A History of Agriculture in India v2.c86.8

v2.c86.8

The whole of the Ghats and neighbouring mountains often terminate towards the top in a wall of smooth rock, the highest points of which, as well as detached portions on insulated hills, form natural fortresses, where the only labour required is to get access to the level space, which generally lies on the summit. Various princes, at different times, have profited by these positions. They have cut flights of steps or winding roads up the rocks, fortified the entrance with a succession of gateways, and erected towers to command the approaches; and thus studded the whole of the region about the Ghats and their branches with forts.¹ This was ideal country for guerrilla warfare in which the Marathas specialized. This was the environment in which Sivaji, the great leader of the Marathas, lived as a boy.