Location
Kumbhalgarh is known for the 15th century fort at a distance of
around 84 km from Udaipur in the northwestern Indian state of Rajasthan. The
fort city is well connected to the other parts of Rajasthan by road.
Castle in the sand !
Rana Kumbha of Mewar built this great defensive fortress on an 1100 m high
hill overlooking the approaches from Ajmer and Marwar in 15th century.
Today, precisely because it is within easy reach of Udaipur, Jodhpur, Ajmer,
and Pushkar- yet off the well-trodden tourist- Kumbhalgarh is an attractive
destination.
In
Kumbha's time the kingdom of Mewar spread from Ranthambore to Gwalior,
including vast tracts of present-day Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh. Mewar's
rulers became patrons of all that was best in Indian martial and fine arts,
architecture, and learning.
Places of interest
» Kumbhalgarh Fort : Though little known,
Kumbhalgarh has one of the finest examples of defensive fortifications in
entire Rajasthan. Total length of the wall of this fort is 32 kilometers and
there are excellent views from the top of the walls. Kumbhalgarh stands on
the site of an ancient citadel dating back to the second century A.D.,
belonging to a Jain descendant of India's Mauryan emperors.
»
Kumbhalgarh Wildlife Sanctuary : The 586 sq km Kumbhalgarh Wildlife
Sanctuary is also a place worth a visit. A rich variety of wildlife like the
panther, sloth bear, wild boar, four-horned antelope, and scientifically
bred crocodiles in the lake within the sanctuary are the major attractions
of this sanctuary. During winters, the sanctuary becomes home to birds like
flamingoes, cormorants, spoonbills and egrets, which stay there through the
winter months and fly back once summer arrives.
How to get there !
» By Air : Udaipur is the nearest domestic airport.
One can take flights to other important tourist destinations of the region
like Jaipur, Jodhpur, Aurangabad, Mumbai, and Delhi. The nearest
international airport is in Delhi.
» By Rail : Udaipur is also the nearest railway
station from Kumbhalgarh. There are trains for Delhi, Chittaur, Ahmedabad,
Jaipur, Ajmer, and Jodhpur from Udaipur.
» By Road : There are several buses from Udaipur to
Kumbhalgarh. From Udaipur buses for many important places to its north and
west can be taken.
