CHITTORGARH (Chittor)

The hilltop fortress of Chittorgarh epitomizes the whole romantic, doomed ideal of Rajput chivalry. Three times in its long history, Chittor was sacked by a stronger enemy and, on each occasion, the end carne in textbook Rajput fashion as jauhar was declared in the face of impossible odds. The men donned the saffron robes of martyrdom and rode out from the fort to certain death, while the women and children immolated themselves on a huge funeral pyre. Honour was always more important than death.

        Despite the fort’s impressive locations and colourful history, Chittor is well and truly off the main tourist circuit and sees surprisingly few visitors. It’s well worth the detour. 

History

Chittor’s first defeat occurred in 1303 when Ala-ud-din Khilji, the Pathan King of Delhi, besieged the fort in order to capture the beautiful Padmini, wife of the Rana’s uncle, Bhim Singh. When defeat was inevitable the Rajput noblewomen, including Padmini, committed sati and Bhim Singh led the orange-clad nobleman out to their deaths.

      In 1535 it was Bahadur Shah, the sultan of Gujarat, who besieged the fort and, once again, the medieval dictates of chivalry determined the outcome. This time, the carnage was immense. It is said that 13,000 Rajput women and 32,000 Rajput warriors died following the declaration of jauhar.

  The final sack of Chittor came just 33 years later, in 1568, when the Mughal emperor, Akbar, took the town. Once again, the fort was defended heroically but, once again, the odds were overwhelming and the women performed sati, the fort gates were flung open and 8000 orange-robbed warriors rode out to their deaths. On this occasion, Maharana Udai Singh fled to Udaipur where he re-established his capital. In 1616, Jehangir returned Chittor to the Rajputs but there was no attempt at resettlement. 

Orientation

The fort stands on a 280-hectare site on top of a 180-metre-high hill, which rises abruptly from the surrounding plain. Until 1568, the town of Chittor was also on the hilltop within the fort walls but today’s modern town, known as Lower Town, sprawls to the west of the hill. A river separates it from the bus stand, railway line and the rest of the town. 

Fort

Bhim, one of the Pandava heroes of the Mahabharata, is credited with the fort’s original construction. All of Chittor’s attractions are within the fort. A zigzag ascent of over one km leads through seven gateways to the main gate on the western side, the Ram Pol.

   On the climb, you pass two chhatris, memorials marking spots where Jaimal and Kalla, heroes of the 1568 siege, fell during the struggle against Akbar. Another chhatri, further up the hill, marks the spot where Patta fell. The main gate on the eastern side of the fort is the Suraj Pol. Within the fort, a circular road runs around the ruins and there’s a deer park at the southern end.

    Today, the fort of Chittor is a virtually deserted ruin, but impressive reminders of its grandeur still stand. The main sites can all be seen in half a day (assuming you’re not walking) but, if you like the atmosphere of ancient sites, then it’s worth spending longer as this is a very mellow place and there are no hassles whatsoever.

Rana Kumbha Palace

Entering the fort and turning right, you come almost immediately to the ruins of this palace. It contains elephant and horse stables and a Siva temple. One of the jauhars is said to have taken place in a vaulted cellar. Across from the palace is the archaeological office and museum, and the treasury building or Nau Lakha Bhandar. 

Fateh Prakash Palace

Just beyond the Rana Kumbha Palace, this palace is much more modern (Maharana Fateh Singh died in 1930). It houses a small and poorly lit museum, and the rest of the building is closed. The museum is open daily except Friday from 10 am to 4pm. 

Tower of Victory

Continuing anticlockwise around the fort, you come to the Jaya Stambh, or Tower of Victory. Erected by Rana Kumbha to commemorate his victory over Mahmud Khilji of Malwa in 1440, the tower was constructed between 1458 and 1488. It rises 37 metres in nine storeys and you can climb the narrow stairs to the top.

       Hindu sculptures adorn the outside of the tower, but the dome was damaged by lightning and repaired during the last century. Close to the tower is the Mahasati, an area where the ranas were cremated during Chittorgarh’s period as the Mewar capital. There are many sati stones here. The Sammidheshwar Temple stands in the same area.

