Restoration of fort wall of Chandrapur

Abstract

Forts play a crucial role in protection of a region or territory. Durg is the Indian term of fort, and means difficult to trespass, signifying the importance of a strategic site, a strong wall and a moat to make it an impregnable bastion. In the constant struggle for power, forts and fortified settlements were a potent symbol of authority. There are many references to Forts and fortifications in ancient and medieval literature dating from the Vedic times. In the constant struggle for power, forts and fortified settlements were a potent symbol of authority. Thus, in ancient India as elsewhere, forts were the measure of Monarch's strength. The forts were not simply inanimate buildings serving a military purpose; they housed one of the most magnificent palaces ever built. They were alive and echoing to the sounds and cymbals of some of the great dynasties, witness to regicides and bloody succession battles and carrying within their bastions; harems and glitter unsurpassed. Thus, when writing the history of any era, of an empire, it is the forts of that period which dominate the rise and fall of fortunes. The forts can be classified according to the geography of the land such as the hill fort, land fort, water fort, forest fort, desert fort, earth fort. Each fort has its own significance and specific military protection measures were carried out during battles for the safety of the people. There are more than 30 forts in Vidarbha in Maharashtra constructed by various dynasties during different time period which are now in a ruined condition. Unlike some major forts which are in good condition only because either they are under the Central Government protection or are under private ownership and therefore they have been converted into museums and heritage hotels and remaining forts which are not recognised are in ruins condition even though these forts form the significant part of the various historical events in that particular region. In my thesis I am dealing with one such fort which is located in remote area of Chandrapur district in Maharashtra. Chanda is a large walled town situated in the fork between the Jharpat nala and Erai river. It is about one mile and a half in length, by a mile and a quarter in breadth, but the greater part of the enclosed space is vacant. The wall were built by the Gond Raja Kandkya Ballal Sah. The walls are rather low, with lofty battlements, and they form a very efficient protection against the flood water of the Erai river The only buildings of any consequence are some temples and the tombs of the later Gond Kings. The last are plain and substantial buildings, but rather heavy in appearance. The gateways offer a good specimens of Gond art, as they are ornamented with sculptures of the fabulous monster lion overpowering an elephant, which was the symbol of the Gond kings. This thesis attempts to establish the significance of the Chandrapur fort wall as a living heritage of Gond period and propose significant measures to restore the wall.