FORTS IN INDIAN HISTORY
FORTS IN INDIAN HISTORY
Fort – It is a strong protective building with great walls, wooden Palisade, in the form of a fence, which is guarded by warriors. Forts were used in India for a purpose of defense, safety and security. They play a significant part in Indian history from ancient to medieval and modern.
History of Fort Structure
Prehistoric humans created fortified structures to protect themselves from life threats and natural calamities like flood, wild attacks etc.
They built forts using thorny branches, Bamboo, mud stones etc. Earliest archaeological evidence comes from 1050 known sites of Proto historic civilization. 416 Indus Valley sites in Pakistan and 625 sites in India show evidences of Fort building.
For Example - Lothal, Rakhigarhi, Dholavira, Kalibangan, Harappa, Banawali, Mitathal, Surkotada, Mohenjodaro, Kot Diji, Ganeriwala, Kuntasi.
At large sites - Forts built of baked bricks with gates, bastions and citadels (Citadel is not found in Chanhudaro)
Harappa - citadel surrounded by large brick walls.
Dholavira - citadel surrounded with fortification using stones.
Fortified sites and cities are in Solasa Mahajanapadas (16 great kingdoms). Some of those cities are –
- Patliputra
- Kaushambi
- Ujjain
- Kashi
- Mathura
- Taxila
- Ganga- Yamuna Doab (Mathura to Patna)
- Uttarapatha
- Dakshinapatha
Archaeological evidence of Fort walls of Rajagriha and Chandraketugarh was found made up of burnt bricks. Patliputra was described by Megasthenes as –
- Protected by ditch and wooden walls
- Fortified citadel that has 570 towers and 54 Gates
Major medieval dynasties who built Fort heritages in India are –
- Sultanate
- Mughal
- Imperial rule
- Maratha
Regional dynasties who focused on Fort creation in India –
- Rajputs
- Sikhs
- Kakatiyas
- Bahamani
- Qutub Shahis
- Ahom Dynasty
Three major methods used for early fortifications and protected citadels –
- Creation of Earthen ramparts – using the dug out soil to build protective fences.
- Creation of large and tall protective ramparts – using rubble and soil
- Building forts from stone and masonry – Majority of Indian forts have a base made up using this method
Hill passes were also fortified as they led to the main castle of the kingdom. Such passes were fortified using local rocks and soils of earth.
Modern day destroyed forts like Tanot (Rajasthan), forts of northwest or forts of Indian desert were also built around 600 AD.
Major ancient Indian dynasties of India that focused the most on fort building –
- Mauryan
- Gupta
- Pratihara
- Vakataka
- Chola
- Pandya
The local geography has played an important role in the placement of forts. At present. There are nearly 7000 formally documented and listed forts of notes across the Indian subcontinent. Only 1064 ports and fortification are protected.
Kautilya‘s third century text Arthashashtra refers to 6 major types of forts differentiated by their respective modes of defence. Those forts are –
- JAL DURGA - It is also called water Fort and has many types like –
- Antardvipa-Durga : It is an island fortress, which is surrounded by natural sea or river like Murud Janjira
- Sthala Durga : surrounded by artificial moats or irrigated by a river like Shergarh fort in Rajasthan
- MARU DURGA - surrounded by an arid area of atleast 5 yojanas like Hanumangarh fort.
- GIRI DURGA – It is a hill fort with many sub-types such as –
- Prantara Durga : Located on a flat hill summit like Chittorgarh fort
- Giri – Parshva Durga : Located on hill slope like Ajmer fort
- Guha Durga : Located in valley surrounded by hills where signals are met
- VANA DURGA – surrounded by dense forests over a distance of atleast 4 koshas like Ranthambore.
- MAHI DURGA – Earthen fort that has following sub types –
- Mrid Durga : surrounded by earthen walls
- Parigha Durga : surrounded by brick or stone walls
- Panka Durga – Located in marshy land or quick sand
- NRI DURGA – Human forts that were defended by warriors. It was a part of city fortress with a large permanent garrison.
Evolution of Forts from settlements to defence
Some specific political conditions led to defensive architectural structures of force that came to be built on top of hills or peaks and served as watchtowers, castles etc.
One of the oldest surviving forts in India lies beneath the Qila Mubarak part of Bhatinda Fort that originates in approx 100 AD.
Fort of Kangra also has a long history.
Some of the typical Rajput and Jat Indian forts are –
- Chittorgarh
- Kumbhalgarh
- Ranthambore
- Gagron
- Jaisalmer
- Amber
- Jodhpur
- Mehrangarh
- Bikaner Junagarh
- Bundi Taragarh
- Ajmer Taragarh
- Gwalior
Hence, we can conclude that India has had many fortified cities as well as defensive force from the early historical period to the modern period as well as sacred enclosures within cities. There are numbers of pre-modern period forts with protective walls in the capital cities like Agra, Delhi, Ahmedabad, Jaipur etc.
India has a rich variety of history when it comes to its forts and fortified heritage. However, by the end of modern historical period, a fewer Indian forts were still being erected in northern India.
Thus India sees wide variety of forts in its east west north, and south.
UPSC MAINS PRACTICE QUESTION
Explain the significance of historical forts of India. Highlight the importance of such forts in the life of people belonging to ancient& medieval era.