Chittorgarh

 CHITTORGARH

Chittorgarh or Chittor Fort, a place with written gallantry and courage all over its walls, is situated in Chittorgarh of Rajasthan, India. It stretches over a 180 m (590.6 ft) high hill and extends over 280 ha (691.9 acres) above the valley plains drained by the Berach River. The glorious history of Chittorgarh comprises of most fearless and fierce Rajput warriors like Rana Kumbha and Rana Sanga. Chittorgarh fort also tells us the story of Panna Dai, the woman who sacrificed her child to save the infant prince Uday Singh. The walls of this fort and all the fortress in it are witnesses of love, devotion, sacrifice, treachery, and bravery that happened in the past.

 

The fort has a total of seven gates (in the local language a gate is called Pol), namely Padan Pol, Bhairon Pol, Hanuman Pol, Ganesh Pol, Jodla Pol, Laxman Pol, and the main entrance called Ram Pol (Gate of the Lord). Rama All entrance gates to the fort were built as massive rock structures with protected fortifications to defend the armed forces. In addition to the glorious past, this fort is also home to many magnificent architectures such as :

 

Kirti Stambh: Tower of Glory

Built around the 12th century by Bagherwal Jain trader Jijaji Rathod, it is devoted to Adinath, the first Jain Tirthankara, and is filled with various Jain scriptures. It is 22m high, built on a 9.1m base and 4.6m at the top. On the lower floor of the tower, figures of the different Tirthankaras of the Jain pantheon are seen in special niches designed to accommodate them, these are Digambar monuments. A narrow staircase with 54 steps leads across the six floors to the top.

 

Vijay Stambh: Tower of Victory

The Vijay Stambha (Tower of Victory) or Jaya Stambha called the Chittor symbol and a particularly bold expression of triumph was built by Rana Kumbha between 1458 and 1468 to commemorate his victory over Mahmud Shah I Khalji, Sultan of Malwa, to commemorate 1440 AD] Built for ten years, it rises 37.2 meters (122 forts) on a floor area of ​​47 square feet (4.4 m2) over nine floors, which is accessed by a narrow spiral staircase at 157 Steps (the interior is also carved) to the 8th floor, from where you have a good view of the plains and the new town of Chittor. The dome, which was added later, was damaged by lightning and repaired in the 19th century. a nice view of Chittor from above.

 

 At the entrance gate near Vijaya Stambha stands the Rana Kumbha Palace (in ruins), the oldest monument. The palace included stables for elephants and horses and a temple for Lord Shiva, where Maharana Uday Singh was born.

 

The palace is made of plastered stone. The notable feature of the palace is its magnificent array of covered balconies. The entrance to the palace is through Suraj Pol, which leads to a courtyard. Rani Meera, a famous poet-saint who also lived in this palace. This is also the palace in which Rani Padmini has delivered himself to the stake in one of the underground cellars and many other women as a Jauhar act.

Culture:

Teej is one of the most important festivals in Chittorgarh and is known for its great enthusiasm. Teej is a swing festival. This marks the beginning of the rainy season (August) in Shravan. The monsoon rain fell on the dry land, and the air was filled with the pleasant smell of damp soil. The swing is decorated with trees and flowers. Young women and inexperienced dressed ladies sang to celebrate the arrival of the rainy season. This festival is dedicated to the immortal Hindu god, and it is the solemn moment of her union with Lord Shiva. The immortal Parvati is loved by those who seek joy and happiness in marriage.

 

The fort and the city of Chittorgarh host the largest Rajput festival called "Jauhar Mela". It is held every year on the anniversary of Jauhars, but no specific name is given. It is generally believed that this is the memory of Jauhar Padmini. This festival is mainly to commemorate the bravery of Rajput ancestors and the three Jauhars held in Chittorgarh Fort. A large number of Rajputs, including the descendants of many beautiful family members, led the procession to commemorate Jauhar.

In 2013, UNESCO declared the fort as a world heritage site in the meeting held in Vietnam considering it for the hill military architecture.

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