Chittorgarh is the epitome of Rajput pride, romance and spirit. It reverberates with history of heroism and sacrifice, which is evident as it echoes with the tales sung by the Bards of Rajasthan. The main reason for visiting Chittorgarh is its massive hilltop fort, which is a depiction of Rajput culture and values. The fort stands on a 240-hectares site on an 180m high hill that rises rapidly from the plains below.
Thrice a stronger enemy sacked Chittorgarh. The first sack occurred in 1303 when a Pathan King Ala-ud-din Khilji overwhelmed by the beauty of Queen Padmini besieged the fort in order to capture the regal beauty. In 1535 Bahadur Shah the Sultan of Gujarat besieged the fort causing immense carnage and it is said that 32000 men donned the saffron robes of martyrdom and rode out to face a certain death, and the women folkes committed Jauhar (an act of self immolations by plunging in a large fire) led by Rani Karnawati.
Rana Kumbha Palace, Chittaurgarh TravelIn 1568 Mughal Emperor Akbar razed the fort to the rubble and once again the history repeated itself. In 1616 Mughal emperor Jehangir restored the fort to the Rajput but it was not resettled. Today a new township sprawls below the hill on the west side. Chittorgarh is connected by both bus and rail. The bus stand and the railway are located in the new township.
Chittorgarh Fort is a massive structure with a 1 kilometre zigzag accent to it. The road leads through seven gates to the main gate Rampol (meaning Gate of Ram). On the climb between the second and third gate you see two Chattris cenotaphs built to honour Jaimull and Kulla heroes of 1568 siege by Emperor Akbar. The main gate of the fort itself is Surajpol (meaning Sun Gate). Within the fort a circular runs around the ruins of the fort.
According to often told legend the construction of the fort was started by Bhim a Pandav hero of mythological epic Mahabharata. The fort has many magnificent monuments. Akbar carried away all the distinctive pieces of architecture and sculpture and placed them in his capital. These are still manifested in the fort of Agra. Even though the fort is ruin but it is an overwhelming reminder of past history and its walls resonate with unbelievable legend of extra ordinary men and women and their equally astounding deeds.
History of the Fort
In ancient India, the place where the fort is currently present was known as Chitrakut. Due to the ancientness of this fort, there are no clear evidences supporting the origin of the fort. There is however, a bunch of theories that are still subjected to debates. The most common theory states that Chitrangada Mori, a local Maurya ruler built the fort. A water body which was situated next to the fort is said to have been created by the legendary hero of Mahabharata, Bhima. The legend has it that Bhima once struck the ground with all his might, which gave rise to a huge reservoir. Bhimlat Kund, an artificial tank next to the fort, was where the legendary reservoir once sat, it is said.
Thanks to the fort’s majestic appearance, many rulers in the past have tried to capture it, in an attempt to make it their own. Bappa Rawal of the Guhila dynasty was one of the earliest rulers to have captured the fort successfully. It is said that the fort was captured by him around 730 AD, after defeating the Moris, to whom the fort once belonged. Another version of the story states that Bappa Rawal did not capture the fort from the Moris but from the Arabs, who had captured it from the Moris, even before the arrival of Bappa Rawal. It is said that Bappa Rawal was part of the army led by Nagabhata I of the Gurjara Pratihara dynasty. It is believed that this army was mighty enough to defeat the famous troops of Arab, who were considered imperious on a battle field back then. Another legend has it that the fort was given as part of dowry to Bappa Rawal by the Moris, when they gave the hand of one of their princesses in marriage to Bappa Rawal.
Chittorgarh Fort Architecture
Sprawling across 700 acre and a circumference of 13 km, the fort has a kilometre long road that takes up to the rampart after passing through seven gates namely: Ganesh gate, Hanuman gate, Padan gate, Jodla gate, Bhairon gate, Lakshman gate and the last and the main gate, Ram gate. These gates were built to protect the fort from the enemy attacks and the arches even protect against the elephants from entering. The walls are made of lime mortar and rise up to 500 metre above the ground level. There are four palaces, 19 temples including Jain and Hindu temples, 20 water bodies, and four memorials. Here are the prominent structures that make the fort complex.
