Chittorgarh Fort – Rajasthan, the one Indian state renowned for its great history, is replete with ancient structures and stunning vistas. Chittor Fort is one of the numerous locations and things that the city is well known for. This essay will assist you in making the most of your visit to the stunning Chittorgarh Fort, also known as “Chittorgarh ka Killa.”
A tourist may enjoy the fort’s exquisite architecture, which has seven gates and nine beautiful features. The fact that the fort was inhabited at various points in history by the Mauryas of Chittor, the Sisodias of Mewar, and the Guhlias of Medapata illustrates how many cultural influences have affected the major architecture seen in the lovely city of Chittorgarh today.
The view of serene and majestic bliss of history with the fainted traditional beats falling over your ears at Chittorgarh Fort (Chittorgarh Ka Killa) is an experience to live for. The awe-worthy view of the city below adds on to the experience of being somewhere significant. Regarded as a symbol of Rajput Chivalry, bravery & conquer, Chittor Fort is situated 175 km east of Udaipur. There is a belief that the fort is named after the one who built it, Chitranagada Mori.
This one fort is home to several exotic palaces, Fateh Prakash Palace, Rana Kumbha Palace, Rani Padmini’s Palace, and the Fateh Prakash Palace and some divine temples such as Jain temples. This fort made its own history when Rani Padmavati (Rani Padmini) conferred Jauhar here along with several other women during the fall of Rana Ratan Singh during their battle with Allaudin Khilji.
Sounds familiar? Well! You might have come across the story in the latest movie by Sanjay Leela Bhansali, Padmavat. It is a good movie, well! I am a fan of Sanjay Leela Bhansali so maybe I am biased.
Fun Fact – Chittor Fort is Considered as the largest fort if India that covers 700 acres.
To make most of the trip, you will need around 3-4 hours. Here are some places you must check out while you are at Chittor Fort.
The first place that you must check at Chittor Fort is Kumbha Palace, the one place that you come across the moment you enter the fort. Kumbha Palace is famous for being the birthplace of Maharana Udai Singh, the name behind the foundation of the spectacular city of Udaipur. As per history, this is the place that is considered the place where Rani Padini sorter out her self-immolation.
Meera temple is the temple dedicated to the royal princess Meera Bai who devoted her entire life to worship of Lord Krishna. Besides history, this temple has a spectacular and inspiring design & architecture.
Right next to Kumbha Palace is the stunning Vijay Stambha, a 9-storied tower in shiny red stone. The most well-known image of Mewar & Chittorgarh and a focal point of beauty of Chittorgarh Fort. Created by Rana Kumbha in 1440 AD in celebration of the triumph over Sultan Mohamed Khilji, this Vijay Stambha has a proud history to reflect.
Located in the southern part of the stunning Chittor Fort, this 3-storied Mahal is surrounded by a lake. This is the same palace where Allaudin Khilji was permitted to see the mirror image of Rani Padmavati. Fascinating isn’t it?
This kind is a tank that gets filled by spring which originated from the mouth of a cow, hence, the name Gaumukh Kund. The view of the water in the tank while the sun shining above it is just breathtaking.
The Chittorgarh Fort’s Jauhar Kund is where Rani Padmani of Chittorgarh committed Jauhar along with several other ladies in order to save their honour. Inside the Chittorgarh Fort is where you’ll find the Jauhar Kund. Chitragad Mori of the Maurya Dynasty constructed the fort in the seventh century A.D. Women and children committed the act of mass self-immolation known as jauhar in order to refrain from participating in the conflict and prevent being captured, raped, and sold into slavery by the enemy. Most of the ladies from the royal families who committed these mass suicides did so in an effort to preserve and uphold their honour. This type of mass self-immolation took place in Chittorgarh at Jauhar Kund.
The Jauhar was the first performance to take place in Chittorgarh, and it took place in 1303. It was carried out under the authority of Alauddin Khilji in central India and Rawal Ratan Singh’s in Mewar. Because Zawar, Aguch, and Dariba were well-known for their precious metal mining, Mewar was growing in popularity. When Khilji learned about these locations, he made the decision to take his sizable army and march straight to Chittorgarh. As soon as Khilji arrived at Chittorgarh, he demanded the Rajputs’ surrender. Even though Rawal Ratan Singh was aware of the Khilji’s considerable force, he refused to surrender. Alauddin made the decision to camp around the fort rather than travelling back to Delhi. For eight months, Khilji imposed a blockade.
As the fort’s supplies slowly ran out, King Rawal Ratan Singh ultimately gave the order for the fort’s gates to be opened and for Rajputs and the Khilji army to engage in combat. Following this choice, the women of Chittorgarh had two options: perform Johar or risk being seized by Khilji’s forces and suffering shame. When mass self-immolation was finally decided upon, a sizable pyre of flames was ignited, and Rani Padmani leaped into the fire together with many other Chittorgarh ladies. There are further tales centred around Chittorgarh’s Jauhar Kund.
Chittorgarh Fort is enormous, covering an area of around 280 hectares and having a circumference of over 13 kilometres. Its form is sometimes compared to a giant fish. Ram Pol, Laxman Pol, Padan Pol, Hanuman Pol, Ganesh Pol, Bhairon Pol, and Jorla Pol are the seven gates of Chittorgarh Fort. The complex’s seven gates were all constructed with the palace’s security in mind. Soldiers could fire arrows at approaching enemies from the notched parapets on top of the gates.
The Vijaya Stambh, Kirti Stambh, Rana Kumbha Palace, Fateh Prakash Palace, Rani Padminni Palace, Zanana Mahal, and Mardana Mahal are the main features of the fort complex. 22 of the 84 water features that were once part of the Chittorgarh fort complex are still there. According to legend, water covered over half of the fort’s surface. The reservoirs may hold a billion gallons of water. It is reported that the fort’s water reservoirs could hold enough water to satisfy a 50000-person army’s needs for four years without concern for dehydration.
If you are planning to visit Chittor Fort, this is how to reach a section for you. Railways are the most convenient and cheap way to reach Chittorgarh fort. Being well-connected to all the major cities like Udaipur, Delhi, Ajmer, and Mumbai by rail.
The fort is located just 8Km from the Railway station which makes it very easy to reach. You can take a shared auto from the railway station and walla! you are there. Easy right?
Fun Fact – Chittorgarh Fort was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site by World Heritage Committee in 2013.
For the Indian nationals, the cost of the entry ticket to this glorious monument of history is INR 5 & for the foreign nationals, it is INR 100.
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