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| Battlefield of Chittorgarh Fort |
This post is the third and last part of three days tour series of my Rajasthan's Trip. My last two days' trip had already made me curious about Chittorgarh Fort as this place signifies Rani Padmavati's Johar and Meera Bai's devotion. Rajasthan not merely showcases the courage of Ranas and Maharanas but it also gives honour to the valorous deeds of Hindu Rajput queens. Chittorgarh Fort is almost 3 hours (123.8 km) drive away from Udaipur city and has already made it to the UNESCO World Heritage Site list. This majestic fort encompasses several gates, temples, Gaumukh reservoir, commemorative towers, and palaces. The very first glance of this fort forced me to think 'how come Alauddin Khalji got succeeded in penetrating this indestructible building'! An amazing masterpiece built by the local Maurya Ruler Chitrangada Maurya.
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| Aerial View of Chittorgarh Fort |
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| Recent image of Jauhar Kund |
When we were walking inside this fort, first we got to see one temple and its Shiva idol had been destroyed by frustrated Alauddin Khalji. Most of my Indian friends must be knowing why he was frustrated but who don't know about this story - Please read further. So, another temple is also situated adjacent to it and this is known as Temple of Meera Bai. In the year 1498, she was born into a Rajput royal family of Kudki, Rajasthan. Meera Bai Bhajan is not the sole thing which is famous around the world; rather, she was a hardcore devotee of Lord Krishna. Her devotion had no limits because she used to treat Lord Krishna as her husband. This reason was enough to make her in-laws furious and for that reason, she was being executed by them many times. In her last years, she lived in this temple and never went back to her royal palace.
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| Shiva idol of this temple destroyed by Khalji |
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| Meera Bai Temple |
After visiting that pious temple we witnessed Vijay Stambha and Kirti Stambh. 'Enormously built towers' I must say. In 1440 AD, Vijay Stambh was erected by Rana Kumbha (1458-1468) to commemorate his triumph over (the Sultan of Malwa) Mahmud Shah I Khalji. On the other hand, Kirti Stambha was built by bagherwal Jain merchant, Jijaji Rathod. This tower is embellished with astonishing Jain sculptures. Watching both the towers were treat to the eyes.
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| Vijay Stambh |
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| Kirti Stambh |
After that, I took a few steps ahead and I was standing exactly at that place whose story gives chills to the bones. You can call it Jauhar Kund; on the contrary, it must be considered as the most sacred place. Rani Padmavati and other Rajput women committed Jauhar in Jauhar Kund to skip being captured by ruthless Alauddin Khalji in 1303. The story begins with the unmatched beauty of Rani Padmavati who was the queen of Ratan Sen, the Rajput Ruler of Chittorgarh Fort. Alauddin Khalji, the Sultan of Delhi, was smitten by Rani Padmavati beauty and fought a battle with Ratan Sen. Unfortunately, he died while fighting with Alauddin Khalji in the battlefield and his death led Padmavati's jauhar. What a tragic yet immortal end!
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| Old image of Jauhar Kund |
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| Rani Padmavati Palace |
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| Jain Temple inside the fort |
We had to catch the flight from Udaipur airport so we came back to Udaipur city and went to see the place called "Shilpgram". This museum, enclosed with multiple huts, is constructed in the old architectural style. It is surrounded by the Aravali ranges and located in the western Udaipur (3 km away from Udaipur city). Indigenous people from the western side of Rajsthan get the best chance to showcase their eternal crafts skills. Best time to visit this place is in December because of the annual fair. Here ends my 'three days tour in Rajasthan' series and I hope you will surely love it. To schedule your trip, essential information is given below.
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| Shilpgram |
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| Artwork of local artisans |
How to reach
Chittorgarh Fort -
- Airport - The Maharana Pratap Airport Udaipur (70 km away from this fort)
- Train - Chittorgarh Junction (6 km away from this fort)
Shilpgram -
- Airport - The Maharana Pratap Airport Udaipur (23.3 km away from this place)
- Train - The Udaipur Railway station (2.4 km away from this place)
Timing and Entry Fee
Timing -
Chittorgarh Fort - 9:45 AM to 6:30 PM
Shilpgram - 11:00 AM to 7:00 PM
Entry Fee -
Chittorgarh Fort - Guide price (Not confirmed)
Shilpgram - 30 INR/Head (Indian Adult), 15 INR/Head (Indian Child), 50 INR/Head (Foreigner)
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