Description of Hill-forts (giri-durga)

[Classification of forts (1) Hill-forts (giri-durga)]

The account on forts begins with an enumeration of various classes of forts that are considered ideal for an ambitious king. The importance of having various 10. See inapatra (Marathi), Ed S.N.Banhatti, Pune 1974, p.102.

502 types of forts on the part of a king lies in the very fact that the sovereign who has 'fleets of forts' at his command, can with ease, destroy the enemy forces (31.4-6). Thus, arises the need for a correct knowledge of the art and craft of fort-construction, their classification, including the defective ones, which are to be abjured. The chief categories according to Samrajya-lakshmi-pithika are eight in number, namely, Hill-forts (giri-durgas), Forest-forts (Vanadurgas), Forts, built within a Cavern (gahvaradurgas) water-forts (jaladurgas) Mud-surrounded forts (pankadurga or kardamavita) Mixed-forts (misradurgas), Man-forts (nrdurgas) and the store-forts (kosthadurgas) (7-9). Now we take up the individual types with their sub-divisions. A. Hill-forts : A hill-fort is described to be one, which is constructed in the middle or infront of a fine stretch of land, found on the promontory of a mount, which provides difficult access, which is vast, has stiff slopes, is

503 surrounded by great salas (rampart walls) at the top and bottom and has a vast reservoir of water that never dries up (9-11). Hill-forts are generally constructed on the spurs of hills and keeping in view their inherent merits, are generally considered to be the best among the lot. Ancient writers on the subject like Kautalya, Manu, Sukracarya and treatises like Manasara and Kamandakiya are all in agreement in accepting the importance of this class of forts and have accorded to these pre-eminent place among the rest. The sites of such forts are generally well-selected on some difficult and selected hill-tops. Natural defences of such forts often consist of steep and smooth scraps in the vicinity rising hundreds of feet high lending a special charm to their invincibility. Among the Deccan forts Sivner, Torna, Rajgad and Purandar belong to this class. and 11 Samrajya-lakshmi-pithika mentions eight subdivisions of this class namely, Bhadra, Atibhadra, Candra, Ardhacandra, Nabha, Sunabha, Rucira and Vardhamanaka and proceeds to give the characteristic features of each. Accordingly, the the bhadra type primarily belongs to the broad category 11. See J.N.Kamlapur, The Deccan Forts (Chap.3)

504 of a hill-fort but is specially defined as one, which is a cave-like structure, has a circular shape, is polished and high, has a plain surface around with a profusion of water and is hewnout of a single piece of rock. In praise of this type, it is further said that a king, who rides over elephants and has bhadra type of forts in his possession, is capable of routing the host of enemies and of ruling the earth at ease. (12-15). The atibhadra is quadrangular from the base to the top, is high and has long-stretched-pools of waters with whirl-pools in them. The Candra type is shaped like a colpumn at the base but is topped with a moon-like structure, is circular in shape and is encircled by inexhaustible sources of water. Such forts, the author adds, are even inaccessible to the deathless beings (gods) (amara). The king who possesses such fort rules over the his subjects like moon with a calm mind. The ardhacandra type is constructed in a semi-circular pattern and has whirl-pools in the accompanying waters. The possession of such a fort ensures a two-fold benefit, as of effortless victory over the enemies and easy protection of the kingdom. The nabha type is one, which is slender at the base and high above, at top, becomes large with a gradual increase in size like the pericarp of a lotus.

505 The masters of such forts are generally atrributed with longevity, like Padmanabha (Visnu) after having won over enemies in battle-field. The Sunabha is said to be just the opposite of Nabha. It is large at the base and slender at the top with gradual decrease in size. The rucira type of forts are quite imposing in their size. From the base, these grow in-to gradual ascendance with a flight of commensurate steps around and like other hill-forts, have a splendid stock of water. The fort which is designed in the shape of a drum is known as Vardhamana. The master of such a fort is stated to attain prosperity at every step with growing health and riches. (16-26). Manasara an encyclopaedic treatise on Indian architecture, mentions three types of hill-forts namely, 1. the fort which is surrounded by mountains, 2. 3. the fort situated in the vicinity of a mountain, and the fort situated on the promontory of a hill. But inspite of this broad three subdivisions, the 12 reader misses here the details of eight-fold classifications as is provided by Samrajya-lakshmi-pithika Other authorities such as Manu, 12. Parvatavrtamadhye ca parvatasya samipake, parva tagrapradese tu giridurgamiti tridha (Ma. 10.46.46)

506 Parasara, Yajnavalkya, Kautilya and others feels contended to in simply mentioning hill-fort as one of but the categories Samrajya-lakshmi-pithika goes ahead with a detailed description of the various sub-types namely, eight and enlists eight more defective ones which are to be abjured by the ambitious sovereign. the ^ second division of In thirty-two Patala we come across another eight types of hill-forts, the possession of which is said to be disastrous for the king and hence caution should be observed 13 to stay away from those. They are: 1. Sucimukha 2. naranibha 3. surpabha 4. sakatakrti 5. madhyakhanda 6 ativakra 7. dandakara 8. halakara 21. needle-faced or pointed 2. Man-like 4. Cart-like 3. Winnowing-basket-shaped 5. broken in the middle 6. Much cooked 7. Column-like and 8. Plough-shapped 7 As the hill-forts of the aforesaid types give bad results, a king should never reside in such forts to avoid the impending disaster, that may arise for him, tagged together with a particular type. Thus if he 13. atha durgani vaksyante varijaniyani rajabhih (32.1).

507 resides in a fort which is needle-faced, he would, face defeat in the battle-field, if in a castle, made in the shape of a human being, he would develop a varice for wealth. Stay in a castle shaped after the winnowinghim basket, may render the valourless and mistake crowns his head who resides in a cart-like castle. The life of a king is vitiated by a continuous flow of diseases who makes his seat in a castle which is broken in the middle and death lurks over his head who makes his habitat a much-crooked castle. Stay in stick or column-like castle proves bleshphemous for the master and plough-shaped fort renders him perennialy poor. (32▼ 3-7) Such is the nature of positive harm that may accrue the master from a stay in the castles just recounted, in a magical way and hence, Samrajya-lakshmi-pithika strikes caution to the masters to keep away from the villified types that are positive impediments in the way of an aspiring emperor.