Badami, Karnataka

The present map is arguably the most beautiful plan within the Blacker Portfolio. It was drafted by John Jeffery O’Donnaghue, an Irish military engineer who served as the Assistant Quarter Master General and Inspector of Forts for the Army of the Deccan. O’Donnaghue’s style is somewhat richer (yet perhaps more archaic) than that of Blacker, with his employment of bright colours for engineering conventions, elaborate calligraphy and intricate designs for such details as the compass needle.

During his mission to reduce the Southern Maratha territories, Brigadier General Thomas Munro’s force encountered the great fortified town of Badami, a majestic location with many temples, beside Agasthya Lake. As shown, Badami’s defenses had three layers, a fortified “Outer Pettah”, a separately walled “ Inner Pettah” and then a fortress located atop the highland above.

Munro’s initial attempts to batter the outer defenses with artillery were unsuccessful, so on the early morning of February 18, 1818, his men launched a daring storming raid over the outer walls. This seemed to take the defenders by surprise and the British surged towards the inner walls, ready to mount climbing ladders. The fort’s killedar was spooked and arranged with Munro for honourable terms of surrender.