Chittorgarh Fort Quick Facts
| Place | Chittorgarh, Rajasthan (India) |
| Built in | 7th century |
| Built by | Maurya |
| Type | Castle |
Chittorgarh Fort Overview
One of the largest forts in the country, this fort was built by the Mauryas during the 7th century. The fort stood as the capital of Mewar for the next 834 years. It is said that Bhima, one of the Pandava brothers, built this fort during the Mahabharata period.
This fort has also been mentioned in the great Hindu scripture Mahabharata that once Bhima, the second brother of the Pandavas, once punched the ground so fast that water started pouring out of the ground, which is today a water reservoir, which is known as Bhimla.
This place is also famous for women performing Jauhar in ancient times. Jauhar was a practice in ancient times in Rajasthan, in which women jumped into a burning pyre after the death of their husbands to protect their honor from rival soldiers and the king. In history, this fort was attacked thrice by famous rulers, but each time the Rajput rulers saved the fort by putting their lives on the line.
In 1303, the Fort was attacked by Allauddin Khilji, who wanted to capture Rani Padmini, who was said to be astonishingly beautiful. He wanted to take them with him, but when the queen refused, Allauddin Khilji attacked the fort. The fort was attacked for the second time by Raja Bahadur Shah of Gujarat. Mughal Emperor Akbar attacked the fort for the third time in 1567, who wanted to capture Maharana Udai Singh. In 1616, a Mughal emperor, Jahangir, returned the fort to Maharaja Amar Singh, who was then the chief of Mewar.
Chittorgarh Fort History
One of the largest Forts in the country, this fort was built by the Mauryas during the 7th century. The fort stood as the capital of Mewar for the next 834 years. It is said that Bhima, one of the Pandava brothers, built this fort during the Mahabharata period.
The Fort has also been mentioned in the great Hindu scripture Mahabharata that Bhima, the second brother of the Pandavas, once punched the ground so fast that water started pouring out of the ground, which is today a water reservoir, which is known as Bhima.
This place is also famous for women performing Jauhar in ancient times. Jauhar was a practice in ancient times in Rajasthan, in which women jumped into a burning pyre after the death of their husbands to protect their honor from rival soldiers and the king. Throughout history, this fort was attacked thrice by famous rulers, but each time the Rajput rulers saved the fort by putting their lives on the line.
In 1303, the Fort was attacked by Allauddin Khilji, who wanted to capture Queen Padmini, who was said to be surprisingly beautiful. He wanted to take them with him, but when the queen refused, Allauddin Khilji attacked the Fort. The second time was attacked by Raja Bahadur Shah of Gujarat and the third time in the year 1567 attacked by Mughal Emperor Akbar who wanted to capture Maharana Udai Singh. In 1616, a Mughal emperor, Jahangir, returned the fort to Maharaja Amar Singh, who was then the chief of Mewar.
Attractions inside Chittorgarh Fort:
- Vijaya Stambha Chittorgarh: This Vijaya Stambha was built by Nana Kumbha to celebrate the victory over Mahmud Shah I Khalji.
- Tower of Fame (Kirti Stambh): The 22-meter high Tower fame (Kirti Stambha) was built by Jain merchant brother-in-law Rathod. This Stambha is dedicated to Adinath, the first and most famous Jain Tirthankara.
- Rana Kumbha Palace: This is the oldest structure of the Fort and this palace is locaated near the Vijay Stambh. Maharana Udai Singh, the founder of Udaipur city, was born here. Suraj enters the palace through the pole and this palace has beautiful carvings and sculptures.
- Padmini Palace Chittorgarh: The Padmini Palace is a 3-storey white building located on the southern side of the fort. The pavilion is built on top of it and is surrounded by water pillars.
Chittorgarh Fort Interesting Facts
- This magnificent fort is located on a hill 180 meters high and is covered over an area of about 700 acres.
- The road to reach the fort is very inaccessible, you have to walk about a mile through a steep and winding route to reach the fort.
- To enter the Chittorgarh Fort, one has to cross seven gates one after the other named Ram Pol, Laxman Pol, Badi Pol, Suraj Pol, etc. The width of this fort is about one kilometer, but the wall covers a circumference of 5 kilometers.
- The artwork done on the pillars of the fort is very beautiful, it is said that it took about 10 years to make these artworks.
- There are 7 pointed iron gates built inside this fort, these gates are named after Hindu deities.
- Along with the beautiful temples within the fort, you also have the magnificent palaces of Rani Padmini and Maharana Kumbh.
- Inside this grand building are the temples of Meera, the ardent devotee of Lord Shri Krishna and Khumba Shyam.
- There were 84 water sources in the fort, out of which only 22 exist which include Wells, Pools, and Stepwells (or baori).
- There are a total of 65 historical buildings in the fort complex, out of which 4 are palace Complexes, 19 main Temples, and 4 Monuments. The structures and features of the fort reflect the style of Rajasthani architecture.
- In the past, about 100,000 people lived inside the fort, but today the number is around 25,000.
- Chittorgarh Fort hosts the biggest Rajput festival of the city 'Jauhar Mela'.
- A sound and light show is also organized inside the fort from 7 pm onwards. The show was started by the tourism department of Rajasthan so that tourists can know about the history of the fort. There is an entry fee of Rs 50 for an adult and Rs 25 for a child.
- Chittorgarh Fort was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in the year 2013.
- Chittorgarh Fort has an entry fee of Rs 5 for Indians, Rs 100 for foreign tourists, and no entry fee for children below 15 years of age.