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CHITTAURGARH
A very well known name in Rajasthan, is
Chittaurgarh. It is more than a ruined citadel; it is a live fort, a symbol of
all that was brave, true and noble in the glorious Rajput tradition, an epitome
of Rajput pride, romance and spirit. It reverberates with history of heroism
and sacrifice, which is evident as it echoes with the tales sung by the Bards
of Rajasthan.
History tells us that Chittaurgarh was
attacked three times, and on each occasion, the ritual of 'Jauhar', which
involved throwing oneself into raging fire or a well, as the case may be, to be
spared from humiliation at the hands of the enemy, was performed. The first
instance was in 1303, when Allauddin Khilji, Sultan of Delhi, coveted the
famous Rajput beauty, Rani Padmini. Padmini led the Jauhar, rather than submit
to dishonour. The second instance was in 1535, when the Sultan of Gujarat
attacked Bikramjeet of Chittaurgarh. Rani Karnavati led the Jauhar, in which
many women and children were killed and finally by the Moghul Emperor Akbar, in
1567, in and attempt to subdue Maharana Udai Singh.
ATTRACTION
Chittaurgarh Fort -
Chittaurgarh Fort is a massive structure
with a 1 kilometre zigzag accent to it. The fort stands on a 240-hectares site
on a 180m high hill that rises rapidly from the plains below. The road leads
through seven gates to the main gate Rampol (meaning Gate of Ram). Within the
fort a circular runs around the ruins of the fort.
According to often told legend, the
construction of the fort was started by Bhim, a Pandav hero of mythological
epic ‘Mahabharata’. The fort has many magnificent monuments. Akbar carried away
all the distinctive pieces of architecture and sculpture and placed them in his
capital. These are still manifested in the fort of Agra. Even though the fort
is ruin but it is an overwhelming reminder of past history and its walls
resonate with unbelievable legend of extra ordinary men and women and their
equally astounding deeds.
Tower of Victory (VIJAY
STAMBH) –
Built in 1440 AD by Maharana Kumbha to
commemorate his victory over Mohamed Khilji, this 37.19 m high 9-storyed tower is
one of the most remarkable in India. It is built partly of red sand stone and
partly of white marble and is enriched by numerous images of Hindu gods and
goddesses with inscriptions at bottom of each. It is believed that the tower
took 10 years to be completed. This exemplary piece of architecture stands on a
pedestal 10 feet high. There are around 157 narrow steps leading to the terrace
and each of the nine stories are distinctly marked with openings and balconies
at every face of each story giving a beautiful top angle view of the whole
town. The interior staircase winds alternately through the central chamber and
surrounding gallery. When illuminated in the evening, the tower reflects a
mesmerizing effect and the view is worth capturing in the camera. This tower is
the piece-de-resistance of Chittaurgarh.
Tower of Fame (KIRTI
STAMBH) -
Dedicated to Adinathji, the 1st Jain
Teerthankar, adorned by the naked figures of the Digambars [Adherents of the
Digambar sect who does not believe in covering the natural body]. The 22 meters
high tower was build by a wealthy Jain merchant in the 12th century A.D. It is
a seven story intricate structure with a cramped stairway of 54 steps and is
full of figures from Jain pantheon. It is 30 feet at the base and narrows down
to 15 feet at the top and is adorned with Jain sculptures on the outside.
Padmini Palace -
It is built beside the lotus pool with a
historical pavilion that changed the history of Chittaur. Ala-ud-din saw the
reflection of Queen Padmini from here and so mesmerized was he, that the quest
of possessing her led to a furious battle which saw the last of Maharana Ratan
Singh (husband of Maharani Padmini) and the epitome of beauty-Cleopatra of
Rajasthan, became an eternal legend in the history of Chittaur and also of the
Mewar state.
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