Attractions of Chittorgarh Fort (Rajasthan)
This article includes the information about the places to visit inside the Chittorgarh Fort. It also includes basic information about the attractions and entry fees to visit the attractions. The article also includes information about how to reach the fort.
Chittorgarh is a historic city in Rajasthan. The city has got a no. of beautiful places to visit, but the most popular among them is Chittorgarh Fort. A brief history of Chittorgarh Fort
The first thing one must see in Chittorgarh is the Chittorgarh Fort. This fort holds the history of great Rajput kings, their brave queens and their trusted soldiers. The fort is built on a hill that is 180 meters high. There are seven main gates to enter the fort .This fort has won the credit of being biggest fort in India. The fort faced three battles but every time it was saved by the glorious Rajput soldiers sacrificing their lives for their king and their kingdom. It is believed that the fort was built by Mauryans in 7th century and was added by successors. Features of the fort
Chittorgarh fort is spread in area of 700 hectares and hence the largest fort in India. It holds many palaces and residences of soldiers. It was indeed a city. It has total 84 water bodies and agricultural land as well. The fort was kept that big so it needs not to open its gate during war because of water or food shortage. One needs to pass total seven gates to reach the fort. The size, name and design of each gate is different from one another.Attractions inside the fort
Gaumukh water reservoir
Gaumukh reservoir is the largest reservoir in the fort. It is a deep reservoir which is filled by water coming from the cow mouth. It got its name from there only. One can sit at the reservoir and enjoy feeding the fishes.Rana Kumbha palace
Rana kumbha palace is the biggest building in the fort. It was the residence of the king. This palace is a piece of architecture. It is believed that inside this palace there are underground cellars where Rani Padmini committed Jauhar (self immolation to protect the honor after the loss of battle).Rani Padmini Palace
Rani Padmini palace is built besides a Lotus Pool this palace was the main residence of Rani Padmini. When Allaudin Khilji saw the reflection of the Rani Padmini, he was so attracted by the beauty of the queen that he decided to attack the fort. The battles lead to loss of many lives including soldiers and the queen herself who jumped into fire to protect her honor.Kalika Mata and Meera Temples
There are two main temples in the fort which includes Meera temple and Kalika Mata temple. Kalika Mata temple was built in the 8th century as the sun temple but was later converted into to Kalika temple in 14th century. The Meera temple was built by Maharana Kumbha in 1449 and is dedicated to lord Vishnu. There is also a temple of Lord Krishna in the premises. The temple has beautiful sanctums and pillars and is a holy place to praise the god.Jain temples
There are total six Jain temples in the fort among which the biggest is dedicated to lord Adinatha. It is believed that in past there were total twenty seven temples here. The digambar Jain Kirtistambh and seven storey Kirtistambh are two main temples among all. Seven storey Kirtistambh was built in 14th century and is dedicated to Lord Adinath.Towers of Fame and Victory
The tower of Victory was built in 1440 by Maharana Kumbha to show his victory over Mohamad Khilji. This tower is 9 storied and carved with the Hindu gods. There are total 157 steps which lead to the top of tower where one can enjoy beautiful view of the fort. There is another tower called tower of Fame which is also a temple. It is dedicated to Adinathji who was the first Jain preacher. The height of the tower is around 22 meters. This tower was built by a rich Jain merchant in 12th century.Government Museum
Fateh Prakash Palace was built by Maharana Fateh Singh and was later converted into a museum by government of India. The palace is beautifully carved with marbles. Today the museum houses a rich collection of sculptures which are of the temples and palaces in the fort. The entry fees for the museum is Just rs.2 and camera is not allowed in the Museum.Timings and Entry fees for the fort
Timings: 10 AM to 4:30 PM
Entry fees: Rs. 5 for Indian and Rs. 100 For foreigner
Fees to visit Victory Tower: Free for Indian and Rs. 50 for foreigner
Rana Kumbha Palace: Rs. 2 for Indian and Rs. 50 For foreigner. Camera fees –Rs. 50
Museum: Rs.2 per head. Camera is not allowed. How to reach Chittorgarh Fort
The Chittorgarh is well connected by road, rail and airways. There are government buses available from all nearest cities which includes Ajmer, Bundi, Kota and Udaipur. The Chittorgarh has its own railway junction and trains are available from or to Chittorgarh. The nearest airport to Chittorgarh is Udaipur which is 70 Kilometers away from Chittorgarh city.
