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Defence Architecture in Early North Karnataka c18.s2: The forts in North Karnataka and the Śilpa texts:

Defence Architecture in Early North Karnataka c18.s2

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The forts in North Karnataka and the Śilpa texts:

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After having briefly noted the essential features in the descriptive concepts of forts by the two most well known writers Kautilya and Mānasāra, let us try to know how far the forts (Fig.2) in North-Karnāṭaka studied reflect the ideas of these two writers. The earliest in the series of the forts studied are those at Banavāsi and Sannati as well as the one at Hāngal. Of course, excepting the one at Sannati the other two have later alterations and additions.

The Fort in Banavāsi

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The fort in Banavāsi is oval shaped in plan measuring 850 m. north-south and 600 m. east-west, with the temple in the central area and the medieval alignments of the roads whtiin the fort may well be taken as the continuation of the earliest. Perhaps there may be some in the later times added to the earliest. The two principal streets running north-south seem to be the original. Similarly the one that runs east-west immediately to the south of the temple Madhukēśvara is in all probability of the same category. What is noteworthy here is that there are parallel straight roads running north-south and east-west, intersecting almost at right angles. On the outside is a moat of the width of 14 m - 20 m.

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In a sense, therefore, the fort of Banavāsi seems to have been after the pattern of Jaladurga (Fig.87) and Sthala durga (Fig.78) enunciated by Kautilya. Of course, the plan is determined more by the local configuration of the land and cannot be closely similar to the ideal description of Kautilya. We find in Banavāsi thet the fort wall follows the contour of the land. The area in between the contour lines 650 and 625 is almost fully occupied by the fort, and the height of this area is immediately prominent in relation to the surrounding region in the height from 625 m to 610 m.

The Fortification in Sannati

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The fortification in Sannati seems to represent a proto-type of what has been described in the Mānasāra for a Khēṭa.

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Here the ancient Sannati is located within the steep curve of the river Bhīmā. There are two concentric fortification walls. On the river side in between the fortification wall is a brick built Ghāt and there is no moat on the exterior side of the outermost fortification.

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As noted above that Sannati was essentially a place of trade and commerce, and must have been on the ancient trade route between Kānchi and Paithan. Thus in a sense, Mānesāra's theory of Khētedurga (Fig.89) seems to be an idealised form what is there in places like Sannati.

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Again, the location of the stupas away from the fortification area is typical of Buddhist religion. It may be noted here that similar situation is extant at Kārlā, Ajanta, Pithalkhōra etc. Buddhist Chaityālayas, stūpās and Vihāras are generally built away from the habitation area, for the Budhist monks were to carry out the religious practices and study and are not to be disturbed from the din and bustle of the town life. For the purpose of preaching and begging they are expected to visit cities from their place of sojourn. On the other hand in the case of Brahmanical religion temple is the centre of cultural activities, such as imparting of education, trial of cases of judgement, religious discourses, performance of dances and music etc. Naturally, it is advisable that the temple should be at the habitation area so that it is accessible to all people easily. If there was any brahmanical temple in Sannati is to be known only from excavations. The present temple of Chandralāmbā on the river bank away from the outer fortification is of late Rāṣṭrakūṭa, by which time the fortifications were in disuse and the habitation was in the vicinity of the temple.

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The Fort in Hāngal (Fig.53)

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Now, the innermost fort at Hangal comprising Enclosure I and Enclosure II belongs to the Śātavāhana - Kadamba period. Within the inner fortification wall is a temple dedicated to Īśvara almost at the centre. Of course, this temple is of 11-12 century A.D. and the fortifications too had been renovated and are enlarged. However, in view of the copper plate grants of the Banavāsi Krishnavarma-II of the early Kadambas, there should have been brahmin community here well versed in the Vēdas and Sāstras and performing Yajnas (E.I. 1952, Vol.II, No.1, pp. 1ff). Hence, it would not be unreasonable to say that within the inner fort there was a temple during the Sātavāhana - Kadamba period. As the fortification is a little away from the river bank a moat has been provided round the fortification i.e. Enclosure III, which is fed by the Sastrikere and Anekere. The provision of the moats to the fortification indicates the political importance of the place. However, it is essentially of the <ins>Khēṭa type</ins> (Fig.89) of fort of Mānasāra.

The Fort in Bādāmi

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The fort on the North Hill of the Bādāmi Chālukyas dated to mid 6th century A.D. is a typical example of Giridurga (Fig.89). It is polygonal in plan inevitably after the natural top edge of the hill. It immediately reminds of the Karvaṭa (Fig.88) type of fort discussed by Mānasāra in his work which more or less immediately precedes the fort (543 A.D.). The builders of the fort, therefore, in view of the proximity of the period of the work, may be expected of as knowing well the different types of forts discussed in the work.

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Of course, within the fort excepting the two temples Upper and Lower Śivālayas, there are no remains. Further as the hill top is mostly of bare rock surface intersected by deep valleys alignment of streets etc. cannot be known. Further there, the top area is not so extensive as to accommodate numerous buildings in alignment.

