entrance, there is a tower (10 m diam. and 7.00 m high) rising from above the bastion, provided with flight of steps. It is a guard tower.

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Now, the double-door entrance leads to barbican (25.00 m x 15.00 m), which is hexagonal in plan, provided with guard-rooms two measuring 4.00 m x 4.00 m; one 3.00 m x 3.00 m; the others 7.00 m x 3.00 m; 1 in number, on all remaining sides and the entrance on the north-eastern side. This entrance (5.00 m x 5.00 m), it is particularly note worthy, has no guard-rooms on the sides and it leads to a flight of two steps, outside.

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Now, when the enemy is chased, so that they may be made to escape through this gate, here, they are severally attacked from all the guard-rooms and from the watch-tower, reducing sufficiently their strength in the barbican; and those still survive but now unable to withstand the onslaught, would naturally try to escape running and the only way for escape is through the gate on the North-eastern side. The fleeing enemies will not be able to control his speed, when they are on the flight of steps and after two steps there are no steps at all and the enemy must fall into the moat thereby they meet their end. Figuratively speaking, they attain the abode of Allāh. And hence, in the course of time, this gate came to be known as 'Allāpur-gate'. It may be noted here that on the other side of the moat there was no suburb then called Allāpur. Thus, this is perhaps a unique trap to finish enemies.

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5) <ins>Fateh Gate</ins> (Fig.76)

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This gate (Illn. H1) is in the southern part of the fort. It is through this gate Aurangazēb (1659-1707 A.D.), the last Mughal emperor, after having conquerred this fort, in 1686 A.D. (Desai, P.B., et. al. 1970, P.400) entered the city of Bijāpur. In memory of his conquest, he named it as Fateh-gate (Fig.70, Schedule 7) meaning victory-gate. To this effect, there is a Persian inscription, which is fixed at the lintel level of the main entrance, flanked by two bastions. There is also another inscription in the eastern gate of Jumma Masjid, speaking of the conquest of Bijāpur by Aurangazēb, through this gate and taking over the city. Thus the gate is historically important. On account of this conquest, the rule of Adil Shāhis over the Bijāpur kingdom ended and the kingdom was added to Mughal empire.

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Now, the gate (4.50 m) is flanked by two bastions, as usual, but there is an additional architectural part at this gate. In front of the main entrance, there is a semi-circular wall (Diam: 22.50 m.), the ends of which abut the central vertical lines of the bastions on the front side. Thus, a semi-circular barbican is created in front of the entrance and at the south-western point in semi-circular wall is the entrance (4.25 m x 4.50 m) facing the moat that goes round the semi-circular wall. On the inner side of the wall, from one end to the other, are guardrooms (3.00 m x 2.7 5 m each) with arched facade. Further, the two bastions (12.00 m each) are provided with two balconies at a height (2.00 m), a little above this circular wall; and at the top of the western bastion, are guard rooms. The balconies are also actually guard-rooms. The top of these two bastions can be approached from the flight of steps provided on inner side of fort wall having bastions on the inner side.

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Suppose, enemies break their way through the entrance provided with double doors on both the ends with guard-rooms on the sides, they get into the semi-circular barbican where they are attacked from all sides from ground level and from the balconies of the bastions from the top. Thus, they extremely find difficult to face the attack from all the sides and from above.

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The entrance from the barbican into the interior of the fort is through two gate ways (3.75 m span each) provided with double doors. And the narrow passage (6.00 x 7.50 m) in between the two doors is flanked by guard rooms (7.50 x 4.25 m each).

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Now, the moat is completely dry and filled with silt so much so that hardly one can trace the original device that was there across the moat to the entrance. In fact, the area on the exterior, where the moat was, is almost a level ground.

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Thus, this is another type of gate way different from the others.

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6) <ins>Diddi Gate</ins> (Fig.70, Schedule 11)

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The last gate is located in south-western part of the fort. The passage 1.75 m narrow with arched top, through the the fort wall, is two angled; and there are no doors or guard-rooms. There is only a bastion on one side with flight of steps on the inner side. In view of its simple design and of dimensions, obviously, it was meant for exit, during emergency for people. Some kind of arrangement, such as boats etc. , must have been kept ready for crossing across the moat. The open fields on the other side of the moat, facing the gate, are very fertile. Thick forest and gardens could have been there, that normally would obstruct the sight of the gate to outsiders. The bastion (20.25 m diam.) was meant for guarding the gate.

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Thus, every gate is different from the other in strategic design, thus making enemy to understand the intricacies of gates extremely difficult. These are some of the important and unique features that can be particularly noted in this fort.

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<ins>The Bastions</ins>

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In addition to these gates, having essentially protective devices, there are three bastions almost at regular interval in the fort, namely:

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1. Mālik-e-Maidān gun bastion (Fig. 70, Schedule 2)
2. Ali Burj (Illn. H3) and
3. Lanḍa quasāb gun bastion (Illn. H2)

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These bastions (with diam. 20 m. to 30 m) in solid ashlar masonry, are provided with flights of steps on the inner side. On the top are huge guns, fixed on pivot points, which could be rotated in a semi-circular way. These guns are so fierce that at one stretch, they can destroy hundreds of enemies.

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The Mālik-e-Maidān gun can guard from enemies, the whole area between Makkā-gate and Shahāpur gate; similarly Ali Burj gun can guard the whole area between the Bahamani-gate and Allapur-gate; and the Lanḍa quasab, the Fatehgate and the Diḍḍi-gate. This is an additional unique feature to be found in this fort, in dividing the arena of guarding.

