वास्तु मण्डन (मण्डन सूत्रधार - गृह, राजप्रासाद, दुर्ग एवं नगर-वास्तु सटीक)

INTRODUCTION xix CHAPTERS ON FORT AND PALACE ARCHITECTURE Fort occupies a major and very important place in this text. In the middle of 15ᵗʰ century, warfare was regular phenomenon in the western region and a strong secured fort with a palace was inevitable. Rāṇā Kumbhā (1433-68) built numerous forts in his domain the prime one of which was the Kumbhalgarh. From two references, we infer that Maṇḍana Sūtradhāra was the chief architect of Kumbhalgarh. These are: – a) Saṅgītarāja by Rāṇā Kumbhā, which is edited by Premlata Sharma. In the introduction she writes ‘Kumbhalgarh the famous fort of which has the distinction that in all the wars against the enemies of Mewar it remained unconquered (except for once). Its architect was Sūtradhāra Maṇḍana. It is a marvellous feat of military Engineering.’ b) In ‘Some famous Sculptures and Architects of Mewar (15ᵗʰ century A.D.),’ I.H.Q.1957, Vol. xxxiii Sri R.C. Agarwal writes, ‘that whereas contemporary artists like Jaitā and Maṇḍana had attained perfection in the sphere of carrying out stone sculptures and constructing monumental structures like the Kirtistambha at Chittor and the fort at Kumbhalgarh.’ Maṇḍana Sūtradhāra in his book Vāstumaṇḍana gave detailed description of fort and its inside, the palace and its elaborate planning. He described Kumbhalgarh fort as built by him. In the beginning he advises that one must built a strong fort even if he has to demolish the existing structure. Interestingly the fort Kumbhalgarh was built on the location of another old fort. In the Encyclopaedia of India (Rajasthan), pp. 107-8, it is written that Kumbhalgarh was built by Maharana Kumbha in 1448 on a rock plateau and in a site of an earlier ancient fortress. The rampart of the fort is very strong and can be compared with the Great Wall of China. Inside the fort there is a palace, which is self-contained and complete in all respects. The text provides detailed planning of the palace and fort. Original blueprints of the two could be located and in that aspect this book has great documentary importance. Four corners of the fort were specially prescribed for the artisans, wine sellers, hunters etc but those corners were not recommended suitable for others. Brahmins were allocated to reside in the East, Kṣatriyas in the South and Vaiśyas in the North. Water reservoirs were all in the West. The Sun god was placed in the North-East corner, Gaṇādhipa in the South-East, Sahasrākṣa in the South-West, and Janārdana in the North-West. Gods were either facing the East or the west. City inside the fort was complete being adorned with palace, garden, ramparts, main entrance (huge) gates, water reservoirs, gardens, tower of fame, etc. Next the book provides an insufficient description of machineries, which were used to protect the fort. Though the description is not very lucid yet it makes the readers apprised with the name of machineries that were developed in those days.