FORTS AND FORTIFICATIONS IN INDIAN MAPS AND PLANS: A STUDY IN

SIGNIFICANCE AND FUNCTIONALITY

By Deepak Kumar* Dilip Kumar Kushwaha** and Dr Jagdish Parshad***

* Research Scholar, Department of AIHCA, Gurukul Kangari University, Haridwar. email (deepakmeluha@gmail.com) ** Assistant Professor, Department of AIHCA, Gurukul Kangari Vishwavidyalaya, Hardwar. U.K *** Assistant Director, Haryana Academy of History and Culture, 76, HIPA Complex, Sector-18, Gurgaon, Haryana

INTRODUCTION ¢  The history of Indian cartography has long been understood as being based on

Western cartographic traditions. ¢  Maps of India were regarded as being produced by foreigners – not by Indians in

India ¢  The cartographic evidences of India that are pre-modern in date are meager and

the reason behind this meagerness is that any styles of map-making that did not confirm to the recognized patterns of the Europeans were usually rejected as of no value

¢  Another reason that contributed to it was the often extremely narrow view of

what may be labeled as map thereby failing to incorporate various objects that may be viewed as maps.

¢  However, in recent times number of indigenous maps has been reported from

various museums and personal collections. ¢  Among these indigenous maps there are several maps, plans and map like

paintings of forts and fortifications illustrating military acumen, planning, and administration.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES ¢  The objective of this paper is to study these maps and

map like paintings of forts and fortifications ¢  To situate them in the political and social context in

which these were made ¢  To understand their significance and function with

respect to defense system and strategies ¢  To explore artistic aspects of these maps for aesthetic

sense of the mapmakers and of the milieu through which these were abstracted and shaped

CARTOGRAPHY AND WARFARE

CARTOGRAPHY AND WARFARE

¢ Europeans, in their endeavor to colonize India discovered maps as an important instrument for administrative and militaristic control

¢ The demand for the military maps increased with

the expansion of British in India ¢  support for military use of maps was seen in

Robert Orme and also in James Rennell words ¢ Maps were now being made from military point

of view

CARTOGRAPHY AND WARFARE ¢  The production of the indigenous maps has been influenced

by the political, economic and military conditions

¢  Europeans served as advisors to Indian princes in military matters, and many mercenaries were officers in Indian armies especially overseeing the use of artillery

¢  These were generally made for the purpose of military

intelligence, planning, administration, exhibiting battles and sieges etc.

¢  There are reference to use of maps by Mughals and Marathas for defense and military strategies

¢  but there are also maps that were made only for decorative

purpose.

THE MAPS AND PLANS

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The painting is a combination of multiple oblique perspectives

and planimetric view. The illustration here, the heart of a

larger drawing, shows a very detailed view of a portion of the fortifications. Within the fort, the maharao of Kotah and his officers are watching an elephant fight

FROM:

J. B. Harley and David Woodward, History of Cartography Vol 2, Book 1, University of Chicago Press, Chicago.

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This Maratha map, dating from the eighteenth century, is painted on paper backed by cloth, with text in Marathi in both Devanagari and Modi scripts. The map details walls, bastions, gun turrets, other emplacements, water tanks, ammunition dumps, and residential buildings. From: Susan Gole’s Indian maps and plans, 1989, Manohar, Ne Delhi

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Exceedingly vivid representation of a naval engagement between Marathas and the Sidi. It shows Abundant detail of Janjira fort, nearby forts and military installations on mainland, and ships surrounding island.

From: Susan Gole’s Indian maps and plans, 1989, Manohar, Ne Delhi

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The map was obviously drawn to illustrate, or for use during the planning of, a campaign to attack the fort. It gives detailed information about distances between bastions in the outer wall of Baghor fort, and names places within the fort, particularly the various temples

From: Susan Gole’s Indian maps and plans, 1989, Manohar, Ne Delhi

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According to K.N. Chitnis, this map of Dharwar fort was drawn in 1791. The Name of the artist is on the back: Visaji Narayana Vadadekar.The map shows the bastions and walls in great detail, and some of the buildings inside the fort.

From: Susan Gole’s Indian maps and plans, 1989, Manohar, Ne Delhi

SUMMARY

¢  Whatever the Indian cartographic material exist today does maintain a traditional Indian character and provides the idea of the maps produced in the past

¢  The indigenous maps of forts with utilitarian purposes are simpler and more

exact than other type of maps ¢  most of the maps of forts seem to be related to military intelligence, planning,

administration, or instruction though some were obviously made to commemorate battles and sieges

¢  European influences have figured in shaping both the style and the content of many of them

¢  The compass rose on the map of Vijayadurg for example, is surely of European inspiration

¢  In most of the indigenous representations of forts that we are considering, an overall planimetric perspective predominates

SUMMARY

¢  City walls, may be portrayed as if viewed either from the ground or, less commonly, from an assumed oblique perspective including specific buildings within the forts

¢  coastal forts sometimes filled with ships and rivers may shown with fish, turtles, and crocodiles

¢  Most of the maps are attributable to the Marathas, who were the dominant military power in India during much of the eighteenth century and remained a major military force until 1819.

¢  There are numerous evidences only few of which have been examined here.

¢  Thus, what is required is to reread the history of cartography of India

THANK YOU