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.