Gaumukh Reservoir

Walk down beyond the temple and, at the very edge of the cliff, you’ll see this deep tank. A spring feeds the tank from a carved cow’s mouth in the Cliffside- from which the reservoir got its name. The opening here leads to the cave in which Padmini and her compatriots are said to have committed jauhar. 

Padmini Palace

Continuing south, you come to Padmini’s Palace, built beside a large pool with a pavilion in its centre. Legends relate that, as Padmini stood in this pavilion, Ala-ud-din was permitted to see her reflection in a mirror in the palace. This glimpse was the spark the convinced him to destroy Chittor in order to possess her.

     The bronze gates in this pavilion were carried off by Akbar and can now be seen in the fort at Agra. Continuing round the circular road, you pass the deer park, the Bhimlat Tank, the Suraj Pol gate and the Neelkanth Mahadev Jain temple, before reaching the Tower of Fame. 

Tower of Fame

Chittor’s other famous tower, the Kirti Stambha, or Tower of Fame, is older (probably built around the 12th century) and smaller (22 metres high) than the Tower of Victory. Built by a Jain merchant, it is dedicated to Adinath, first Jain tirthankar, and is decorated with naked figures of the various tirthankars, thus indicating that it is a Digambara, or ‘sky clad’, monument. A narrow stairway leads through the seven storeys to the top. 

Other Buildings

Close to the Fateh Prakash Palace is the Meera Temple, built during the reign of Rana Kumbha in the ornate Indo-Aryan style and associated with the mystic-poetess Meerabai. The larger temple in this same compound is the Kumbha Shyam Temple, or Temple of Virji. The Jain (but Hindu influenced) Singa Chowri Temple is nearby.

        Across from Padmini’s Palace is the Kalika Mata Temple, an 8th –century Surya temple. It was later converted to a temple to the goddess Kali. At the northern tip of the fort is another gate, the Lokhota Bari, while at the southern end is a small opening from which criminals and traitors were hurled into the abyss. 

Getting There & Away

Chittor is on the main bus and rail routes. By road, it’s 182 km from Ajmer, 158 km from Bundi and 112 km from Udaipur. There are frequent connections to both places, and all the Kota buses go via Bundi (a slow 4 ½ -hour trip).

           It’s possible to take an early bus from Udaipur to Chittorgarh (two hours), spend about three hours visiting the fort (by auto-rickshaw or tonga), and then take a late afternoon bus to Ajmer, but this is definitely pushing it.

      Chittorgarh also has rail links with Ahmedabad, Udaipur, Ajmer, Jaipur and Delhi.

AROUND CHITTORGARH

Bijaipur

The 16th –century palace in this village, 40 km south of Chittor, is now a delightful hotel, the Castle Bijapur. The owner, Rao Narendra Singh, is a keen horseman and can organize a variety of horse safaris. 

Menal &Bijolia

Lying on the Bundi to Chittorgarh road, 48 km from Bundi, Menal is a complex of Siva temples built during the Gupta period.

       Bijolia, 16 km from Menal, was once a group of 100 temples. Today, only three are left standing, one of which has a huge figure of Ganesh. 

Mandalgarh

A detour between Menal and Bijolia takes you to Mandalgarh. It is the third fort of Mewar built by Rana Kumbha- the others are the great fort of Chittorgarh and the fort at Kumbhalgarh. 

Nagri

One of the oldest towns in Rajasthan, Nagri is 14 km north of Chittor. Hindu and Buddhist remains from the Mauryan to the Gupta period have been found here.

UDAIPUR 

Possibly no city in Rajasthan is quite as romantic as Udaipur, even though the state is replete with fantastic hilltop fortresses, exotic fairytale palaces and gripping legends of medieval chivalry and heroism. The French Impressionist painters, let along the Brothers Grimm, would have loved this palace and it’s not without justification that Udaipur has been called the ‘Venice of the East’. Jaisalmer is certainly the ‘Beau Geste’ of the desert and Udaipur is the ‘Versailles’.

