The pride and glory of
Rajasthan. Chittaur echoes with the tales of romance and valour unique to
the Rajput tradition. A ruined citadel, where the royal past lives
in its imposing forts, graceful palaces and spectacular 'chhatris'. This
fortified settlement has been ravaged thrice and each time the outcome was
'Jauhar' - when women and children immolated themselves on a huge funeral
pyre while men donned in saffron robes of martyrdom rode out of the fort
towards a certain death.
Alauddin Khilji was the first to sack Chittaur in 1303 AD, overpowered
by a passionate desire to possess the regal beauty, queen Padmini. Legend
has that he saw her face in the reflection of a mirror and was struck by her
mesmerising beauty. But the noble queen preferred death to dishonour and
committed 'Jauhar'.
In 1533 AD during the rule of
Sikramjeet, came the second attack from Bahadur Shah, the Sultan of Gujarat.
Once again, Jauhar was led by Rani Karnvati, a Bundi princess. Her
infant son, Udai Singh was smuggled out of Chittaur to Bundi who survived to
inherit the throne of the citadel. He learnt from his traumatic childhood
that discretion is preferred to valour so, in 1567AD when the Mughal Emperor
invaded Chittaur; Udai Singh fled to establish a new capital, Udaipur - a
beautiful lake city, leaving behind Chittaur to be defended by two 16 year
old heroes. Jaimal of Bednore and Patta of Kelwa. These young men displayed
true Rajput chivalry and died after 'Jauhar' was peformed. Immediately
thereafter, Akbar razed the Fort to a rubble.
Chittaur was never
inhabited again but it always asserted the heroic spirit of Rajput warriors
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Major Attractions of Chittaurgarh |
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Vijay Stambh : The imposing 37 metres high
structure with nine storeys, covered with exquisite sculptures of Hindu
deities and depicting episodes from the two great epics -Ramayana and
Mahabharata.
It was built in 1440 AD by Maharana Kumbha, a powerful
ruler of Mewar to commemorate his victory over the Muslim rulers of Malawi
and Gujarat.
Padmini's Palace : Built beside
a pool, the palace is a magnificent one. It was here that Rana Ratan Singh
showed a glimpse of queen Padmini to Alauddin Khilji. Rani Padmini stood in
'Zanana Mahal' - a pavilion in the centre and her reflection was visible to
Alauddin Khilji in a mirror placed in the main hall. After having glimpse of
the legendary beauty, Alauddin went to the extent of ravaging Chittaur in
order to possess her
The Fort: The indomitable
pride of Chittaur, the fort is a massive structure with many gateways built
by the literary rulers in 7th century AD. Perched on a height of 180 m high
hill, it sprawls over 700 acres. The tablets and 'chhatris' within are
impressive reminders of the Rajput heroism. The main gates are Padam Pol,
Bhairon Pol, Hanuman Pol and Ram Pol. The fort has many magnificent
monuments - all fine examples of the Rajput architecture. The ancient ruins
of the fort are worth spending few moments in solitude.
Meera Bai Temple : The temple where Meera Bai worshipped
Lord Krishna is built in north Indian style on a raised plinth with a
conical roof and beautiful inner sanctum. An open colonnade around the
sanctum has four small pavilions in each corner
Sita
Mata Sanctuary, Dhariyavad : This thickly wooded jungle sprawls over the
Aravalli ranges and the Malawi plateau with three rivers flowing through the
forest. According to legend, Sita, wife of Lord Rama stayed in this jungle
in Rishi Valmiki's Ashram after she was exiled by Lord Rama. The common
fauna that can be sighted here includes Leopard, Hyena, Jungle Fox,
Porcupine, Sambhar, Wild Bear, four-horned Antelope, Nilgai and Flying
Squirrel.
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Places to Stay in Chittaurgarh |
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There are Standard Hotels and also budget hotels available
offering excellent accommodation facilities. Supplementary Accommodation:
Circuit House, Railway Retiring Rooms, PWD Dak Bungalow, Irrigation Dak
Bungalow.
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Shopping in Chittaurgarh |
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The beautiful wooden toys made in Bassi village near
Chittaurgarh are the best buys. Besides these, there are 'Thewa' articles of
Pratapgarh, printed fabric of Akola and leather 'Mojri' of Gangaur.
Favourite shopping spots include Sadar Bazaar, Rana Sanga Market, New Cloth
Market, Fort Road Market, Gandhi Chowk and Station Circle.
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How to Get there |
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Air : 90-km is the nearest airport, Dabok
airport, Udaipur.
Rail : Chittaurgarh is well
connected by rail. Some important train connections are : Chetak Express
(Delhi Sarai Rohilla- Chittaurgarh-Udaipur); Pass.
(Kota-Chittaurgarh-Nimach); 9769 Express (Khandawa-Chittaurgarh-Ajmer)
Road : Bus services operate to several important
destinations. Delhi (583-km), Mount Abu (297-km), Jaipur (325-km), Indore
(325-km) and Ajmer (185-km) away from Chittaurgarh.