Defence Architecture in Early North Karnataka c19.s2: The Second Stage: (The Bādāmi Chālukyas)
Defence Architecture in Early North Karnataka c19.s2
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The Second Stage: (The Bādāmi Chālukyas)
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In the next stage during the 6-8th centuries A.D., the Chālukyan fort at Bādāmi (Fig.21) displays considerable advancement in the architecture. The very selection of the area for the construction of the fort (Fig.22 and Fig. 23) on steep sided hill tops indicates considerable advancement in war techniques. Of course, there are no direct evidences to have a clear idea about the actual devices used. However, the sculptural representations (Fig.95) show a variety of weapons of each class. The swords are much more heavy and arrows are like harpoons even more effective, for once a soldier is struck with an arrow, removal of that would only mean excessively painful and even fatal. This is an improved type of bow. Similarly are three pronged spears i.e. trisula. A heavy thick rope tied with an iron chunk with pointed pins is another type of powerful weapons found in sculptures, therefore, the soldiers in protection will have to be far above the horizons of such attacks. On the exterior side of wall are rectangular type of bastions at regular intervals. Further, the soldiers could gather in groups in required number at regular intervals on the top of the bastions. The Bādāmi fort is not provided with parapet (Fig.30) or Kanguras, perhaps for the reasons that the height of the hill is so much that enemies cannot aim correctly at the protecting soldiers.
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The entrances are much more massive and intricate provided with guard-rooms. Without prior knowledge of the plan of the entrance enemy could be easily caught and he finds his end there. Even the interior is naturally beset with zig-zag narrow passages so much so enemies, if they succeed to get into the fort, get scattered because of the diverse zig-zag ways.
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Thus what we find here in this stage the use of the natural protective intricacies in a most intelligent way and providing of bastions on the exterior for regular watch.
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The Third stage: (The Rāṣtrakūta Period)
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The third stage is represented by the fort in Malkhed. The very location (Fig.34) of the fort in the plain area indicates that there was a considerably distinct advancement in war techniques, for the natural protective devices that could be made use of in the earlier two stages represented by the forts in Banavāsi and Bādāmi, would be of not much avail. The later Rāṣṭrakūṭa fort in Malkhēḍ is located in the plain field (Fig. 35). On the other hand, artificial technical devices had to be evolved to meet the developing challanges such as deep wide moats, more bastions, more than one walls, more intricate entrances (Illn. D2) equipped with strong bastions (Fig. D3) at the very entrances. All these are evident in the remnants of the Rāṣṭrakūṭa fort.
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However, if the original part of the Rāṣṭrakūṭa fort located in the plains had any protective parapet walls at the top frontage, is not clear, for the upper parts of the fort here as well as in Raichur (*Annual Report of Archaeological Department of His Exalted Highness, Nizam's Dominions [1929-30]*, Fig. on last page) [Fig. 100] are so much di^sturbed that it is not possible to ascertain reliably this feature. But probably during this period and especially in view of its location in the plain field, this particular feature of architecture must have been developed. For fortunately there are three Veeragals: two from Hangal (Illns. J2 and J3) and one from Laxmēśvar (Illn. J4). In them, datable to C. 12th century A.D. the forts of respective places distinctly provided with parapet walls comprising kanguras, are depicted. Also, these Veeragals give us fairly good idea on various types of weapons used, such as swords and spears, shields of various types, daggers, bow and arrows, horses, elephants etc. The traditional description of an army i.e. Chaturangabala is reflected in the depictions. But a careful analysis of weapons depicted in hundreds of Veeragals, some of them being very rich in details, still reflect the traditional equipments, but of different varieties.
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The Fourth Stage: (The Chālukyas of Kalyāna and the Kadambas of Hāngal):
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It is in view of these facts, therefore, even in the next stage i.e. the Chalukyas of Kalyana and the Kadambas of Hangal, the forts do not reflect any distinct advancement in their architectural devices, as for example illustrated by those at Kalyāṇa in the plain Maidān area (Fig. 43) and Hāngal in the Malnād area (Fig. 52). So far the Malnad area is concerned understandably earthen forts are common, with slopy sides and rounded top (Fig. 56). Originally, there were probably jungle growths on them. In Kalyāṇa, the available part is too fragmentary to have a fairly good idea about the plan and elevation (Figs. 44 and 45) of the fort. So is the case with the fort at Lakkuṇḍi; the bastions continued to be rectangular in plan.