Chittorgarh – A Citadel of Valor, Sacrifice and Honor
Sindhu Murthy
The royal state of Rajasthan in India is known for its magnificent palaces and breathtakingly huge forts which stand testimony to the grandeur of the Rajput era. The fort of Chittorgarh stands out among the popular forts of India for its spirit of honor, valor, sacrifice and freedom. The citadel fort which is also the largest of all the forts in India crowns a 180mtr tall hill covering an area of over 700 acres with its fortification walls, towers, palaces, temples, and lakes.
The fort of Chittorgarh stands out among the popular forts of India for its spirit of honor, valor, sacrifice and freedom.
After witnessing the spectacular symphony of nature with Architecture in the temple complexes of Menal, we headed towards Chittorgarh– The fort that evokes the glorious sacrifices made by Rajputs in the spirit of freedom and honor . We had to drive along a serpentine road passing through 7 massive gates namely Paidal Pol, Bhairon Pol, Hanuman Pol, Ganesh Pol, Jorla Pol, Laxman Pol, and Ram Pol to reach the main gate of the fort. The fort was quite huge and housed many villages within its walls.
On entering the main gate of the fort, to the right, we saw the Kumbha palace or the Kumbha mahal. The main entrance to the palace was through Suraj Pol. Believed to be built by Rana Hamir, this palace was altered multiple times by Rana Kumbha and hence the name Kumbha Mahal. Walking in the eerie silence amidst the vast ruins of this ramshackle palace sent shivers down our spines for it was here the famous queen Padmini committed Jauhar (an act of self-immolation by leaping into a large fire) along with many other women to avoid dishonor in the hands of the Mughal invaders led by Ala-ud-din Khilji. This palace is also famous for being the birthplace of Udai Singh, the king who built the city of Udaipur. As per the famous folklore, the prince Udai Singh was saved from Balbir by his nursemaid Panna Dhai who replaced him with her own son. As a result, she had to witness the killing of her own son while the prince Udai Singh was stealthily moved to Kumbalgarh fort hidden in a basket of fruits.
Chittorgarh is also home to the famous poetess Meera Bai who was married to a prince of Chittor. A Krishna temple present behind the Kumbha palace was constructed on request of Meera Bai after her marriage. Just beside the Meera mandir was the Vrij mandir or the Varaha temple built by Rana Kumbha.
The monument of Vijaya Sthambh ( Victory Tower) is a pièce de résistance of Chittorgarh which was built by Maharana Kumbha to commemorate his victory over the combined armies of Malwa and Gujarat led by Muhamad Khilji. The imposing tower of 9 floors stands 37m tall on a 3m high pedestal. The tower can be viewed from any vantage point of the fort and has beautiful carvings of Hindu gods. We were told that we could get a panoramic view of the entire town of Chittaurgarh from the 9th floor of the tower. However, we could not climb up the tower because the stairway leading to the top of the tower was closed for safety reasons.
Our next stop was at the Samiddhesvar temple located near the Vijaya Sthambh which had a 3 faced idol of lord Shiva. As per an inscription present on the walls of the temple, the structure was built before 1150 AD. The walls of the temple had intricate carvings depicting Indian mythology.
Walking down along the steps outside the temple, we could reach the famous water tank of Chittorgarh called the Goumuhkh Kund which had water coming from a natural spring. During its heydays, Chittorgarh fort boasted of having 88 water bodies which could provide water to an army of 50,000 men for 4 years continuously. However, only 22 of the 84 water bodies have sustained till date.
Located in the southern part of the fort was the famous palace of queen Padmini. The 3 storeyed structure was located in the middle of a lotus pool. It was at this very palace that the Mughal ruler Alauddin Khilji had a glimpse of the mirror image of the beautiful queen and was intrigued to siege the fort to possess her.
Our last stop in Chittorgarh fort was at the Fateh Prakash Palace which is currently turned into a museum housing different antiquity such as coins, art, weapons, tribal life and wood crafts. Other prominent places worth visiting in the fort are the Keerthi Sthambh and the Kalika Mata temple.
The fort of Chittorgarh is sure to enthrall you with its history of courage, sacrifice, and honor. Make sure you add it to your itinerary when you visit Rajasthan.
How to reach:
Chittorgarh fort is very well connected to the major cities in Rajasthan by road and railways.
Nearest Railway Stations: Chittorgarh railway station.
Nearest Airport: Udaipur or Jaipur.
Driving distance from major tourist attractions:
Udaipur: 102 km
Jaipur: 309 Km
Ranakpur: 123 km
Kumbhalgarh: 110 km
Bundi: 190 km
Kota: 125 km
Menal: 60 km
Tips:
- The best time to visit Chittorgarh is post-monsoons between October and February when the tanks are full with water and the surroundings look green.
- Don’t forget to carry a good camera along with you during your visit.
- Beware of monkeys near the Vijaya Sthambh.
- Wear comfortable clothes and footwear as there is a lot of walking involved.
- It takes around 3 hr to explore all the monuments in the fort. Plan your itinerary accordingly.
- A sound and light show is organized in the evenings near Kumbha Palace. Plan to attend the show if possible.
- Chittorgarh is usually covered as a day trip from Udaipur.
Have you visited any of the forts in Rajasthan? Which one is your favorite? Do share your stories with us.
Interesting place but I wish to go on tour here with somebody to explain to me where is the carving of Hindu gods or the 3-faced idol of lord Shiva and other relevant history.. But your post helped me with this… thanks,,
What an intriguing place. Great photos, too!
Wow Sindhu..you so rightly said that our choices, itineraries and other travel ideas match so much. Having been there myself in September, I can confidently tell your post covers Chittorgarh fort so well, and all those pics are simply stunning..good job
Beautiful architecture and pictures! It seems that there is much more than Jaipur and Udaipur (and probably less tourists) in Rajasthan! Thanks for sharing
Mind-blowing photographs!!! And loved reading it as well, a crisp and lucid account.
I haven’t visited any forts in Rajasthan but I would love to go to Chittorgarh! Will definitely follow this itinerary!
We did Udaipur – Chittorgarh -Menal… A road trip, the best one in India!
The tips are practical and useful.
Wow, those photos are truly stunning at their own rights. I love how your photos rhyme with your words. I’ll surely visit this place when I get the chance real soon.
I have not been to India but Rajasthan is definitely one of the areas I would like to spend some time in. When I am there I want to include Chittorgarh in our itinerary. The structures look so detailed and well preserved. It is impressive. I am amazed that the whole place can be visited in 3 hours.
India has always had astonishing structures like these. I can say that they are indeed majestic by just the way they look. And with rich history, they surely will be more than a treasure that people can see these days. Hopefully I can visit some time.
Chittorgarh fort leaps across in all its magnificence and glory in your post. Such a historic place where probably even today the tales of valour of the brave hearts of history can be heard.Lovely pictures too.
Beautiful and very informative story about this amazing, historic, one of a kind complex that I didn’t know anything about. Hopefully, I would be able to visit this marvelous place one day.
I had never heard about Chittorgarh so it was a nice discovery through your pictures and descriptions. I hope to visit Rajahstan one day so hope to include Chittorgarh on my itinerary. Thanks
Very well depiction and quite informative . Just got stuck to a line which seems to be technically wrong : ‘…with many other women to avoid dishonor in the hands of the Mughal invaders led by Ala-ud-din Khilji.’
— Ala-ud-din Khilji was not a Mughal invader, rather, a ruler of Khilji dynasty of Delhi Sultanate.
Thanks for pointing out the error Soham. I shall rectify this.