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Thus, the gates are armoured with greater strength by these bastions.

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The Arquilla (citadel) (Fig. 71)

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The Arquilla (Percy Brown, 1962, p. 73) is roughly located in the centre of the fort. It is enclosed by double fort walls (height varying from 10.50 m to 8.50 m), to a large extent. The outer fort wall encloses the whole Arquilla, with the gateway at the south-east corner (Fig. 77) leading to a road approaching the deceptive Allāpur gate. The citadel wall, (10.80 m high), in ashlar masonry, has a moat (30 m to 35 m wide) around it. The citadel on its axis measures, including the outer most edge of the moat, 380 m. east-west, and 382 m north-south. The inner fort too, which is extant on the northern and north western side, also has moat in between it and the outer citadel. Both the citadel walls have semi-circular bastions (20 m. to 25 m diam.) at close intervals, on exterior.

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On the exterior side of the outer citadel, at the north-eastern part and the south-western part are ramps, leading to the top of the citadel with the moat on the other side. Besides the south-eastern gate, there are two gates, one in the middle of the eastern part leading to Āsār Mahal (Fig.71, Schedule 13) i.e. court of Justice outside and the other almost opposite to this, in the western part.

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Within the citadel, are two principle roads (12 m wide) running north-south and east-west intersecting each other, almost at right angles. In the north-eastern quadrant, are remains of palace, a mosque, Arash-Mahāl, Ānand Mahal (entertainment Hall), Pānī Mahal and a water tank. In the north-western quadrant is an imposing building known as Gagan Mahal (Fig.71, Schedule 5) (as assembly Hall), again with water tank nearby. And in the south-western quadrant, are Sāt-Manzil (seven storeyed building out of which only four are extant), Darbār Hall (Fig.71, Schedule 7)

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Water tower and a mosque known as Karim-Uddin's mosque (Fig.71, Schedule 8). And in the south-eastern quadrant, are a mosque known as Makkā-masjid (Fig.71, Schedule 11) exclusively meant for ladies, and watch towers. In fact, the north-eastern and south-eastern quadrants are not completely divided by the roads. The west-east road, between these two quadrants, runs only to a small distance.

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For the watch and ward, who were stationed at the points of bastions of the citadel walls, a separate mosque was built on the top of the bastion, on the outer citadel at the south-eastern corner.

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From the north-eastern quadrant, there is a way through the citadel at the mid-eastern point of eastern wall leading to Āsār Mahāl. The whole plan is irregularly polygonal.

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On the whole the citadel has been very well planned with important official administrative buildings of various kind properly located, and many water-tanks. Particular care seems to have been taken to see that there should be never shortage of water in any circumstances.

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[Figure: .NOTE: BASED ON THE SURVEY OF INDIA MAPS, PUB- BANGA-LORE

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0 60 120 KMS MAHĀRĀṢṬRA BHĪMĀ KĀGINĀ FORT OF BIJĀPUR KRISHṆĀ GOA VARADĀ TUNGA BHADRĀ ĀNDHRA PRADESH ARABIAN SEA KĀVĒRĪ KĒRAḶA TAMIL NĀDU Karṇāṭaka — LOCATION OF THE FORT OF BIJĀPUR]

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FIG. 69.

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[Figure: 331 335 336 334 330 TO SHOLAPUR BAMLING GAM- 329 327 SHAHAPUR BAMLING TANK 338 336 RUINS MADRASA RUINS 334 DAM 324 DADGAM 315 321 316 320 AFZAL KHANS 337 CHHOTASHAPUR MOSQUE AND 343 PALACE TOMBS TAKKI 3040 JAIL 326 308 305 *306*307 SHAH HAVAZ KHANS 309 TOMB 301 302 300 299 CHABUK SOWARS TOMB BAHMANI GATE AURA 25 40 P UR 340 PIPE MASOWARY DAM 339 GURBAWZ BAURI AQUEDUCT AFZAL KHANS WIVES 348 TOMBS 346 347 349 345 SHAH ZOHRAPUR TUNNEL 342 SHAH MUHAMMAD SHAH MOTI DARGAH CHAND BAURI I 344 IBRAHIM'S (SAUZA 343 HAIDAR KHAN'S TOMB B ARIK BAURI J ARK-QULLA OR CITADEL ALI BURI A ASAR MAHAL MALIKU MASJID P HUTGI- TO KATTIBA GUMBAZ RAIL WAY STATION GOL GUMBAZ PADSHAPUR GATE MITHARI MAHAL JAMI MASJID ALLAPUR GATE FORT 377 378 371 370 AIN UL MULK'S TOMB 368 369

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373

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AIN *374 572 MAIN AINAPU TO KUMATGI AUN FORT KALE-BAGH 'AA- CF THE ENVIRONS OF BIJAPUR JOSHI } BEGUM TALAB CONDUIT LANDA FATIH GATE DUSAG BASTION FROM BAGALKOT FORT RAIL WAY SOUTHERN SUPPOSED POSITION OF AURANGZEBS BATTERY 'OBRAHIMDUR MOSQUE 364 NOTE THE ROAD DISTANCES ARE MEASURED FROM THE RAIL WAY STATION]

Defence Architecture in Early North Karnataka c17.s3.t1: 3) Bahamani Gate

3) Bahamani Gate

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