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Defence Architecture in Early North Karnataka c18.s3: Kautilya's Arthaśāstra

Defence Architecture in Early North Karnataka c18.s3

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English

Contents

Kautilya's Arthaśāstra

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Around the time of Kautilya (C.300 B.C.) was a rather unusual socio-political process at work - the process of formation of Kingdoms and empires. This process needed tremendous energy, planning, foresight and team work. Fortunately, a shrewd political mind rose up to the occasion i.e. Kautilya, who had unparalleled role in shaping the political life of the country. His work, the Arthaśāstra reflects not only his geniusness in formulating the treatise for the time but also a comprehensive and rigorously sustaining spirit in modelling the prosperous strong state. It gives a detailed account of laws, administration etc. as well as defence system and norms for construction of fortifications.

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Now coming to his designs (Figs. 78, 79, 80, 82, 83, 84 85 and 86) in the construction of forts including minute details such as their material, selection of sites and method of construction, any person intelligent in state craft would but wonder at his extraordinary brilliance beaming in his treatise. Now let us try to glance through some relevant parts of his masterly exposition.

Kinds of Forts

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"In all the four quarters of the boundaries of the empire (Shama Sastry,R. 1956 (Ro.Ed), pp. 52-81) defensive fortification against an enemy in war shall be constructed on grounds naturally best fitted for the purpose, a water fortification (Audhaka) such as an island in the midst of a river, or a plain surrounded by low ground, a mountainous fortification (Parvata) such as a rocky tract or a cave, a desert (Dhānavana), such as a wild tract devoid of water and overgrown with thicket growing in barren soil, or a forest fortification (Vana durga), full of wag-tail (Khājana), water and thickets".

Plan of the Fort

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"Of these, water and mountain fortifications are best suited to defend populous centres and desert and forest fortifications are habitations in wilderness (Atavisthānam) diacritical or having no refuge in times of danger. The king may have his fortified capital (Sthanîya) as the seat of his treasury (Samudāya Sthānam) in the centre of his kingdom: In a locality naturally best fitted for the purpose such as the bank of the confluence of rivers, a deep pool or perennial water or of a lake or a tank, a fort, circular (Fig. 78) rectangular or

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square in form, surrounded with an artificial channel of water and connected with both land and water paths (may be constructed)".

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"Round this fort, three (Fig.79 and Fig.80) ditches with an intermediate space of one *Danda* (=6 ft) from each other, 14, 12, 10 Dandas respectively in width, with depth less by 1/3 or by 1/2 of their width, square at their bottom and 1/3 as wide as at their top, with sides built of stones or bricks, filled with perennial flowing water or with water drawn from some other source and possessing crocodiles and lotus plants shall be constructed".

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"At a distance of 4 *Dandas* (24 ft) from the (inner most) ditch, a rampart (Fig.83), 6 Dandas (36 ft) high and twice as much broad shall be erected by heaping mud upwards and by making a broad street, with two storeyed buildings covered over with a roof and 2½ times as long as it is broad."

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"Between the tower and the broad street, there shall be constructed an *Indrakōsha* (Fig.85), which is made of covering pieces of perforated wooden planks affording seats for 3 arches."

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"There shall also be made a road for goods, which shall measure 2 *Hastas* inside *Indrakōsha* (Fig.85) and 4 times as much by the sides and 8 *Hastas* along the parapet".

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"Paths (Charya to ascend the parapet?) as broad as a *Danda* i.e. 6 ft, or two shall also be made."

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"In an unassailable part of the rampart a passage for flight i.e. <ins>Pradha vitikam</ins> and a door for exit '<ins>Nishkuradwāram</ins>' (Fig. 82) shall be made".