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The Upper Śivālaya is more or less in the centure of the fort, and the Lower Śivālaya originally probably Gaṇēśa temple is in the mid-way. The entrance is very well protected by closed barbican. It should be noted that the North Hill is surrounded by the deep valleys on all sides, which in turn, by lofty hill ranges.

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On the whole, the hill fort in Bādāmi seems to be a practical example of Mānasāra's ideal concept of Kharvata fort.

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The Fort in Malkhed (Fig. 55)

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The fort of the period of the mid late Rāṣṭrakūṭas is located on the bank of the river Kāginā and the original part of the fort is polygonal in plan, looking like a shouldered wedge and on all the other sides is a moat. The moat is very wide, almost double the total width of three moats (Fig. 79 and Fig. 80) and bunds in between (i.e. 46 m) as suggested by Kautilya. At close and regular interval on exterior side are rectangular bastions. Within the fort is the citadel part with bulbous bastions (Fig. 83) on the western side of the fort i.e. on the bank of the river. It had a bifurcation wall on the eastern side. Unfortunately owing to the subsequent distructions, additions, alterations and accumulation of debris in great height within the citadel, it is not possible to ascertain the original layout and the position of the buildings etc.

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On the whole it follows more or less the general plan of the fort of Sthala durga (Fig.78) as given by Kautilya.

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The Fort in Basava Kalyāṇa (Fig.44 and Fig.45)

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The fort at Basava Kalyāṇa i.e. enclosure No.II,which is definitely the original and of the period under discussion, is located in a depression not easily visible from a distance, surrounded by a wide moat and provided with semi-circular bastions at regular intervals. The fort is oval shaped in plan. In this case also owing to heavy alterations and additions in the following period, the original layout within the fort of the Kalyāṇa Chālukya period cannot be known.

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The contemporaneous mud fort at Hangal (Fig.55) which is added to the earlier fort i.e. Enclosure No.III is more informative so far as the interior plan is concerned. The extant main streets in all probability are the same as originals and the famous Tārakēśvara temple, which is the most important, is located in the centre of the western part of the fort. On the outside there is another enclosure probably built slightly at later date. It is surrounded by wide moat fed by the river Dharma, Ānekere and Achakere. Thus, Enclosure No.III seems as the citadel surrounded by the supporting communities living in between Enclosures III and IV. The fort consisting of the two enclosures of the period is roughly egg shaped. Being a mud fortification there are no reasonably bastions at regular intervals. The fortified earth work, taken together, in all probability is the longest in this part of the country, running in several kilometres.

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Both the forts i.e. from Basava Kalyāṇa and Hāngal reflect the ideas of Kautilya in his description of Sthaladurga.

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The Fort in Vijayanagara (Hampi) (Fig.58)

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The Vijayanagara fort at Hampi is a combination of the Sthaladurga (Fig.78) and Giridurga (Kharvaṭa) (Fig.88). The plan of the fort in view of the local configuration is therefore irregularly polygonal in plan. Its extent and many enclosures one within the other and the roads (Fig.86) and the location of the important buildings such as temples, (N.S.: 5 km. and E.W.: 10.2 km and next enclosure, N.S.: 11.2 km. E.W.: 14.3 km) readily remind the Rājadhānīya (Fig.91) layout of Mānasāra. The fort walls (Fig.85) of Vijayanagara encompass an area of about 280 square kilometres and measure about 800 km., if all put together. And therefore in the whole of Asia let alone India, excepting the great China wall we hardly come across with such a magnificent work of forti-fying the capital as attempted in Vijayanagara.

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The Fort in Bījāpur (Fig.70)

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The last but not the least is the fort of ‘Ādil Shāhis of Bījāpur. The curtain wall (10.00 m. both wide and high) around the city fort of Bījāpur runs about 10½ kilometres in almost a circular manner, interconnected with high bastions (30 m) and massive watch towers altogether numbering 84, with six main gates together with a deep and wide moat (18-20 m) on the outside. From the citadel almost in the centre of the fort, six roads run in radial way connecting the six city gates in the fag end, which remind partly of the concept of Kharvata (Fig.83) type of fort by Mānasāra. Basically the fort is a Sthaladurga (i.e. ground fort), as it is situated on a plain ground. The dimensions of the architectural members of the fort such as, the wall, the bastions, the wall-walk, the moat etc. are more or less similar to those enunciated by Kautilya.

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What is noteworthy here is that even the builders of the forts for Muslims were in all probability following the principles of Kautilya and Mānasāra in this region. In a way the Muslims in this part of Karnataka too had been greatly impressed by the Hindu ideals regarding construction of forts as enshrined in Kautilya's Arthaśāstra and other allied important works. But for its inception and history, the fort is essentially Indian in layout having little alien idea, though not in architectural features, as a whole.

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Thus we find that there is definitely relationship in varying degrees between actual specimens of forts discussed and the theoretical ideas regarding the construction of the forts, given in detail by these great thinkers of the respective periods. We do not find any striking departure in practice from what has been said in the texts in any of the examples studied. The texts therefore are of immense help in understanding of the selection of the sites, the layout of the forts and their construction in a better way.

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