Vijay Stambh Chittorgarh
Vijay Stambha or Tower of Victory is one of the most famous monuments of India and is an important tourist attraction of Chittorgarh in Rajasthan. Located inside the Chittorgarh fort, this Victory Tower was constructed by Mewar king Rana Kumbha between 1442 AD and 1449 AD to honor his distinguished victory over the joint attacks of Sultan Mohammad Khilji of Malva and Sultan Kutubuddin Shah of Gujarat.
Its graceful and immaculate architecture is unique. Dedicated to Vishnu, this 37.19 m high tower was constructed on a 14 m square platform. Its base width is 9 m. The Tower is built partly of red sandstone and partly of white marble.
The interior and exterior are delicately carved showing Hindu deities of mythological characters with names. The inscribed slabs in the uppermost storey contain the genealogy of the rulers of Chittaur from Hamir to Rana Kumbha. The entire tower is covered with architectural ornaments and inscribed images of gods and goddesses, seasons, weapons, musical instruments, etc. The inscribed sculptures are a veritable textbook of Hindu iconography. The portraits of the architect of this tower Jaita and his 3 sons, Napa, Puja, and Poma are carved on the fifth floor of the tower.
The Tower has nine storeys, each of the nine storeys are distinctly marked with openings and balconies at every face of each storey. The 157 circular and narrow steps which lead to the terrace is also a noticeable feature of the architecture. After reaching the top of the tower, anyone can see a great and unique view of the whole city. The uppermost floor has been sealed off and is no longer accessible to visitors.
The area around the Vijay Stambh is littered with an impressive number of further remains, including a pair of monumental gateways and a number of florid temples, including the superbly decorated Samiddhesvara Temple, whose shrine houses an image of the Trimurti, a composite, three-headed image of Shiva, Brahma and Vishnu.
Vijay Stambh Architecture
The tower is adorned memorably with Hindu God and Goddess. It is dedicated to Lord Vishnu. Vijay Stambh is a 9 story tower with a height of 37.19 mtr. Made with red sand stone and white marble, this tower has a balcony in each stories.
Filled with inscriptions, images of wepons, musical instruments etc, this tower also has the portrait of Jaita, architect of this tower with his 3 sons – Napa, Puja and Poma. Tower is one of the most attractive part in Chittorgarh Fort.
How To Reach Vijay Stambh or Victory Tower, Chittorgarh
By Road: Vijay Stambh is located in the Chittorgarh Fort at a distance of 5 km from centre of Chittorgarh on Fort Rd. One can easily reach here by rickshaw, local bus or taxi or by walk.
By Rail: Vijay Stambh is well connected through nearest Chittorgarh Railway station (6 km) to major cities railway stations like Delhi, Agra, Mumbai, Chennai, Bikaner, Pali, Jaipur, Ahmedabad.
By Air: Vijay Stambh can be reach through nearest Udaipur airport (98 km) which is well connected with regular domestic flights to Delhi, Mumbai.