Famous fort of Rajasthan (Chittorgarh Fort)
Chittod Fort
During the 37th session of the World Heritage Committee, which took place in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, in 2013, the Chittorgarh Fort and five other forts from the Indian state of Rajasthan were collectively recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. These forts are located in the city of Chittorgarh. These structures are together referred to as the Hill Forts of Rajasthan.
Chittorgarh is a city in the southern part of the state of Rajasthan. It is situated approximately 233 kilometres (144.8 miles) away from Ajmer, and it is situated on National Highway 8 (India), which is part of the road network known as the Golden Quadrilateral. The city of Chittorgarh may be found near the intersection of National Highways 76 and 79.
The fort towers suddenly above the plains that surround it and encompasses a total land area of 2.8 kilometres squared (1.1 sq mi). The fort is perched on a hill that is 180 metres (590.6 feet) in height. It is linked to the new town of Chittorgarh that developed in the plains after 1568 AD when the fort was deserted in light of the introduction of artillery in the 16th century, and as a result, the capital was relocated to the more secure Udaipur, which is located on the eastern flank of the Aravalli hill range. It is located on the left bank of the Berach river, which is a tributary of the Banas River. This fort, which was just one of Mewar's 84 forts, was attacked and sacked by the Mughal Emperor Akbar, but the capital was moved to the Aravalli hills, where heavy artillery and cavalry were ineffective. From the new town, a winding hill road that is more than 1 kilometre (0.6 miles) in length leads to the main gate of the fort on the west end, which is called Ram Pol. A circular road can be found inside the fort, and it offers access to all of the gates and monuments that are found inside the fort walls.
The once-impressive fort, which boasted of having 84 water bodies, now only has 22 of them. These bodies of water receive their water supply from natural catchment and rainfall, and their combined storage capacity of 4 billion litres is sufficient to satisfy the requirements for an army of 50,000 people. It is possible that the supply will last for four years. Ponds, wells, and step wells are the various forms that these bodies of water take.
The fort, which resembles a fish, has a circumference of 13 kilometres (8.1 miles), a maximum length of 5 kilometres (3.1 miles), and an area of 700 acres. It was built in the early twentieth century. After crossing a limestone bridge, the approach to the fort consists of a difficult zigzag ascent that begins in the plains and covers more than 1 kilometre (0.6 mile). The Gambhiri River is crossed by this bridge, which is supported by ten arches (one has a curved shape while the balance have pointed arches). The two tall towers dominate the majestic fortifications, but the sprawling fort also contains a plethora of palaces and temples, the majority of which are in ruins. These structures can be found throughout the fort's grounds.
Chittorgarh's fortified stronghold is included in the component site, which spans 305 hectares and has a buffer zone of 427 hectares. Chittorgarh is a large fort located on an isolated rocky plateau that is approximately 2 kilometres long and 155 metres wide.
It has a 13-kilometer-long (8.1-mile-long) perimeter wall and a 45-degree hill slope beyond that, making access nearly impossible for adversaries. The seven gateways found on the ascent to the fort were built by Rana Kumbha (1433-1468) of the Sisodia clan for the Mewar ruler Rana Kumbha. These gates are named Paidal Pol, Bhairon Pol, Hanuman Pol, Ganesh Pol, Jorla Pol, Laxman Pol, and Ram Pol, the final and main gate, in ascending order from the bottom of the hill to the top of the hill.
The fort complex contains 65 historic buildings in total. There are four palace complexes, 19 main temples, four memorials, and twenty functional water bodies among these structures. These can be divided into two primary stages of the construction process. The first hill fort with a single primary entrance was not built until the 5th century, and it was strengthened until the 12th century. The majority of the plateau's ruins are best viewed from the plateau's westernmost margins. The second and more significant defensive structure was constructed during the reign of the Sisodia Rajputs in the 15th century. The royal entrance was relocated and fortified with seven gates during this period, and the mediaeval fortification wall was built on top of an earlier wall construction from the 13th century. Both of these projects took place during the Sisodia Rajputs' reign.
Vijaya Stambha
In addition to the palace complex, many other important structures, such as the Kumbha Shyam Temple, the Mira Bai Temple, the Adi Varah Temple, the Shringar Chauri Temple, and the Vijay Stambh memorial, were built in this phase. Compared to later additions by Sisodian rulers in the 19th and 20th centuries, the predominant construction phase features a pure Rajput style combined with minimal eclecticism, such as Sultanate-inspired vaulted substructures. 4.5 km of dressed stone walls with circular enforcements rise 500 m above the plain. With the help of seven massive stone gates, partly flanked by hexagonal or octagonal towers, access to the fort is restricted to a narrow pathway that climbs a steep hill through successive, ever narrower defence passages. The seventh and final gate leads into the palace area, which includes residential and official buildings. Rana Kumbha Mahal, the palace of Rana Kumbha, now includes Kanwar Pade Ka Mahal (the heir's palace) and the poet Mira Bai's palace (1498–1546). Later decades contributed the Ratan Singh Palace (1528–1531) and Fateh Prakash, often called Badal Mahal (1885–1930).
The Kalikamata Temple (8th century) and the Kshemankari Temple reflect Hinduism (825–850) The hill fort houses Jain temples such Sattaees Devari, Shringar Chauri (1448), and Sat Bis Devri (mid-15th century) Jain monuments include Kirti Stambh (12th century) and Vijay Stambha (1433–1468) Their 24 m and 37 m heights make them visible from most of the fort complex. At the northern end of the fort compound, near Ratan Singh Tank, lies a 3,000-person municipal ward.
Meera Temple