Topic 6 - The Golden Fort by Sonar Qila, 1156

named after the…

colour of the sandstone

it is the 2nd oldest fort in….

Rajasthan

the fort defends an…

entire city

it is located on a major trade route between….

India and the West

though it serves as military defence, it was also an…

architectural and social centrepiece of Rajput culture

the ‘Rajput’ means…

‘son of kings’

the Rajput dynasty controlled….

northern Hinustan

the Rajputs claimed to descend from…

Lord Krishna and were protectors of the Hindu faith

Jaisalmer is situated on a….

lone hill in the arid plains of West Rajasthan

what desert was Jaisalmer in?

Thar desert

founded in….

1156

the Rajput’s first ruler was…

Rawal (prince) Jaisal

who did Jaisal claim to have met and what did they tell him?

a sage who told him Krishna had prophesised a kingdom would be built on this hill

the building fulfilled both a…

religious prophecy and to consolidate power and wealth

how was it designed to impress the enemy?

it’s remote yet prominent location, imposing scale, formidability and curvilinear rings of walls

the complex rises almost …. storeys out of the surrounding landscape of the Thar desert

20

the thick walls were strengthened by…

projecting bastions

defensive gateways were used and barbican enclosures e.g….

outer defences

the plan is….

triangular and curvilinear

the overall shape is an….

irregular polygon with a triple line of fortification

the building has …. protective walls

2

the middle wall is curvilinear following the….

scarped sides of the hill

the inner wall is …. high and has … dotted around it

9m / bastions (circular towers)

it took …. years to build

7

overall there are … bastions

99

the walls are …..

crenellated

each wall has …… made up of ….. with a crenel (open space)

battlements / merlons

the fort’s main gate is … tall

60 feet

the main door is made from…

Indian rosewood

the streets within are …. wide and meander ….. around the fort to confuse the enemy

3m / snake-like

major features for the forts were inspired by texts like…

Shastras and literature of Puranas and the Vedas

when were 3 more gateways added and why?

1577 when the Mughals came into power

the most prominent invasion at Jaisalmer was the…

8 year siege (1286-94)

who led the siege?

Allaudin Khilji of Delhi