     Founded in 1568 by Maharana Udai Singh following the final sacking of Chittorgarh by the Mughal emperor, Akbar, Udaipur rivals any of the world-famous creations of the Mughals with its Rajput love of the whimsical and its superbly crafted elegance. The Lake Palace is certainly the best late example of this unique cultural explosion, but Udaipur is full of palaces, temples and havelis ranging from the modest to the extravagant. It’s also proud of its heritage as a centre for the performing arts, painting and crafts. And, since water is relatively plentiful in this part of the state (in between the periodic droughts), there are plenty of parks and gardens, many of which line the lakeshores.

  Until recent times, the higher uninhabited parts of the city were covered in forests but, as elsewhere in India, most of these have is, however, a movement afoot to reverse this process. The city was once surrounded by a wall and, although the gates and much of the wall over the higher crags remain, a great deal of it has befallen such a historic place but the essence remains.

       In common with all Indian cities, Udaipur’s urban and industrial sprawl goes beyond the city’s original boundaries and pollution of various kinds can be discouraging. This will be your first impression of Udaipur if you arrive at the railway or bus stations. Ignore it and head for the old city where a different world is waiting for you.

Orientation

The old city, bound by the remains of a city wall, is on the east side of Lake Pichola. The railway and bus stations are both just outside the city wall to the south-east. 

Lake Pichola

The beautiful Lake Pichola was enlarged by Maharana Udai Singh after he founded the city. He built a masonry dam, known as the Badi Pol, and the lake is now four km in length and three km wide. Nevertheless, it remains fairly shallow and can actually dry up in severe droughts. At these times, you can walk to the island palaces from the shore. Fortunately, this doesn’t happen often. The City Palace extends a considerable distance along the east bank of the lake. South of the palace, a pleasant gardens runs down to the lake. North of the palace, you can wander along the lake, where there are some interesting bathing and dhobi (laundry) ghats.

       Out in the lake are two islands- Jagniwas and Jagmandir. Boat rides, which leave regularly from the City Palace jetty (known as Bansi Ghat), are pleasant but expansive. 

Jagniwas Island (Lake Palace Hotel)

Jagniwas, the lake Palace island, is about 1.5 hectares in size. The palace was built by Maharana Jagat Singh II in 1754 and covers the whole island. Today, it has been converted into the ultimate in luxury hotels, with courtyards, fountains, gardens and a swimming pool. It’s a magical place but casual visitors are discouraged. It’s magical place but casual visitors are discouraged. It used to be possible to visit the palace for afternoon tea but now non-guests can only come over for lunch or dinner – and then only if the hotel is not full, which it often is. Hotel launches cross to the island form the City Palace jetty.

Jagmandir Island

The other island palace, Jagmandir, was commented by Maharana Karan Singh, but takes its name from Maharana Jagat Singh (1628-52) who made a number of additions to it. It is said that the Mughal emperor, Shah Jahan, derived some of his ideas for the Taj Mahal from this palace after staying here in 1623-24 while leading a revolt against his father, Jehangir. The view across the lake from the southern end, with the city and its great palace rising up behind the island palaces, is a scene of rare beauty. 

City Palace & Museums

The huge City Palace, towering over the lake, is the largest palace complex in Rajdhani. Actually a conglomeration of buildings added by various maharanas, the palace managers to retain a surprising uniformity of design. Building was started by Maharana Udai Singh, the city’s founder. The palace is surmounted by balconies, towers and cupolas and there are fine views over the lake and the city form the upper terraces.

    The palace is entered from the northern end through the Bari Pol of 1600 and the Tripolia Gate of 1725, with its eight carved marble arches. It was once a custom for maharanas to be weighed under the gate and their weight in gold or silver distributed to the populace.

   The main part of the palace is now preserved as a museum with a large and varied, although somewhat run-down, collection. The museum includes the Mor Chowk with its beautiful mosaics of peacocks, the favourite Rajasthani bird. The Manak (or Ruby) Mahal has glass and porcelain figures while Krishna Vilas has a remarkable collection of miniatures. In the Bari Mahal, there is a fine central garden. More paintings can be seen in the Zanana Mahal. The Moti Mahal has beautiful mirrorwork and the Chini Mahal is covered in ornamental tiles.

      Enter the City Palace Museum through the Ganesh Deori which leads to the Rai Angam, or Royal Courtyard. The museum is open from 9:30 am to 4:30 pm. There’s also a government museum within the palace complex. Exhibits include a stuffed kangaroo, a scarcely recognisable ostrich and Siamese-twin deer.

