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Kumbhalgarh Fort is the second most important fort of Rajasthan after Chittorgarh. Located at a distance of 64 kms from Udaipur in Rajasmand district, Kumbhalgarh Fort is easily accessible from the city of Udaipur. This unconquerable fortress is secured under the kind protection of the Aravali ranges. Kumbhalgarh Fort was built by Maharana Rana Kumbha in the 15th century. The fort derived its name from the same factor.
Encircled by thirteen elevated mountain peaks, the fort is constructed on the top most ridges around 1,914 meters above sea level. The fortifications of the fort extend to the length of 36 kilometers and this fact has made this fort to be in the international records. It is stated to be the second longest wall in the world, the first being ''the Great Wall of China''. The huge complex of the Fort has numerous palaces, temples and gardens making it more magnificent.
On your way to Kumbhalgarh fort, a few kilometers before, you will find yourself on a zigzag road going through deep ravines and thick forests. This way would take you to the Arait Pol, where you can trace the watch-tower and then Hulla Pol, Hanuman Pol, Ram Pol, Bhairava Pol, Paghra Pol, Top-khana Pol and Nimboo Pol will come across your track.
The impregnable Fort boasts of seven massive gates, seven ramparts folded with one another with designed walls toughened by curved bastions and huge watch towers. The strong structure and solid foundation of the Fort made it unbeatable till date. The hefty walls of the fort are broad enough to stand eight horses side by side. There are not less than 360 temples inside the complex of the Fort. Amongst all of them, Shiva Temple is worth visiting that comprises a huge Shivalinga (Phallic form).
The Fort is also known for its famous palace that resides on the top of structure. This beautiful palace is known as 'Badal Mahal' or the Palace of Cloud. It is also accredited to be the birth place of great warrior Maharana Pratap. This palace has beautiful rooms with lovely color combination of green, turquoise and white presenting a bright contrast to the earthy colors of the Fort. This place gives the appearance of being wandering in the world of clouds. Cloud Palace also offers a fantastic panoramic vista of the down town.
Kumbhalgarh: History
It is believed that the original Kumbhalgarh Fort dates back to the 6th century and was built by King Samprati of the Maurya Age. However, due to the lack of any recorded evidence, the history of the fort from its origins till invasion by Alauddin Khilji in 1303 AD remains vague.
The fort as we see today was built by Kumbhakarna aka Rana Kumbha of Mewar kingdom in the 15th century. It was designed by a famous architect of that period, named Mandan. According to local legends, Rana Kumbha faced many difficulties during the construction of the fort that he nearly abandoned it. Then a holy man told him that all these problems would end if a pure-hearted man willingly sacrificed his life for the construction. On hearing this, the king was disappointed and that was when the holy man beheaded himself and sacrificed his life. After that, the king was able to build the fort without any problems. It is believed that the entrance to the fort marks the place where the holy man’s head fell.
That’s the legend part of it. Historically too, the fort played a major role in shaping the region’s past. Thanks to its strategic location, Kumbhalgarh was used as a safe refuge by the rulers of Mewar at times of threat or danger. It has remained witness to many significant events that have shaped the region’s history like that Maharana Pratap was born in this citadel. The fort provided shelter to the infant Prince Udai of Mewar after Chittor fell under siege. Though the fort came under attack from various rulers and invaders, it remained invincible except for once when, in 1576, it was conquered by Mansingh I, the general of Emperor Akbar. Later, the fort was taken over by the colonial rulers before it finally came under the aegis of the government of Rajasthan.
Kumbhalgarh Fort Architecture
Due to its mountainous location, Kumbhalgarh was built in the Rajput military hill architectural style that makes use of the defensive properties of the terrain. The fort is built on a hilltop at a height of about 3600 feet above sea level and enveloped by a 36-km long wall with seven fortified gateways. The wall, which is listed among the longest walls in the world, is often called the Great Wall of India.
The frontal walls of the fort have a thickness of 15 feet. There are more than 360 temples inside the fort, out of which 300 are ancient Jain temples and the others are Hindu shrines. Though several additions were made to the fort by the rulers of Mewar over the years, the original structure exists even now.
Best Time To Visit
The climate of Kumbhalgarh is tropical with the mercury climbing up to a maximum of around 42°C during summers while winters are a bit colder with the temperature hovering between a maximum of around 25°C and a minimum of around 11°C. The annual total rainfall is around 88 centimeters. Winter months (September-March) are the best to visit this place.
Forts in Rajasthan reminds tourists of royalty and bravery, of epic battles and valiant heroes & when battles were fought, sacrifice and brutality came along, and sorrow and death were not far behind. All these battles were fought to capture the hill forts of Rajasthan. If you paint a mental picture of what Rajasthan stands for, the hill forts will immediately flash before your eyes as powerful remnants of these long fought wars and battles. The hill forts were the first structures that were built by powerful Rajput kings, for protecting their kingdoms from enemy attacks was their first priority. Their elevated positions above rugged hills gave them an edge over enemies, & allowed them to monitor their surroundings. These were not small forts by any means, but massive structures, powerful enough to withstand cannonballs & fireballs & large enough to accommodate large armies. They were not only meant for defence, but their strategic location allowed them to control trade activities, & also served as royal residences, where kings & his families lived, along with ministers. You will find these hill forts at innumerable places in Rajasthan, & some of them are so magnificent that they have earned them a place in the prestigious list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