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"Outside the rampart, passage (Fig. 84) for movements shall be closed for forming obstructions such as knee breakers '<ins>Jānubhangani</ins>', a trident mounds of earth pits, wreaths, thorns, instruments made like tail of a snake, palm leaf, dogs teeth, rods, ditches filled with thorns and covered with sand frying pans and water pools, i.e. square at bottom, oval at the centre, pressed by the tramplings of elephants and bulls, and planted with thorney and poisonous plants in bushes. Gaps in the rampart shall be filled with fresh earth.

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Above the rampart, parapets in odd and even numbers and with an intermediate space of from 12 to 24 Hastas from each other shall be built of bricks and raised to a height of twice their breadth.

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The passage for chariots (Fig.86) shall be made of trunks of palm trees or of broad thick slab of stones with spear like the head of monkeys carved on their surface but never of wood as fire finds a happy abode in it.

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Towers square (Fig.85) thought-out and with moveable staircase or ladder equal to its height shall also be constructed.

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In the intermediate space measuring 30 Daṇḍas between two towers, there shall be formed.

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Having made on both sides the ramparts bulge (Fig. 83) out to the extent of a Daṇḍa and a half, an entrance gate to the fort 1/6 as broad as the width of the street shall be fixed.

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A square i.e. 'Chaturashara' is formed by a successive addition of one Daṇḍa upto 8 Daṇḍas commencing from 5, or in the proportion, 1/6 the length upto 1/8.

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The rise in level (Talōtsheda) shall be made by successive addition of one Hasta up/18 Hastas commencing from 15 Hastas.

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In fixing a pillar six parts are to form its height on the floor, twice as much i.e. 12 parts to be entered into the ground, and 1/4 for its capital.

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Of the first floor 5 parts (are to be taken) for the formation of hall i.e. Shala (?) a well, a boundary house 2/10 of it for formation of two platforms opposite to each other (pratimānchau) an upper storey twice as high as its width, carvings of images, an uppermost storey half of or 3/4 as broad as the first floor, side walls built of bricks on the left side, a staircase circumbulating from left to right on the right a secret staircase hidden in the wall, a top supporting of ornamental arches i.e. Toranashirah projecting as far as two Hastas two door panels occupying 3/4 of the space 2 x 2 cross-bars (paraegha) to fasten the door, an iron bolt i.e. Indrakila as long as an aratni (24 Angulas).

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A boundary gate (Anidwaram) 5 Hastas in width, 4 beams to set the doors against the elephants, and turrets (Hastinakha) outside the rampart raised upto the height a face of a man, removeable or irremoveable or made of earth in places devoid of water."

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"A turret above the gate and starting from the top of the parapet shall be constructed, its front resembling an alligator upto 3/4 of height. In the centre of the parapets there shall be constructed a lotus pool, a rectangular building of 4 compartments, one within the other an abode of Goddess Kumari (KumāriPuran), having its external area 1½ times as broad as that of its innermost room, a circular space building with an arched-way and in accordance with available space materials, there shall also be constructed canals (Kulya) to hold weapons, and 3 times as long as broad.

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In those canals there shall be collected stones,spades (Kuddala) axes, (Kuthāri) varieties of staff, cudgels (mushranti) hammers (mudgara), clubs, discs machines (Yantra) and such weapons as can destroy a hundred persons at once (Shataghni), together with spears, tridents, bamboo sticks with pointed edges made of iron, camel-necks, explosives (Agnisamyōga) and water wells can be devised and formed from available materials."

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Buildings within the Fort

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"Demarcation of the ground in side the fort shall be made first by opening three royal roads (Fig. 78) from west to east and three from south to north.

The fort shall contain 12 gates, provided with land and water way and a secret passage (Fig. 78)."

"Charriot roads (Fig. 86) royal roads and roads leading to Drōnamukha, stānīya, country parts and pas^tu^tôre grounds shall each be 4 Dandas in width.

Road leading to sayoniya (?) military station (Vyūhas) burial or cremation grounds and to village shall be 8 Dandas in width.

Roads to gardens, groves and forests shall be four Dandas; roads reading to elephants, forests, shall be 2 Dandas.

