question_answer

Describe the ways in which the chieftains arranged for their defence.        

Answer:

Delhi Sultanate failed to penetrate forested areas of Gangetic plain and local Chieftains ruled that area. Ibn Battuta mentioned the following factors in his travelogues :

(i) Chieftains fortified themselves in mountains, in rocky, uneven and rugged places as well as in bamboo groves.

(ii) In India, the bamboo groves are big but not hollow. They do not catch fire easily.

(iii) Chieftains lived in these bamboo forests which serves them as ramparts along with their cattle, crops and collected rain water.

(iv) These thick forests could not be easily penetrated unless attacked by powerful army with special equipments to cut down the bamboos.

(v) They maintained strong army to protect themselves when attacked.