Location of Chittorgarh Fort, History of Chittorgarh Fort, Architecture of Chittorgarh Fort.
Location of Chittorgarh Fort:
This Fort is located on the top of a hill in Chittorgarh City, District Chittorgarh, Rajasthan.
History of Chittorgarh Fort:
It is the largest Fort in India and the most magnificent in the State of Rajasthan. It has witnessed some of the bloodiest battles in the history and some of the most heroic deeds of valour, which are still sung by the local musicians. It is believed to have been built in the 7th Century A.D. by the Maurya rulers. It is said that in the middle of the 8th Century A.D., Chittorgarh was presented as a gift to Bappa Rawal (the legendary founder of Sisodia clan of Rajputs who ruled Mewar which stretched from Gujarat to Ajmer) as a part of the dowry after his marriage with 1st Solanki princess. Thereafter, it remained the Capital of Mewar till 1568 A.D., when it was shifted to Udaipur.
Three major battles were fought to occupy it. In the year 1303 A.D., Sultan Ala-ud-din Khilji sacked Chittorgarh because of his passionate desire to abduct Rani Padmini, the wife of Rajput King Rawal Ratan Singh. The King Rawal Ratan Singh died fighting, while Rani Padmini preferred death to dishonour, and committed Jauhar (self-immolation on a pyre) along with the other ladies of the court. It was plundered again in 1535 A.D. by Sultan Bahadur Shah of Gujarat who defeated King Bikramjeet Singh and this time Rani Karnavati committed Jauhar along with the other ladies of the court.
Again in 1567 A.D., the Mughal Emperor Akbar in an attempt to subdue Maharana Udai Singh II sacked Chittorgarh. The Maharana left the Fort and founded the City of Udaipur as his new Capital. It is not that this Fort was not strong enough, but each time the Rajput warriors came rushing out of the Fort to meet the enemy and died while fighting bravely.
Architecture of Chittorgarh Fort:
This Fort is located on a 180 meter high hill on the left bank of river Berach and covers a huge area of 700 acres. It is approachable via an exhaustive one mile steep serpentine hill road which starts from the plains of Chittorgarh town and leads to the West side Main Gate called Ram Pol. The other six gates of the Fort are named Pada Pol, Bhairon Pol, Hanuman Pol, Ganesh Pol, Jodla Pol and Laxman Pol.
All these huge gates are built of stone in distinct Rajput style of architecture and have watch towers for defense and massive iron spiked doors to prevent forced entry by Elephants. These gates and the palaces and the Temples located inside the Fort are accessible via a circular road. The Fort once had 84 water bodies in the form of ponds, wells and step wells which could meet the water requirement of a huge army for about 4 years, but now only 22 water bodies have been left.
The Fort Complex encloses a number of Monuments :
- Chhatris of Jaimal and Kalla – In the year 1568 A.D., when Maharana Udai Singh II left the Chittorgarh Fort, he ordered Jaimal and his cousin Kalla along with a few thousand Rajput warriors to defend the Fort. Jaimal who was appointed the army chief, ordered Jauhar to be performed and all the ladies committed self-immolation. Then Rajput warriors under the command of Jaimal and Kalla rushed out of the Fort to fight against the Mughal forces. Both Jaimal and Kalla laid down their lives while fighting bravely at a place near Bhairon Pol. The Chhatris have been built at the spot of their sacrifice in commemoration of their valiant deaths. Each Chhatri has a roof supported by corbeled arches and contains the statues of these warriors.
- Phatta Memorial – It has been built at Rampol in commemoration of the valiant death of a Rajput warrior named Phatta. When the Mughal forces attacked Chittorgarh in 1567 A.D., the father of Phatta died while defending Chittorgarh. Phatta was 16 years of age and had just got married. His mother sent him to fight against the Mughal forces. She herself along with Phatta’s wife carried swords and died while fighting against the Mughals. Thereafter, Jauhar was performed and all the ladies committed self-immolation. Then Phatta leading the safron robed men from the front thundered down like lightening from the mighty Fort to die fighting at the main gate of the Fort.
- Vijay Stambha – This Tower of Victory was built between 1458 and 1468 A.D. by Rana Kumbha to commemorate his victory over Mahmud Shah I Khalji, the Sultan of Malwa, in 1440 A.D. This nine storied tower has a base of 47 Sq. ft., rises to a height of 122 feet and is accessible through a narrow circular staircase of 157 steps. It is topped by a dome which was added later on.
- The Kirti Stambha – It is a seven storied tower which was built in the 12th Century A.D. in commemoration of Lord Adinath (the 1st Jain Tirthankar). It rises to a height of 22 meters, has a cramped stairway of 52 steps, is 30 feet at the base and narrows down to 15 feet at the top. It is adorned with Jain sculptures on the outside and has a beautiful five feet high idol of Lord Adinath. The lowest floor of the tower has figures of the various Jain Tirthankars installed in special niches built to house them.
- Rana Kumbha Palace – This ruined Palace is located near Vijay Stambha. It is built of plastered stone and has beautiful canopied balconies. It is entered through Suraj Pol which leads into a courtyard. It originally had stables for horses and elephants and a Lord Shiva Temple. The royal treasury building was located nearby. Rani Padmini had committed Jauhar here along with thousands of other ladies in 1303 A.D. The Great Saint Meerabai used to reside here. Maharana Udai Singh II was born here.
- Fateh Prakash Palace – This Palace now has modern houses and a Museum. A small school is also located nearby.
- Padmini’s Palace – This three-storied white building is located in the Southern part of the Fort. It is surrounded by a water moat and is adorned with chhatris at its roof. It once had bronze gates which were got removed by the Mughal Emperor Akbar and transported to Agra.
- Top Khana – This cannon foundry is located in the Western part of the Fort in a courtyard which still houses some old cannons.
- Meerabai Temple
- Adbhutanath Temple
- Kalika Mata Temple
- Kumbha Shyam Temple
- Gaumukh Reservoir
- Jain Temples
An annual Rajput Festival called ‘Jauhar Mela’ is organised here on the anniversary of one the three Jauhars to commemorate the sacrifice of the ladies of Chittorgarh Fort who had committed Jauhar (self-immolation on pyre) to protect their honour.
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