Solution
Abdur Razzak who was an ambassador from Persia visited the Vijaynagar empire in the 15th century. He stayed in Vijaynagar for some years and gave accounts of the economy, polity, and social life. But his accounts of the structure of Vijaynagar grab widespread attention because he explains that Vijaynagar was constructed with a lot of planning and the best example is the fortification structure.
1. He revealed that the Vijaynagar empire created its cities primarily for protection against invasion. The city itself was a fortress and designed as such in every possible way. It was built of massive stone, and earthen walls, with hilltop fortresses and watchtowers scattered across its length and breadth. Visitors to the city, irrespective of their guild and intention, had to travel through a heavily fortified and protected area before reaching the main urban core which gave them an ample view of the might that protected the empire.
2. The Vijayanagara fort not only encircled the palace; but it also encircled agricultural tracts, river streams, forests, etc. This was especially done to survive sieges of the fort by any powerful enemy. There were seven, lines of forts. Between the first, second, and third walls, there are cultivated fields, gardens, and houses.
3. The water channelized from river Tungabhadra was used for the cultivation of agricultural tracts.
4. The outermost wall linked the hills surrounding the city. The massive masonry construction was slightly tapered. No mortar or cementing agent was employed anywhere in the construction. The stone blocks were wedge-shaped, which held them in place, and the inner portion of the walls was of earth packed with rubble. Square or rectangular bastions were projected outwards.
5. The second line of fortification went around the inner core of the urban complex, and a third line surrounded the royal center, within which each set of major buildings was surrounded by its own high walls.
6. Gateways were distinctive architectural features. The arcs on the gateways were splendid and show the influence of Turkish architecture.
7. There were pavements and roads which generally wound round through the valleys, avoiding rocky terrain. Some of the most important roads extended from temple gateways and were lined by bazaars. Therefore, Razzak was impressed by the intelligence, splendid planning, and technology used in making the fort.
Class 6
Class 7
Class 8
Class 9
Class 10
Class 11
Class 12
Class 5
College Entrance