Chittorgarh
Chittorgarh lies on the southern part of the state on the Berach River, a tributary of the Banas. It served as the capital of the ancient Sisodia clans of Chattari Rajputs of Mewar. The district has its headquarters in Chittorgarh city. The ruined palaces of
Chittorgarh stand testimony to repeated sieges.
Chittorgarh is the fitting example ofthe pride, bravery, romance and spirit of the Rajputs, who always chose death rather than surrender. The fort of Chittor was sieged thrice and each time they fought bravely and thrice the ladies and children, first lead by Rani Padmini, and later by Rani Karnavati committed jauhar. Chittorgarh is home to the Chittorgarh Fort, the largest fort in India.
H|j How to get there
Chittorgarh is 112 km from Udaipur and 182 km from Ajmer. The Golden Quadrilateral Road Project and the North-South-East-West corridor expressways pass through Chittorgarh City. Both the government (RSRTC) and private buses connect Chittorgarh with Delhi, Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Ajmer, Udaipur and other cities. The Chittorgarh railway station is a junction of the western railways. It has rail links with Ahmedabad, Ajmer, Udaipur, Jaipur, Kota and Delhi. The nearest airport is Udaipur (Dabok Airport), is around 90 km from the city.
HU Places of interest Chittorgarh Fort: Built by the Mauryans in the 7th century AD, the fort is located just 2 km from the railway station. Atop a 180 metre hill, this spacious fort covering an area of 700 acres is of historical importance. Legend has it that the fort was constructed by Bhima of the Pancha Pandavas. This fort was the citadel of many great Rajput warriors like Rana Kumbha, Maharana Pratap, Jaimal, Patta, etc.
It went through three sieges: in 1303 (by Alauddin Khilji), in 1535 (by Mohammad Shah of Gujarat) and in 1567 (by Akbar). All the three times the Rajput warriors chose death before dishonour. Midway during the steep climb to the fort, you will pass two Chhatris (memorials) marking the spots where Jaimal and Kalla fell during the struggle against Akbar.
Rana Kumbha Palace: The palace in ruins can be reached by entering the fort and turning right. The ruins include the elephant and horse stables and a Shiva Temple. Across from the palace are the museum and archaeological office, and the treasury building. This is the place where Rani Padmini committed jauhar with other ladies in one of the underground cellars.
Jaya Stambha Towards the south, there is a huge tower with nine exquisitely carved storeys that was built by Maharana Kumbha to commemorate his victory over the Muslim rulers of Malwa and Gujarat in 1440. From the 8th floor one can have a beautiful view of the surroundings. The tower is visible from any section of the town below. The inside walls of the tower are carved with the images of Gods, weapons, etc.
Kirti Stambha: The 22 meter high Kirti Stambha (Tower of Fame) is dedicated to Adinatha, the first Jain Tirthankar. The tower is decorated with nude figures of various Tirthankars, indicating that it was a Digambara monument.
Padmini’s Palace: The palace is built beside the lotus pool with a historical pavilion that changed the history of Chittor. Alauddin wanted to possess Queen Padmini, upon seeing her beautiful image reflected in the pool. This led to a furious battle which saw the end of Maharana Ratan Singh (husband of Maharani Padmini) and the supreme sacrifice of Queen Padmini.