(GIST OF YOJANA) Defence Architecture of Forts of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana

(JUNE-2024)

Defence Architecture of Forts of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana

Context:

The term ‘fort’ generally denotes a ‘stronghold providing protection and security to the inhabitants’ in Sanskrit, a fort is called ‘Durga,’ meaning hard to approach or accessible. In Telugu, it is called ‘Kota’ while it is called ‘Kote’ in Kannada and ‘Kottai’ in Tamil. The antiquity of fortifications in our country dates back to the Indus Valley civilisation, where lower citadels and upper citadels embarked on massive defence ramparts in the excavations.

Following highlights of the Forts

Kondapalli Fort is located in NTR district of AP. This fort of sizable extent is built on the hills of eastern ghats, accessed through two entry gates known as Durga Darwaza and Golconda Darwaza, the remnants include a palace complex built in Indo-Saracenic style. Initially, during the 12th century, Kondapalli was part of Western Chalukyan territories and subsequently a place of frequent struggles between Reddy-Velama rulers of Kondaveedu; it was for some time under Gajapati’s Vijayanagara kingdoms and in the early 1530s, it became a strategic coastal fort of Qutb Shahi rule
Kondaveedu and Addanki Forts in Bapatla and Palnadu districts of AP were initially served as headquarters of the Reddy kingdom during the early 15th-century, and its founder was a subordinate of Kaktiyas of Warangal. At first, the Reddy kings started their independent rule with Addanki as their capital and later shifted to Kondaveedu Fort, while Beellam Konda Fort served as their subordinate entity. During the 16th-century, these forts became a bone of contention between the Gajapatis, Vijayanagara, and Bahamani powers; later, Qutb Shahi joined. Kondaveedu Fort was subjugated to Qutb Shahi rule followed by the Mughals (1687 AD), the French (1752 AD), the Nizams and finally the British (1788 AD). The fort was provided with a double layer of defence fortification called Puttakota, stone defence ramparts at its foothill and Khila, which is extensive and marked by high raised security towers, battlements, and ramparts, making it one of inaccessible forts of that period.
Udayagiri Fort is located in PSR Nellore district of AP, a strategically built hill fort, it was initially under Vijayanagara rule, briefly held by Gajapatis. Krishnadeva Raya re-annexed it to Vijayanagara empire in 1513 AD Udayagiri, the fort, controlled the eastern frontier of the Vijayanagara empire. This fort was a bone of contention among the Vijayanagar, Bahamanis of Gulbarga, and Gajapatis of Odisha. In all, there were 13 fortresses, eight on the hill and five below, which contained bastions, gateways, water reservoirs, granaries, and watch towers. The remains of the fort include palaces, temples, and tombs. Amongst them, the Krishna temple was of historical significance, as Krishnadeva Raya carried the Balakrishna idol to Hampi and reinstalled it in the temple in 1515 AD In the latter part of the 16th-century, it came under the control of Qutb Shahi and in 1839 AD, the East India Company accessioned it.
Gooty Fort is located in the Anantapuramu district of AP. It is the largest fortification, measuring covering 11 km in circumference, has seven fortifications, one within another, and the outermost defence stone wall covers two hills, ensuring formidable defence. There are 14 gateways in total, flanked by watch towers on either side leading to the fort located about 224 m above sea level. A marked feature of its defence is wide battlements inside ramparts provided by a continuous parapet wall. The summit of the citadel has a granary, powder magazine, store rooms, and magazines.
Inscriptions of Kalyana Chalukyans dated from the late quarter of the 10th century to the early 12th-century were found here, and one of them mentions the Chola attack that was repulsed back. Gooty attained status of Rajya or province under the Vijayanagara monarchs. After the fall of Vijayanagra in 1665 AD, it faced attacks from the Adi! Shahis of Bijapur and Qutb Shahis of Golconda armies. By the end of the 17th-century it was annexed to the Qutb Shahi kingdom by the Mughals. In 1754, Morari Rao, a Maratha chief, occupied the fort. During his 20-year rule, the fort underwent repairs. In 1776, Haider Ali took control of Gooty fort and in 1799 AD it was annexed to the East India Company.
Penugonda Fort is located in the Satya Sai district of AP. It has seven massive fortifications, a moat, four gateways, number of temples, wells, watch towers, and granary at the summit. The architecture of bastions is similar to that at Hampi and Chandragiri forts. The earliest reference to this fort dates to the 14th-century AD During the 15th and mid-16th centuries, Penugonda witnessed many upsurges and fights for its control by different chiefs. In 1653, it was taken over by Bijapur; later, Morari Rao occupied it. Like Gooty, Penugonda also went into control of Haider Ali in 1776 AD and East India Company took it in 1799 AD.
Chandragiri Fort is located in Tirupati district of Andhra Pradesh. The fort is spread about a mile in circumference and covers an area of 26 acres. It consists of a lower fort covering the plain area and an upper fort on the hill on the northern side. Except for strong stone ramparts and the remains of Vishnu temple and Krishna temple, no significant structures were intact on the upper fort. The lower fort contains three-story Rani Mahal and Raja Mahal and a couple of temples. The long outer wall marked by rectangular bastions enclosing the lower fort and moat is worth noting. During the late 16th-century, the capital of Vijayanagara was shifted from Penukonda to Chandragiri.
Warangal Fort, located in the Warangal district of Telangana, stands testimony to the glorious Kakatiya legacy. It was referred to in epigraphs and literature as Orugallu, Orumgallu, and Ekasilanagara rose to prominence after shifting capital from Hanamkonda and became the capital of the Kakatiya kingdom during the Ganapatideva Maharajas regime (1199-1261 AD).
Bhongir Fort located in the Yadadri Bhuvanagiri district of Telangana, was initially under the Kakatiya supremacy. Once it was devastated by Allauddin Khilji in 1 355 AD and during the Velama kings, it became an administrative division on par with Warangal and Rachakonda forts. In 1433, Ahmed Shah Bahamani gifted Bhongir as a jagir to one of his governors. It was one of the earliest forts in Telangana, controlled by the Qutb Shahis.
Koilkonda Fort is located in the Mahbubnagar district of Telangana, due to its geographical location served as border fort between the Vijayanagara and Qutb Shahi kingdoms. It was for a brief period under the control of Bijapur forces but was regained by Sultan forces. This fort was again figured out during the reign of Abdulla Qutb Shah.The fort is located on a hill covered by ravines on the western side, and a defence wall encircles the hill with curtains and bastions. The arched gateways are decorated. In all, there are 4 gateways. The house of the commander, a number of other apartments, magazines, granary, and an Idgah were important structural remains of this fort.

Conclusion:

All these forts, once centres of power, polity, and might, engulfed in the annals of time, yet they remain a source of information about those bygone societies.