Kumbhalgarh Tour

Distance : 64km from Udaipur
Altitude : 1087m

Kumbhalgarh, located 64 Km from Udaipur, this mountain fortress built in 15th century was called the "eye of Mewar" because of its strategic position in relation to its agressive neighbours of Gujarat and Marwar. Designed in accordance with the ancient Hindu treatise, Vastu Shastra, it has a commanding view of the wild and rugged landscape of the Aravallis, having an array of magnificient palaces and ruined temples.

"The fort rises, like the crown of the Hindu Cybele, tier above tier of battlements to the summit, which is crowned with the Badal Mahal, or 'Cloud Palace' of the Ranas." - Col. James Tod, Annals and Antiquities of Rajasthan, 1829.

Kumbhalgarh Fort- A colossal Bastion
This fort of the Mewar dynasty was named after Rana Kumbha who ruled the territory from Chittor and founded this site in 1458. The fort is one of the 84 bastions built to defend Mewar, out of which Rana Kumbha built 32.The fort of Kumbhalgarh stands a proud sentinel on a craggy mountain along with its consorts, the splendid palaces, near the village of Kailwara and is strategically placed on the northern point of the Aravalli Hills. After Chittaurgarh it was the second most important bastion of Mewar and covers an area of 12sq km. The fort lies 1100m above sea level and thus has a commanding view of the wild and rugged landscape of the Aravallis and the sandy deserts of Marwar. Defended by a series of walls with battlements and bastions, the fort was built by Rana Kumbha in 1458AD on the slope of a hill. The maharanas of Mewar always took shelter here when Udaipur and Chittor became unsafe.

Fort- A Firm Witness of the Past
The Kumbhalgarh fort also has great significance by being the birthplace of Maharana Pratap and as the finest examples of defensive fortification in Rajasthan. This fort also saw the murder of Rana Kumbha near Jhali Bao at the hand of his son Udai Singh I. The approach to the fort is pretty impressive, across deep ravines and through thick jungles. This forest forms a part of the nearby Kumbhalgarh WildlifeSanctuary

The Fort Poles or Gateways
The palaces inside the fort can be approached only through any one of the seven gates of the fort. Seven ramparts one within the other is further reinforced by rounded bastions and massive watchtowers. Mirror signals could be sent from Arait Pol, the first gate, in times of emergency. Hulla Pol or the Gate of Disturbance. The gate is so named because in 1567 the attacking Mughal army had reached this spot which resulted in a great commotion by both parties. The marks of cannon shots can still be seen on the gate. Hanuman Pol one and a half kilometers from the second gate is the third gate and has a temple and a shrine dedicated to the Monkey God Hanuman. It also houses the image of Rana Kumbha, said to have brought back from Mandore in Marwar (now Jodhpur). The Bhairava Pol is next and it has a panel depicting the exiling of a treacherous Prime Minister in the 19th century.

The fifth gate is Paghra Pol (Stirrup Gate) where the cavalry gathered prior to action. The Star watchtower closeby is an early structure and has 8m wide walls. The Topekhana Pol or the Cannon Gate is said to have an underground passage that leads to a secret escape tunnel. The final gate is called Nimboo Pol or the Gate of Lemon Trees, near the temple of Chamundi, one of the 365 temples within the fort. The shrine of the founding Mewar ruler stands in front of the temple. The infant Udai Singh I, later the founder of Udaipur, was saved from murder at his uncle Banbir's hand after being hidden in chambers close to the Nimboo Pol.

The Colossal Fort Fell In The Hands of Mughals
Even after such immaculate security arrangements the fort once fell to the Mughal army of Akbar but not because of any lapse from the security point. The mishap happened because the enemy forces had contaminated the fort's water supply. This fort has always faithfully served as the refuge for the Mewar rulers in times of emergency. The fort with its palaces, temples, field and farms and water resources is fully equipped to defend itself against a long siege. Just beside the fort is an ancient castle of Samprati, the Jain prince during the 2nd century BC.

Badal Mahal-A Fort Palace
The exterior walls of the fort cover an area of several square miles. The rows of the inner bastion rise to the summit to be crowned by the Badal Mahal or the Cloud Palace of the Ranas built by Rana Fateh Singh in the late 19th century. This palace has several apartments furnished in pastel colours in the 19th century style. The views from the Badal Mahal across the deserts of Marwar are simply fabulous. Long serpentine lines of the fort walls with loopholed and crenellated parapets seem to disappear in the surrounding jungles and ravines.

Temple Attractions
Main temples in the fort complex are Nilkanth Mahadev, Vedi, Mammadev temple and Kumbhaswami. Nilkanth Mahadev is much older than the other buildings and has a unique design of slender fluted pillars. Another unusual feature of the temple lies in the fact that such high pillared temples are pretty rare in Rajasthan. A few historians claim that it may not to be earlier than 2nd century BC. Apparently Rana Kumbha built the temple for his daily worship.

Vedi Temple
Vediis located just near the Hanuman Gate of the fort. A sacrificial temple, this was also built by Rana Kumbha and is a three storeyed Jain temple. The structure was later renovated by Maharana Fateh Singh and is also the only remnant to have survived of all the ancient sacrificial places of India.

Mammadev Temple & The Kund
Mammadev temple and the kund were again built by Rana Kumbha in the year 1460. The temple stands exactly below the fort and once had four large slabs with several inscriptions on them. The writings gave the history of Mewar from the time of Guhil, the founder of Mewar dynasty, till Rana Kumbha, a great builder of forts and temples. The slabs are now preserved in the museum at Udaipur. The temple houses an image of Kuber (God of Wealth) and also has two chhatris (cenotaphs) in memory of Rana Kumbha and the famous warrior Prithviraj Chauhana. Very near the temple is a large kund or reservoir close to which is the chhatri cenotaph) of Prithvi Rajthe knight-errant of Mewar.

Royal Chhatris
East of these Jain temples are two royal chhatris and a temple dedicated to Goddess Kali. One of the chhatris (cenotaph) belongs to Rana Kumbha, murdered in this fort and the other to Prithviraj, his grandson.

Kartargarh Fort in The Fort Premises
The most interesting part is that Kumbhalgarh fort has a fort within itself. Named Kartargarh, the inner fort has a palace built by Maharana Fateh Singh after he had pulled down the old palace built by Rana Kumbha. Some remains of the old palace are still there below the new one and which includes the portion that had been occupied by Prithvi Raj. Kartargarh has 365 temples and shrines including one with a huge Shiv Linga dedicated to Lord Shiva.

Jain Temples
Besides all these there are three old Jain Temples including Bavan Deola and Golera Jain temple. The former has 52 rooms and is of the same date as that of the Kumbhalgarh fort. The Golera Jain temple is beautifully carved and once housed an intricately carved small brass Top of Form image of a Jain saint. The third temple contains a Jain idol in white marble and is said to have been installed in 1551AD.

Kumbhalgarh Wildlife Sanctuary
Right beside the Kumbhalgarh fort in the Aravalli Range with an area of 560 sq km, the sanctuary is 84 km north of Udaipur. Best known for its wolves who roam in packs of upto 40, it also plays residence to the rare chowsinghas (four horned antelope), nilgai, sloth bears, wild boar, sambar (large Asiatic deer), leopards, and jackals. The sanctuary is one of the few parks that allows people on horseback. The convenient time to visit the reserve is from the months of October to June and it also has quite an inexpensive accommodation.