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Chittorgarh - The Destination
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| Chittorgarh
is the epitome of Rajput pride, romance and spirit. It resounds
with history of heroism and sacrifice, with the tales sung by
the Bards of Rajasthan. The main reason for visiting Chittorgarh
is its massive hilltop fort, which depicts Rajput culture and
values. The fort stands on a 240-hectares site on an 180m high
hill that rises rapidly from the plains below.
Chittorgarh
Fort is a massive structure with a 1 kilometre zigzag accent
to it. The road leads through seven gates to the main gate
Rampol (meaning Gate of Ram). On the climb between the second
and third gate you see two Chattris or cenotaphs built to
honour Jaimull and Kulla heroes of 1568 siege by Emperor
Akbar. The main gate of the fort itself is Surajpol (meaning
Sun Gate). Within the fort a circular runs around the ruins
of the fort. Even though the fort is in ruins, it is an
overwhelming reminder of past history and its walls resonate
with unbelievable legend of extraordinary men and women
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and their equally astounding deeds.
The name Chittorgarh always brings to mind the image of its 14th
century queen Padmini, an embodiment of beauty, grace and courage.
According to popular folk, it was her fame that lured the Sultan
of Delhi, Ala-ud-Din Khilji to Chittorgarh. Struck by her beauty
simply by looking at her reflection in water, Khilji laid siege
on the fort for months followed by a bloody battle. The Rajputs
were conquered. As the men rode out for the final battle, Padmini,
decked in bridal finery, led the women of her kingdom to a huge
pyre. In those times, women thought it better to immolate themselves
than to be dishonored by the enemy. Called the jauhar, this
ritual was to repeat itself once more here. As you visit Jai Stambh,
a victory tower, you will see a long square at its foot. Called
Maha Sati, this is where jauhar must have taken place.
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Chittorgarh was home to another woman who was a legend in
her times, but for completely different reasons. Meera
Bai,
the daughter-in-law of the great warrior king Rana Sangha,
was a passionate devotee of Lord Krishna and composed many
poems and songs in his honor. It was unimaginable, in the
16th century Rajasthan, that a princess should express sentiments
for any man other than her husband, even if it is a mythical
god. A victim of many a court intrigues, Meera Bai was persecuted
by her family. She finally left all material comforts and
became a hymn-singing, wandering devotee of Krishna. The
legend of Meera continues to haunt the city and her compositions
are still part of every prayer. A temple, dedicated to Krishna,
is named after her.
As you walk along the ramparts near a water tank called
Gaumukh (cow's mouth) you will have an excellent view of
the fort's tank, the temples and the victory tower. On the
other side, stretch the plains and you can easily picture
the battles fought here long ago. As you leave Chittorgarh
behind, its lingering tales will remain on your mind.
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Chittorgarh - Facts at a Glance
| State : |
Rajasthan |
| Area : |
6.5 sq kms |
| Temperature : |
23.8 C – 43.8 C (Summer)
11.6 C – 28.37 C (Winter) |
| Altitude : |
408 mts |
| Rainfall |
60 – 85 cms |
| Language : |
Rajasthani, Hindi, English |
| Best Season : |
September – March |
History of Chittorgarh
The origin of Chittorgarh can be traced to the
seventh century. Earlier it was known as Chitrakut after a local
Rajput chieftain named Chitrang. It remained the capital of the
local Sisodia clan of Rajputs from the eighth to the 16th century.
It was sacked three times in the medieval period. The first was
by Ala-ud-din Khilji, the Sultan of Delhi in 1303. Khilji laid siege
of this hill fort to capture the beautiful Padmini, the queen of
Chittorgarh. When the situation worsened, Bhim Singh, the ruler
of Chittorgarh, led his men donned with saffron robes of sacrifice,
and rode out of the fort to certain death. Inside the fort, women,
including Padmini and the children, committed mass suicide or jauhar
by immolating themselves on a huge pyre, rather than losing their
honor at the hands of the enemy. In the middle of the 15th century,
Chittorgarh gained eminence when the legendary Rajput ruler, Rana
Kumbha, ruled it. He built the Vijay Stambh (Victory Tower) to commemorate
his victory over Mahmud Khilji, the ruler of Malwa, in 1440. Chittorgarh
was sacked again in 1535 by Bahadur Shah, the Sultan of Gujarat.
The jauhar that followed the siege saw the death of 13,000 women
and 32,000 Rajput soldiers. The third and final siege took place
in 1568 at the hands of the great Mughal emperor Akbar. Jaimal and
Kalla, two Rajput generals, valiantly defended the fort but with
their death and deteriorating situation, jauhar was performed. However,
Maharana Udai Singh II, the ruler of Chittorgarh, fled to Udaipur
and re-established his rule. The Mughal emperor Jahangir returned
Chittorgarh to its rulers in 1616.
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