Chittorgarh (English Chittorgarh, Hindi चित्तौड़गढ़) is a small city in northwestern India in the state of Rajasthan, famous for its ancient massive fort, rising on the crest of a high hill on the left bank of the Berac River. It rises sharply above the surrounding plains to a height of 180 meters and occupies 280 hectares of land. The ancient building bears the status of the largest fort in India in terms of area and, of course, is considered the grandest fortress in the state of Rajasthan. The former majesty and splendor, despite significant destruction, stretched through the centuries and survived within the walls of the fortress, representing a wonderful and mysterious picture. Today the ancient fort is considered one of the main attractions in India.
The date of construction of Chittorgarh dates back to the 8th century. In 734, the powerful ruler of the Mewar dynasty from the Sisodia clan, Phals Raval, decided to protect the then capital of Rajasthan from enemies and at the same time make a gift to his beloved daughter. The walls of the fort have seen in their lifetime a large number of sad events - sieges, robberies, seizures. Three battles left the most dramatic imprints on the body of the fortress - in 1303, 1535 and 1567.
The siege in 1303 was led by the Delhi sultan Ala ad-din Muhammad Shah, who, in addition to the fortress itself, wanted to accept into his harem the wife of Raval Ratan Singh, who ruled at that time, Queen Rani Padmini. In a fierce battle at the outer gates of the fort, the ruler fell, and after him, his soldiers. When the enemy approached Chittorgarh, instead of surrendering to the sultan, all the ladies living in the fortress, led by Rani Padmini, chose to die using the tragic ritual of self-immolation, the jauhar, jumping into a huge bonfire. The enraged Ala ad-din desired revenge and gave the order to kill 30 thousand Indians. The Sultan presented the fort to his son Khizr Khan.
In 1535 Sultan Bahadur Shah laid siege to the fortress of Chittorgarh, as a result of which 13,000 women and children living in the fort committed ritual self-immolation, and 3,200 men went into battle outside the fortress, where they fought and died a heroic death.
In 1567-1568. the most dramatic siege in the history of Chittorgarh took place - the monumental structure in Rajasthan was plundered and destroyed by the padishah Akbar I. A large army of the Mughal empire kept the fort in an impassable encirclement for several months, continuously shelling. When the residents inside the building got tired of defending themselves and resigned themselves to inevitable loss, many women committed jauhar, and the men opened the gates and entered the last battle. According to rough estimates, about 30 thousand people died in that bloody battle. Then the fort was drastically plundered and abandoned, as a result of which the object fell into complete desolation, and the capital of the state of Rajasthan moved to the city of Udaipur.
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Such a tragic fate of the Chittorgarh fortress and the fearlessness of the inhabitants made it the embodiment of heroism, valor and courage, which gave this place a special charm in the eyes of tourists. The powerful landmark with 13 kilometers of fortified walls keeps on its territory about 65 historical buildings, including 4 palace complexes, 19 main temples, 4 monuments, etc. The walls of the temples bathed in the warm Indian sun are decorated with exquisite silhouettes of women, bas-reliefs of sacred animals and Rajput warriors. Seven powerful gates amaze with their grandeur, ancient arches, altars, chapels, towers, numerous wells and reservoirs will not leave indifferent.
The Kirti Stambh (Column of Glory) towers and the magnificent Vijay Stambh (Victory Column), about 40 meters high, deserve special attention, decorated with carvings and bas-reliefs. The last one, especially beautiful, you can climb a steep staircase of 157 narrow steps and admire the beauty of the entire city.
The oldest and largest palace in the complex is the Rana Kumbha Palace. Maharan Uday Singh, the founder of the city of Udaipur, was born within its walls. A story is connected with his birth telling about the faithful servant Panna Dhai, who saved the little prince from enemies, replacing him with her own son. She hid the future ruler in a fruit basket and took him to a safe place. So her son died at the hands of enemies, and Maharan Udai Singh survived to accomplish great deeds. Also, the palace served as the home for the poetess Rani Mira and was the very place in the basements of which Rani Padmini made a funeral pyre for the jauhar ritual. The palace of the queen herself is also interesting, surrounded by the waters of a pond.
During its heyday, the fort consisted of about 84 artificial reservoirs, of which only 22 have survived to this day. Various ponds, wells and wells in total could store four billion liters of water, which can meet the needs of an army of 50 thousand soldiers. At the foot of each indoor pool, there is an image of Buddha, which, according to the beliefs of local residents, preserves peace and tranquility in Chittorgarh.
Today, the fortress is inhabited by poor villagers, leading, like many centuries ago, a measured, hard life. Among the ruins of Chittorgarh, you can often find grazing cows and sheep, here local women are busy with the chores of the household - they slowly descend to the ancient storage of water for washing clothes or head into the thickets for brushwood. The fort has become home to a large number of monkeys, which literally occupied the temples and happily greet tourists walking around them.
The most vivid impressions from visiting Chittorgarh will be left by the views of the fort during sunset - the luxury of ancient castles, towers, temples, gates, intricate bas-reliefs and carvings are immersed in deep fiery light, striking with its quiet and mysterious atmosphere. The beauty of these places has inspired many artists, poets and writers to create new masterpieces.
Visitors walk through the territory of the fortress along the trails laid by tourists, who examined the most accessible buildings. Here you can also take a trip along the fortress walls and go to the ruins of small temples hidden in thickets of bushes.
Every year on the territory of the fort, the descendants of the Rajputs organize the Jaukhar Mela festival - a bright celebration timed to the anniversary of one of the tragic self-immolations. The holiday serves as a reminder of the heroism and courage that their ancestors possessed.
The entrance to the Chittorgarh fort for foreign visitors is 100 rupees, for Indians - only 5. The attraction is open for tourists until 18:00. A general tour of the fortress will take about 2-3 hours, but it is best to allocate a whole day for a walk through the ancient ruins, independently looking at all the local sights.
On the territory of the fort, you can visit the State Museum, the premises of which used to be a beautiful palace. Here you can see statues and a large collection of weapons. There are also several restaurants and souvenir shops in Chittorgarh.
You can get to the city of Chittorgarh from Mumbai, Delhi, Ahamadbadom. The central railway station is six kilometers from the foot of the slope where the fort is located, and the bus station is three kilometers away. A steep one kilometer road leads to the fortress. You can enter the complex through one of seven gates with impressive iron doors and watchtowers.
The ancient place, shrouded in a haze of mystery and drama, amazes with its beauty and tranquility. It gives each of its guests a piece of immortal greatness and leaves an unforgettable mark in their hearts.