The Rashtrakutas and their Times c19.s1.t1: Forts
The Rāṣṭrakūṭas and their Times c19.s1.t1
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Forts
c19.s1.t1.1
Writers on the Nītiśāstra devote a large space to the description of the various types of forts (durga) and declare that the strength of the army becomes immensely increased if it can take their shelter. The Deccan, over which the Rāṣṭrakūṭas were ruling, affords ideal opportunities for the construction of mountain forts. It is, therefore, strange that neither Muslim chroniclers nor epigraphical documents should give any information about or description of the forts of the period. This silence will have to be interpreted as accidental. The Konur inscription of Amoghavarsha I(38) refers in glowing terms to the great feat of Bankeya in capturing the fort of Kedala from the enemy; it is, therefore, clear that the value of the forts was well understood by the
c19.s1.t1.2
37. Moreland, *India at the Death of Akbar*, pp 16-17.
c19.s1.t1.3
Rāṣṭrakūṭas. We may presume that they must have built several forts on the hills, which were plentiful in their dominions. The fort of Morkhind in Nasik district is one of the forts in Maharashtra, the antiquity of which goes back to our period; when the Wani-Dindori(39) and Radhanpur(40) plates were issued by Govinda III, he was encamped in that fort. Many other forts in the Deccan, which were repaired by Shivaji in his war of independence, may have been as old as our period. It is almost certain that the Rāṣṭrakūṭas must have built several forts in their Empire, though unfortunately we know nothing about them at present.