Location
Chittorgarh is located in the southern part of the state of
Rajasthan, in the northwestern part of India. It is located beside a high
hill near the Gambheri River. It is 112 km from Udaipur and 182 km from
Ajmer. The climate of Chittorgarh is arid. Summers are quite hot
(April-June) and winters are cool (October-February). It experiences scant
rainfall between June and August.
The
land of strife !
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. The history of this town is written in blood and
sacrifice. Muslim rulers sacked it 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.
Tourist Attractions
» Chittorgarh Fort : The main tourist attraction of
the town of Chittorgarh is its fort, which is located on a steep hill beside
the modern township. A zigzag ascent of about 1 km through seven gates leads
the tourist to its main western gate or Rampol. On the way, one can see two
chhatris or memorials of Jaimal and Kalla marking the spots where they fell
while defending the fort during the siege of 1568. The main gate on the
eastern side of the fort is known as the Surajpol.
» The Archeological Museum : The Archeological
Museum, the Singa Chowri Temple, and the Fateh Prakash Palace and Museum are
some places to visit, adjacent to Rana Kumbha Palace.
»
The Victory Tower or Vijay Stambh : The Victory Tower or Vijay Stambh is
one of the main tourist attractions of the fort. It was built by Rana Kumbha
to commemorate his victory over Mahmud Khilji, the ruler of Malwa in 1440.
This 37-m, 9-storied tower has a number of balconies at each story, from
where the tourist can look at the monuments within the fort.
How to get there !
Chittorgarh does not have an airport of its own.
» By Rail : Chittorgarh railway station is located
on the western banks of Gambheri River. It has rail links with Ahmedabad,
Ajmer, Udaipur, Jaipur, Kota and Delhi.
» By Road : The main bus stand is also on the
western banks of Gambheri River. There is good bus service for Ajmer, Bundi,
Kota and Udaipur from Chittorgarh.