   The other part of the palace is up against the lake shore and, like the Lake Palace, it has been converted into a luxury hotel- two, in fact, known as the Shiv Niwas Palace and the Fateh Prakash hotels. 

Jagdish Temple

Located only 150 metres north of the entrance to the City Palace, this fine Indo- Aryan temple was built by Maharana Jagat Singh in 1651 and enshrines a black stone image to Vishnu as Jagannath, Lord of the Universe. A brass image of the Garuda is in a shrine in front of the temple and the steps up to the temple are flanked by elephants. 

Bagore Ki Haveli

This 18th –century is on the lake shore, below the Jagdish Temple. It was built by a nobleman, and was once used as a royal guest house. It was one of the finest examples of its type, and now houses the Western Zone Cultural Centre. The labyrinthine haveli houses a graphics studio, art gallery (which occasionally has exhibitions by local artists), and some fine coloured glass and inlay work. Its open daily from 9:30 am to 6 pm.

Fateh Sagar

North of Lake Pichola, this lake is over-looked by a number of hills and parks. It was originally built in 1678 by Maharana Jai Singh but, after heavy rains destroyed the dam, it was reconstructed by Maharana Fateh Singh. A pleasant lakeside drive winds along the east bank of the lake. In the middle of the lake is Nehru Park, a popular garden island with a boat-shaped café. You can get there by boat from near the bottom of Moti Magri Hill.         

Pratap Samak

Atop the Moti Magri, or Pearl Hill, overlooking Fateh Sagar, is a statue of the Rajput hero Maharana Pratap, who frequently defied Maharana Pratap, who frequently defied the Mughals. The path to the top traverses elegant gardens, including a Japanese rock garden. The park is open from 9 am to 6 pm. 

Bhartiya Lok Kala Museum

The interesting collection exhibited by this small museum and foundation for the preservation of folks arts include dresses, dolls, masks, musical instruments, paintings and –the high point daily from 9 am to 6 pm. Regular puppet shows are held daily from 6 to 7 pm. 

Saheliyon Ki Bari

The Saheliyon ki Bari, or Garden of the Maids of Honour, is in the north of the city. This small ornamental garden, with its fountains, kiosks, marble elephants and delightful lotus pool, is open from 9 am to 6 pm. 

Shilpgram

Shilpgram, a crafts village three km west of Fateh Sagar, was inaugurated by Rajiv Gandhi in 1989. It’s an interesting place with traditional houses from four states-Rajasthan, Gujarat, Goa and Maharashtra- and there are daily demonstrations by musicians, dancers, or artisans from the various states. Although it’s much more animated during festival times, there’s usually something happening.

       The site covers 80 hectares but most buildings are in a fairly compact area. It’s open daily from 9:30 am to 4:30 pm

Ahar Museum

Three km east of Udaipur are the remains of an ancient city. Here, you’ll find a small museum and the cenotaphs of the maharanas of Mewar. 

Other Attractions

Patel or Sukhadia Circle is north of the city. The huge fountain in the centre is illuminated at night. Sajjan Niwas Gardens have pleasant lawns, a zoo and a children’s train. Beside it is the Rose Garden, or Gulab Bagh. Don’t confuse the Nehru Park opposite Bapu Bazaar with the island park of the same name in Fateh Sagar. The city park has some strange topiary work, a giant cement teapot and children’s slides incorporating an elephant and a camel.

     On the distant mountain range, the gleaming white edifice visible from the city is the former maharaja’s Monsoon Palace. Now deserted, the views from the top are incomparable. The round trip takes about three hours.

Things to Buy

Udaipur has countless small shops and many interesting local crafts, particularly miniature paintings in the Rajput-Mughal style. There’s good cluster of these shops on Lake Palace Rd, next to the Rang Niwas Palace Hotel, and others around the Jagdish Temple.

AROUND UDAIPUR   

Eklingi & Nagada

The interesting little village of Eklingi, with a number of ancient temples, is only 22 km and a short bus ride north of Udaipur. The Shiva temple in the village itself was originally built in 734, although its present form dates from the rule of Maharana Raimal between 1473 and 1509. The walled complex includes an elaborately pillared hall under a large pyramidal roof and features a four- faced Siva image of black marble. The temple is open at rather odd hours-5 to 7 am, 10 am to 1 pm and 5 to 7 pm.

