Forts in India
But when the British Government in India were cataloging them in the 17th–19th century they used the word forts as it was common in Britain then.
These are inferred by the remains of fort walls and bastions seen on excavation at Rajagriha and at several sites in the Gangetic plain notably Kaushambi.
[5] On some of the early relief work, the carvings indicate that ancient Indian forts have crenellations, embrasures, and sloping walls.
[10] Often they had rows of sharp, stout iron spikes to dissuade an attacking army from using elephants to break down the gates.
[12] The main gate to the forts was located mostly facing north direction, this was to avoid its deterioration by the rains, winds and the sun.
The structure had a substantial shortcoming, however: an earthen core accumulated water, which could destroy the stone shell.
[2] In medieval India, several reports exist of the practice of burying humans either dead or alive in the foundations of fort walls, to ensure their stability, being widely followed.
During the building of the Sri Qila, Delhi Alauddin Khalji is reported to have buried 8,000 skulls of Mughals killed by him into the foundation.
The king of Berar then ordered his minister, Esaji Naik Chive to bury a first-born son and his wife into the foundation of the bastion.
When the bastion was finished Esaji Naik was given possession of the fort and the father of the sacrificed boy was rewarded with two villages.
[13] Along with the fortification, emphasis was also given for construction of rock cut water cistern, ponds, wells and lakes.
Many Indian fortifications have parapets with peculiarly shaped merlons and complicated systems of loopholes, which differ substantially from similar structures in other countries.
[14][dubious – discuss] With the advent of the East India Company, the British established trading posts along the coast.
The need for security against local rajas as well as other European rival nations led to the construction of forts at each post.
Parsimony of the East India Company, non-availability of trained engineers and use of local materials and artisans resulted in the simple design and construction initially.
The vulnerability of these earlier forts, hostilities with the French and the growing might of the Company resulted in stronger and more complex designs for the second round of construction, the design of Fort St George reflecting the influences of the French engineer Vauban.
[15] Although no Indian forts were destroyed by sudden disasters, there are several which were abandoned due to the ambitions of their rulers and have consequently deteriorated over time.
