- Experience
- Importance
- Facilities
Traveler’s Facts
Highlights: Numerous palaces and towers inside the fort
Should I Visit: Yes, if you are interested in historical monuments
Location: At a distance of 112km from Udaipur, on a high hill near the Gambheri River in Chittorgarh.
Built by: Various Maurya rulers
Built in: 7th century A.D
How to reach: One can easily reach either by taking regular buses or by hiring Taxis from Udaipur city
About the Fort
Chittorgarh Fort has received the credit of being the largest fort of India. The massive fort is located on a high hill near the Gambheri River in Chittorgarh. Chittorgarh Fort lies at a distance of 112 kms from the city of Udaipur in Rajasthan. This fort was built by various Maurya rulers in the 7th century. This huge fort covers an area of 700 acres, extending to 3 kms in length and 13 kms in peripheral length. Standing on an elevated hill of 180m, the impregnable fort has witnessed three battles.
The main gate of the fort is called the Surajpol meaning the Gate of Sun. There are many palaces within the fort like the Rana Kumbha Palace, the Fateh Prakash Palace, the Tower of Victory and Rani Padmini’s Palace, which are significant for their Rajput architectural features. The fortress of Chittorgarh epitomizes the romance and chivalry of the Rajput tradition.
View of Chittorgarh Fort
The main places of tourist interest around the fort are the two towers known as the ‘Kirti Stambh’ or Tower of Fame and the ‘Vijay Stambh’ or Tower of Victory. There are several temples, reservoirs and palaces constructed between the 9th and 17th centuries AD. There is a huge complex of Join temples within the fort.
A big water reservoir is close to the opening where rani Padmini and other women are believed to have performed ‘jauhar’, an act of self-immolations by plunging in a large fire. Water flows out from a rock shaped in the form of cow’s mouth and is called ‘Gaumukh’. Other tourist spots worth visiting are the Bhimtal Tank, Neelkanth Mahadev Temple, Meera Temple, Kumbha Shyam Temple and Kalika Mata Temple dating back to the 8th century AD.
The Kirti Stambh is a seven-storeyed tapering structure with a narrow stairway having 54 steps. It is 30 ft at the base and narrows down to 15 feet at the top and is decorated with Jain sculptures from outside. The date of its construction was around the 12th century AD. It is dedicated to the first Jain tirthankara, Adinath, and has an impressive 5 ft high statue of the saint.
The Kirti Stambh
However, the most imposing structure within the Chittorgarh Fort is the Vijay Stambh. It was built by Maharana Kumbha in 1440 AD to celebrate his victory over Moh. Khilji. The tower stands on a pedestal of 47 square ft and 10 ft high, while the tower alone stands at a height of 122 ft and is 30 ft wide at the base. The tower is nine storeyed and is adorned with sculptures of Hindu deities and stories from the Ramayana and the Mahabharata with names given below each sculpture. A stairway with 157 circular steps leads to a terrace, which provides a breathtaking view of the city.
