Chittorgarh Fort

Chittorgarh Fort - The symbol of Rajput honour and pride, Chittorgarh Fort has a deep and illustrious past. Associated with legendary personalities like Maharana Pratap and Meera Bai, Chittorgarh holds a very special place in the history of Rajasthan.

The fort is believed to have its origins in the 7th century AD when it was referred to as Chitrakut, named after the Rajput chief Chitrang Maurya of the Mori clan. Another version ascribes the pass over of the fort from the Moris to Bappa Rawal, either through dowry in marriage with a Solanki princess, or through an invasion.

Chittorgarh remained the capital of the Sisodias, descendants of Bappa Rawal for 834 years. After Allah-ud-din Khilji’s conquest in 1303, the fort was won back by Hammir Singh in 1326. Chittorgarh achieved prominence during the 16th century, with Rana Sangha garnering a collective Rajput army to fight Babur. After a series of invasions by Bahadur Shah and Akbar which perpetrated the need for the womenfolk of Mewar to commit “jauhar” again, the capital was shifted to Udaipur by Rana Udai Singh II in 1568

Monuments within Chittorgarh Fort
Of the monuments within Chittorgarh fort, the “Vijay Stambh” or the Tower of Victory, and the “Kirti Stambh” or Tower of Fame, a number of temples and palaces deserve special mention. A large complex of Jain temples, a reservoir – the site of Rani Padmini’s “jauhar”, the Bhimtal tank, Neelkanth Mahadev Temple and the Kalika Mata temple are other places of historical interest. To Rana Kumbha’s credit, who ruled between 1433 AD and 1468 AD, is the building of large sections of the Chittorgarh fort.

The Rana Kumbha Palace, the Vrij temple, the Kumbhashyama temple, the Brahma temple dedicated to his father, and the 122 ft high Tower of Victory marking his triumphant victory over Malwa and Gujarat in 1457 are some of his contributions. The Fateh Prakash Museum is the latest addition to the fort complex and was built as a residence for Maharana Fateh Singh in the early 20th century.

The Kunwar Pade ka Mahal built in 1450 within the fort introduced S-shaped arches for the first time to Rajput monuments. Similarly, Rani Padmini’s Palace set the trend for a Jal Mahal, or a palace ringed by a channel of water. Akbar is reported to have taken a liking for the heavy bronze gates of the Jal Mahal, and had these removed and re-installed in Agra. Again, the fort’s reinforced gateways were the first to accord priority to high level protection and security than to décor. Adjacent o the artificial tank, the Bhimlat Kund, is a lotus pool associated with an event that marked a turning point in the history of Chittor. It was here that Allah-ud-din Khilji saw the reflection of the beautiful Rani Padmini, and fought a battle with her husband, Maharana Ratan Singh to win her over. The event culminated in a sad “jauhar” by Rani Padmini.

The Kallika Mata temple built by Bappa Rawal, the founder of Mewar, is an 8th century temple dedicated to the Sun God, but after its destruction by Allah-ud-din Khilji, Hammir Singh re-built it, and dedicated it to Goddess Kali.