Jahaz Mahal and the Naldurg Fort: A Close Interplay of Water and Architecture

The interaction of humans with their immediate environment has always been mediated by material transformations of the landscape. Considering the landscapes of human settlements, it is impossible to cleanly separate the human from the non-human. The Jahaz Mahal in the present-day state of Madhya Pradesh and the Naldurg Fort, situated in the present-day state of Maharashtra. Both these structures share a close relationship with water. The way water was obtained, utilized, and stored directly translates to differences in architecture. A study of these structures offers us a glimpse into the ways in which people and societies in the past tackled vulnerabilities in various contexts. The fort city of Mandu highlights how water management practices were a product of Mandu’s high altitude topography that forced reliance on rainwater. Mandu still needs to rely on rainwater, and faces acute shortage in the summer months, hinting at ingenious knowledge practices that although utilized modern scientific principles in the 16th century, are far out of reach now. These practices can also be seen in relation to the ruler’s sovereign status. At different times, Mandu was controlled by the Ghurid, and the Khilji dynasties and was later incorporated into the Mughal empire. These distinct political phases all shared a close relationship with water and the landscape. In a similar vein, the case of the Naldurg fort illustrates how both the geographical and political contexts in which the structure is located influenced the ingenious ways in which it utilized water—being motivated by considerations of military defense as much as routine uses such as those of irrigation. For the sultans of the Deccan, water was closely tied to projecting power and reinforcing their prestige and sovereign status, a notion that finds corroboration in the inscriptions at the Naldurg Dam. Both the Naldurg and Mandu’s fort structures are also strongly related to the processes of urbanization of medieval cities, also showing that human-environment interaction is molded by broader historical forces.
Jahaz Mahal, Mandu
“I know of no other place that is as pleasant in climate and with such attractive scenery as Mandu in the rainy season”- Tuzuk-i-Jahangiri

Mandu lies in the Malwa Plateau region, atop the Vindhyas and midway on the passage from Delhi to the Deccan. Since the 11th century, the control of Mandu switched hands from the Parmars, the Delhi Sultans, and later the Mughals. Under the Ghurid Dynasty of the Delhi Sultanate, Hoshang Shah established himself as a powerful ruler, positioning Mandu as the capital of his kingdom. The Khalji rulers- Ghiyasuddin Shah and Sultan Baz Bahadur followed in the struggle to wrest control of Mandu. Jahaz Mahal, constructed by Ghiyasuddin Khilji (1469-1500 CE), shows a complex interaction with water. It is surrounded by the Munj Talab and the Kapoor Talab which when combined have a storage capacity of 25 lakh litres. The Munj Talab being a natural water body that collects rainwater, served as the main catchment area from which water was transferred, being connected to the Kapur Talab through an arched underground channel and a causeway at the water level.

The Ujala and the Andheri Baolis supplied drinking water, all of which connect to the main structure through a complex system of pulleys. The Andheri baoli was also connected to the hammam ghar, the place of the Turkish bath for the royal inhabitants. The hammam, connected to water-sourcing mechanisms as through water lifting devices fitted onto it, was an exclusively royal affair and a place for recreation. This whole system can be explained theoretically by the equation of continuity, Pascal’s Law, and Bernoulli’s equation, all concepts of modern science theoretically derived and proved about a century later than this central Indian application. Water was also present in the place in the form of the many ornamental pools and fountains that lined the floors and exteriors, meant to be used as royal baths or simply serve as public displays of wealth.

Mandu’s structures were given a fresh lease of life when they were incorporated into the vast Mughal Empire during Jahangir’s reign, who travelled along with the imperial court to Mandu in December 1616 CE, in a highly documented visit by attendees of the court, both native to the subcontinent and foreign ambassadors. Thomas Roe, one of the ambassadors wrote about these water systems: “excellent works of hewed stone about it, excellently cut, many Tanks arched, vaulted and descents made large and of great depths”. These, historian Yogesh Sharma says, were a kind of socio-cultural hub and a valued environmental hub. Roe further writes of Jahangir’s activities: sitting by the lakes, and drinking by the water reservoirs even on cold evenings. When Mandu’s water structures were in ruin, a victim of Mughal inattention, a serious water crisis erupted. The might and strength of the Mughals themselves were questioned because of the Emperor’s inability to supply his soldiers and camp-followers with water—illustrating an intimate connection between power and the environment.

