Importance of forts

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Introduction to Forts

India is considered as a land of the forts. There had been many leaders in India who were brave and very much skilful. They had constructed many castles or forts. These forts have magnificent high level of engineering and architecture.  In India, there are many forts. These regions have many beautiful forts that attract a large number of tourists eve.

Feature of Forts

Forts of India are famous for their style, design, and material used like marble or red sandstone. The style of architecture was known as the Corbelled style of architecture. The important feature of architecture was the use of the arch, the dome, and the minaret. To decorate the buildings, geometrical designs, flowers and Arabic calligraphy had a verse from the holy Quran.

1. Building Materials

The materials used for constructing forts differ from region to region. Stone was extensively used and gypsum was used for plastering buildings. Lime plaster was reserved for places that need to be secured against water leakage in roofs, canals, and drains.

2. Walls

The walls of the forts were often looked higher from the outside than the inside. The walls of forts were very thick. Stone was the most important material for building forts. A wall could be an earthen rampart faced with stone on both sides.  They were used Lime mortar as a binding material for construction. The walls were decorated and the height of the walls is 36m -40m and width is 21m- 25m.

3. Gate

The gates of forts were much decorated. Gates of Indian forts were often high and wide. The length of the gate is 25 ft and width is 13 ft. The gate of the fort has steel spikes to protect it from elephants.

4. Burj (Bastion)

The shape of the bastion is semi-circular. It consists of three stories which having solid blocks of granite firmly cemented together or may be bound with iron clamps.  The Weight of blocks was in the tons. There were some guns on the bastion which were used for defense purpose.

5. Gardens

Gardens in forts were beautiful creations. It was designed in Mughal style. Large Gardens with water fountains and canals in north India were laid by many Muslims rulers. These gardens were placed within rectangular wall enclosure and divided into four quarters by artificial channels.

6. Mahal

Inside the fort, there were palace or Mahal which were beautifully decorated with relief carving, floral inlay work with precious and semi-precious stones, and calligraphy. The royal palace was built for the emperor and their families.

Sheesh Mahal, Moti Mahal are some examples of palaces.  The Sheesh Mahal was used as a private temple. Gold and silver leaves and a lot of mirror pieces were used as decorations. The Diwan-i Khas was a hall of private audience. It is a highly ornamented pillared hall.

7. Water Supply

Numbers of Baolis were built during the medieval times. Baolis are step-wells to obtain underground water. It was an intelligent and durable technique for obtaining water. Baolis had a unique and beautiful architectural style with impressive appearances. Earthen pipes were used for water supply. These pipes would have been used to carry water to different places in the palace.

8. Worship places

In forts, there were places of worship. In Mughal forts there were mosques and in Hindu forts there were temples. The mosque includes one minaret each on the four corners. Temples have marble halls, pillars, carved ceiling, and roof. The architectural wonder of the medieval period was built to showcase power and wealth

Solved Example

Q1. Which stone was used to build the Taj Mahal?

a.   Granite

b.   Marble

c.   Red Sandstone

d.   Limestone

Sol. The correct answer is the option ”b”. Marble was used for building the Taj Mahal. The Taj Mahal was constructed using materials from all over India and Asia. It is believed over 1,000 elephants were used to transport building materials. The translucent white marble was brought from Makrana, Rajasthan, the jasper from Punjab, jade, and crystal from China. The Taj Mahal was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1983 for being “the jewel of Muslim art in India and one of the universally admired masterpieces of the world’s heritage.

Agra Fort 

It is a historical fort in the city of Agra in India. It was the main residence of the emperors of the Mughal Dynasty until 1638, when the capital was shifted from Agra to Delhi. Before capture by the British, the last Indian rulers to have occupied it were the Marathas. In 1983, the Agra fort was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage site. It is about 2.5 km northwest of its more famous sister monument, the Taj Mahal. The fort can be more accurately described as a walled city.

Red Fort

It had been used by the early mughal rulers. The Fort stands on an ancient site and was traditionally known as Badalgarh. It was captured by Ghaznavi for some time but in the 15th century A.D. the Chauhan Rajputs occupied it. Soon after, Agra assumed the status of capital when Sikandar Lodi (A.D. 1487-1517) shifted his capital from Delhi and constructed a few buildings in the pre-existing Fort at Agra. After the first battle of Panipat (A.D. 1526) Mughals captured the fort and ruled from it. In A.D. 1530, Humayun was crowned in it. The Fort got its present appearance during the reign of Akbar (A.D. 1556-1605).

Its English name red fort is a translation of the Hindustani Lāl Qilalla^[deriving from its red-sandstone walls. As the residence of the imperial family, the fort was originally known as the "Blessed Fort" (Qila-i-Mubārak).  Agra Fort is also known as Lāl Qila.

History

Constructed in 1639 by the fifth Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan as the palace of his fortified capital Shahjahanabad, the Red Fort is named for its massive enclosing walls of red sandstone. The imperial apartments consist of a row of pavilions, connected by a water channel known as the Stream of Paradise (Nahr-i-Bihisht). The fort complex is considered to represent the zenith of Mughal creativity under Shah Jahan, and although the palace was planned according to Islamic prototypes, each pavilion contains architectural elements typical of Mughal buildings that reflect a fusion of Persian, Timurid and Hindu traditions. The Red Fort's innovative architectural style, including its garden design, influenced later buildings and gardens in Delhi, Rajasthan, Punjab, Kashmir, Braj, Rohilkhand and elsewhere.^[

The fort was plundered of its artwork and jewels during Nadir Shah's invasion of the Mughal Empire in 1747. Most of the fort's precious marble structures were subsequently destroyed by the British following the Revolt of 1857. The fort's defensive walls were largely spared, and the fortress was subsequently used as a garrison.  The Red Fort was also the site where the British put the last Mughal Emperor on trial before exiling him to Yangon in 1858.

It was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2007 as part of the Red Fort Complex .

Here you find importance of Forts to conserve the culture and tradition of India and the rich heritage and legacy.