Roads for chariots (Fig. 86) shall be 5 arēnis (i.e. 7½ feet).

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Roads cattle shall measure 4 arthis, and roads for minor quadrupeds and men 2 artnis. Royal building shall be constructed on strong grounds.

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In the midst of the houses of the people of all the four castes and to the north from the centre of the ground inside the fort, the king's palace (Fig. 78) facing either the north or the east shall, be constructed occupying 1/9th of the whole site inside the fort.

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Royal teachers, priests, sacrificial place, water reservior and ministers shall occupy sites east by north to the place.

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Royal kitchen, elephants stables (Fig. 78) and the store house shall be situated on sites east by south."

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"On the eastern side, merchants trading scents, garlands, grains, and liquids together with expert artisans and the people of kshatriya caste shall have their habitations (Fig. 78).

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The treasury, the accountant's office and various factories (Karnanishadyascha) shall be situated on sites south by east.

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The store house of forest-produce and arsenal (Āyudha shāla) shall be constructed in sites south by west.

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To the south superintendents of the city, of commerce, of manufacturies, and of the army as well as those who trade in cooked rice, liquor and flesh, besides, prostitutes, musicians, and the people of vaishya caste shall live (Fig. 78).

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To the west by south stables of asse, camels and working horses.

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To the west by north, stables of conveyances and chariots.

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To the west artisans, manufacturing worsted threads, cotton threads, bamboo mats, skins, armours, weapons and gloves, as well as the people of shudra caste shall have their dwellings (Fig. 78).

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To the north by west shops and hospitals; to the north by east the treasury, the stables of cows and horses.

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To the north the royal tutelary deity of the city, iron smiths, artisans working on precious stones, as well as Brahmanas shall resides (Fig. 78)".

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"In the centre of the city, the apartments of Gods (Fig. 78) such as Apalajita, Apratihata, Jayanta Veijayanta, Shiva, Vaishravana, Ashwins (Divine Physician) and the abode of Godess Madira (Madira Griham) shall be situated.

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In the corners, the guardian deities, the ground shall be appropriately set up.

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Likewise, the principal-gates (Fig.78) such as Brahma, Indra, Yama and Sainyapatya shall be constructed, and at a distance of 100 bows (1 Dhanus = 96 Angulas) from the ditch (on the counter scarp side) places of worship and pilgrimage groves, and buildings shall be constructed.

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Guardian deities of all quarters shall also be set up in quarters appropriate to them.

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Either to the north or to the east, burial or cremation grounds shall be situated, but that of the people of highest caste shall be to the south of the city. Violation of this rule shall be punished with first amercement.

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Heretics and Chandālas shall live beyond the burial grounds.

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Families of workmen may in any otherway be provided with sides befitting their occupation and field work. Besides working in flower gardens, fruit gardens, vegetable gardens, and paddy fields, allotted to them, they (families) shall collect grains and merchandise in abundance as authorised".

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"There shall be a water well for every ten houses (Fig. 78).

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Oils, grains, sugar, salt, medicinal articles, dry or fresh vegetables, medow-grass, dried-flesh, haystack, firewood, metals, skins, charcol, tendons, poisons, horns, bamboo, fibrous, garments, strong timbers weapons, armours and stones shall also be stored (in the fort) in such a quantity as can be enjoyed for years together without feeling any want. Of such collection, old things can be replaced by new ones, when received.

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Elephants, cavalry, chariots and infantry shall each be offered with many chiefs, in as much as chiefs, when many are under the fear of betrayal from each other and scarcely liable to the insinuation and intrigues of an enemy.

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The same rule shall hold good with the appointment of boundary guards and repairs of fortifications.

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Never shall Bahirikas who are dangerous to the well being of cities and countries be kept in forts." Thus is a glance through the Arthasāstra. The next milestone is Manusmriti (200 BC - 200 A.D.).

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