Yantras or Mechanical Contrivances in Ancient India c2.62

c2.62

*Śūkarikā* is a huge thing shaped like a pig or bellows, made of bamboo, rope and hide, filled inside with cotton etc., and is placed on the path as an obstruction and as a buffer to stop stones, etc., that are flung by the enemy. According to some others, *Śūkarikās* are to prevent enemies from easily getting up the ramparts; they, on this view, were probably closely suspended all along the walls to prevent the enemy-scaler from getting a foothold.