The Naldurg Fort
The Naldurg Fort dates back to the Bahamani Sultanate (1347-1527 CE). During the 14th century, its defences were strengthened through fortification. In 1480/1490 CE, the governor of Bijapur, Yusuf Adil Shah declared independence from the larger Bahamani Sultanate and established the Bijapur Sultanate. He laid claim to the territories south of the Bhima River, including the Naldurg Fort. In the aftermath of Bijapur’s defeat to Vijaynagara in the Battle of Raichur in 1520 CE, the vanquished Adil Shahi embarked on another drive to strengthen defenses which culminating in the newer uses of artillery through architectural developments, a series of technological and military developments that made the sultanate a force to be reckoned with. The Naldurg Fort, the site of these key developments that sits in the Osmanabad district of present-day Maharashtra, became virtually impregnable (illustrated through Sayyad Murtaza of Ahmednagar’s failed siege), protecting the northern Frontiers of the Bijapur Sultanate.

The fort houses various structures, of which the dam and Pani Mahal are crucial to understanding human-environment relations. The dam connects two separate parts of the fort with the northern part and was a multi-use project: fulfilling not only defense needs but also those of recreation and leisure for the elites of the court, while also ensuring continuous water supply. The architectural and technological advancements in the management of water in this period were made possible by the spread of Iranian hydrological techniques then used in Central Asia and Iran alone. It is estimated that the reservoir enclosed by the dam could service 327,000 cubic metres: supplying armies, horses, elephants, and regular needs of cooking, drinking and hygiene.

The reservoir is also a representation of the wealth of the elite and an inscription placed within the pani mahal asserts that the space is exclusively for his sovereign and his guests. The Pani Mahal room is also linked to the dam’s water pressure via a fountain jet, as the room lies lower than the dam in altitude, with balcony space to view the jets. This feature of the Pani Mahal and the viewing gallery to the powerful jets, cool and enjoyable during the summer months serves as a public statement of authority of the elites and the investors of the dam.
The structure of the Naldurg Fort has immense value in combat. The dam was viewed as adding to the defensive prowess of the structure. Colonel Philip Meadows Taylor (1808-1876 CE) wrote in his autobiography: “Along the crest of the cliff on three sides, ran the fortifications, bastions…firmly built of cut and dressed basalt and large enough to carry heavy guns.” Water towers were built to ensure water can be pumped to high levels through a pail and pulley system, and according to historian Morelle “The fort’s water tower system can garrison an enormous army of 15,000, not counting the horses and elephants used during the raids”.

In these cases of structures of semi-arid regions of the subcontinent, Mandu and the Naldurg Fort, there is palpable a strong convergence of needs through the medium of water: military, economic, agricultural, and the projection of power. The uni-directional impact of the environment can often be more obvious (considering natural disasters, scarcities and the like), however, this study reminds us of the mutuality of human-environment relations that has existed since centuries now: both shape each other, and there exist many ways in which humans can leverage the environment for purposes extending beyond mere survival.

Bibliography
Morelle, Nicolas. “Naldurg Fort, Deccan, India: Dam, Fortifications, Palace”, Journal of Material Cultures in the Muslim World 3, 1 (2022): 89-111, doi: https://doi.org/10.1163/26666286-12340025
Bose, Mrityuanjay. “The Impregnable Naldurg Fort in Maharashtra.” Deccan Herald, December 24, 2016. https://www.deccanherald.com/archives/sunday-special-features/the-impregnable-naldurg-fort-in-maharashtra-566267.html.
Sharma, Y. (2009). The Circuit of Life: Water and Water Reservoirs in Pre-modern India. Studies in History, 25(1), 69–108. https://doi.org/10.1177/025764300902500104
Mahapatra, R. (1999, January 15). A water harvest. Down To Earth. https://www.downtoearth.org.in/coverage/a-water-harvest-19169
Subodh, Sanjay. “Nature, Knowledge, Construction, and Medieval Archaeology: Revisiting the by-lanes of medieval capital city Mandu.” In Exploring South Asian Urbanity, pp. 101-123. Routledge India, 2021.