    At Nagada, about a km off the road and a km before Eklingi, are three old temples. The Jain temple of Adbudji is essentially ruined, but its architecture is interesting and it’s very old. The nearby Sas Bahu, or Mother and Daughter-in-Law, group has very fine and intricate architecture and carvings, including some erotic figures. You can reach these temples most conveniently by hiring a bicycle in Eklingi itself. 

Haldighati

This site, 40 km form Udaipur, is where Maharana Pratap valiantly defied the superior Mughal forces of Akbar in 1576. The site is a battlefield and the only thing to see is the chhatri to the warrior’s horse, Chetak, a few km away. 

Nathdwara

The important 18th –century Vishnu temple of Sri Nathji stands here, 48 km from Udaipur, and it’s an important shrine for Vaishnavite devotees. The black stone Vishnu image was brought here from Mathura in 1699 to protect if from Aurangzeb’s destructive impulses. According to legend, when an attempt was later made to move the image, the gateway vehicle, a wagon, sank into the ground up to the axles, indicating that the image preferred to stay where it was! 

Kankroli & Rajsamand Lake

At Kankroli, Dwarkadhish (an incarnation of Vishnu) has a temple similar to the temple at Nathdwara and opening hours here are similarly erratic.

     Nearby is a lake created by the dam constructed in 1660 by Maharana Raj Singh. There are many ornamental arches and chhatris along the huge bund (embankment).

Kumbhalgarh Fort    

Eighty four km from Udaipur, this is the most important fort in the Mewar region after Chittorgarh. It’s an isolated and fascinating place, built by Maharana Kumbha in the 15th century and, due to its inaccessibility on top of the Aravalli range of 1100 metres, it was taken only once in its history. Even then, it took the combined armies of the Mughal emperor, Akbar, and those of Amber and Marwar to breach its defences. It was here that the rulers of Mewar retreated in times of danger. The walls of the fortress stretch some 12 km and enclose many temples, palaces, gardens and water-storage facilities. The fort was renovated in the last century.

    There’s also a game reserve here, known for its wolves. The scarcity of waterholes between March and June makes this the best time to see animals. Other wildlife includes antelope (a rare four-horned species), leopard and bear, and it’s good area for walking.

  There’s a PWD Rest House, or the upmarket Aodhi Hotel where double rooms. 

Ranakpur

One of the biggest and most important Jain temples in India, the extremely beautiful Ranakpur complex is well worth seeing. Sixty km from Udaipur, it lies in a remote and peaceful valley of the Aravalli range.

   The main temple is the Chaumukha Temple, or Four-Faced Temple, dedicated to Adinath. Built in 1439, this huge, beautifully crafted and well-kept marble temple has 29 halls supported by 1444 pillars, no two alike. Within the complex are two other Jain temples to Neminath and Parasnath and, a little distance away, a Sun Temple. One km from the main complex is the Amba Mata Temple.

 The temple is open to non-Jains from noon to 5 pm. Shoes and all leather articles must be left at the entrance. 

Ghanerao

The attractive town of Ghanerao can make a good base for explorations of the various attractions around Udaipur. The Ghanerao Royal Castle’s helpful owners can arrange a trek from Ghanerao to Kumbhalgarh with an overnight stay at their hunting lodge, Bagha ka Bagh, en route. They offer very expensive horse safaris or reasonably priced excursions by jeep.

     Situated about a km out of town, the Ghanerao Royal Castle is a red sandstone castle with 20 well-kept rooms. 

Jaisamand Lake

Located 48 km south-west of Udaipur, this stunningly sited artificial lake, created by damming the Gomti River, was built by Maharana Jai Singh in the17th century. There are beautiful marble chhatris around the embankment, each with an elephant in front. The summer palaces of the Udaipur queens are also here and a wildlife sanctuary is nearby.

     There’s a Tourist Bungalow on the shores of the lake. The new Jaisamand Island Resort is a modern hotel in an isolated position 20 minutes by boat across the lake.