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RAJASTHAN
STATE FORTS
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Rajasthan is the state
of forts built in the ancient times by the kings. Some of them have
been converted into hotels while others are kept alive as historical
monuments.
Mehrangarh Fort (Jodhpur)
This very impressive fort
is situated on a steep hill 125 metre high and is 5 km long. This
fort which is invincible from outside has four gates approached
by a winding road. This fort encloses many palaces which are known
for their intricate carvings and sprawling courtyards. These palaces
house a fabulous collection of trappings of Indian royalty including
a superb collection of palanquins, elephant hawdahs, miniature paintings
of various schools, musical instruments, costumes and furniture.
The Moti Mahal-- has a delicately carved stone screen and treasures
the Sringar Chowki, royal throne of Jodhpur.
The Phool Mahal--houses the Jodhpur coat of arms. The walls of
this palace are covered with paintings depicting various musical
moods.
The Umaid villas-- displays the Rajput miniature paintings.
The Ajit villas-- exhibits musical instruments and the royal costumes.
Both these villas are joined by a beautiful mirror room.
The Maan villas-- displays Rathore armoury and the 'Tent room'.
This tent room is an imperial Mughal campaign tent, used by Shahjahan
but wrested by Jaswant Singh from Aurangzeb in a battle. Made of
red velvet and embroidered with gold thread, it gives some idea
of the grandeur with which the Mughals approached even their battles.
Rohit Fort(40
kms from Jodhpur)
This fort has now been
converted into a heritage hotel and is worth visiting.
Luni Fort (20
kms from Jodhpur)
This fort has also been
converted into a heritage hotel. But its lovely surroundings and
impressive structure make it worth visiting.
Nahargarh Fort
This impressive fort in
red stone which is 145 kms from Kota is a fine example of the Mughal
architecture.
Fort of Shahbad and Mosque
This fort of Shahbad which
is 160 kms away from Kota,was constructed by Chauhan ruler Muktaman
in 1577 AD. The mosque here, was built during the reign of Aurangazeb
and is the biggest mosque in Rajasthan.
Kumbhalgarh Fort (Udaipur)
The fort at Kumbhalgarh
was constructed by Rana Kumbha, one of the most ferocious and daring
Rajput rulers of Mewar, in the year 1458. The fort was named after
him and was the most important fort of the Chittor kingdom at Mewar.
Due to its inaccessibility on top of the Aravalli range at 1100
meters, 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 defenses. It was here that the rulers of
Mewar retreated in times of danger. The walls of the fort stretch
some 36 km and enclose many temples, palaces , gardens and water
storage facilities. There’s also a big sanctuary here, known for
its wolves. There is a lot of wildlife including antelope, panther,
bear and leopard
Bila Quila Fort (Alwar)
This huge fort,constructed
before the rise of the Mughal empire, stretchs 5 km from north to
south and 1.6 km from east to west, and stands 304 metres above
the city and 595 metres above the sea level. This huge fort has
15 large and 51 small towers and 446 openings for musketry, along
with 8 huge towers encompassing it.
The fort has several
gates - jai pol, Suraj pol, Laxman Pol, Chand Pol, Kishan Pol and
Andheri Gate. Also there are remains of Jal Mahal, Nikumbh Mahal,
Salim Sagar, Suraj Kund and many temples. Babar had spent a night
at this fort and took away the hidden treasures to gift to his son,
Humayun. Akbar’s son , Jahangir had also stayed here for some time
during his exile. The place where he stayed is called salim mahal.
The fort was finally annexed by maharaja Pratap singh in 1775 A.D.
Junagarh Fort (Bikaner)
Constructed between 1588
and 1593 by Raja Rai Singh, one of the most trusted and able general
in the army of the Mughal emperor, Akbar - the fort has a 986 m
long wall with 37 bastions to guard the fort, a moat and two entrances.
The Suraj Pol, or Sun Gate, is the main entrance to the fort. Inside
the palace, one can find a gathering of 37 palaces, temples and
pavilions that exemplify the red marble-stone construction.
The palaces have exquisitely
carved windows, balconies, towers and kiosks. The palaces inside
are located on the southern side and make a picturesque ensemble
of courtyards, balconies, kiosks, towers and windows. A major feature
of this fort and its palaces is the superb quality of the stone
carving - rivals the best anywhere in the world. Among places of
interest are the Chandra Mahal, or Moon Palace, with paintings,
mirrors and carved marble panels.
The Phool Mahal, or Flower
Palace, is also decorated with glass and mirrors. Then there is
Karn Mahal, built to commemorate a notable victory over the Mughal
Aurangzeb. The Durga Niwas is a beautifully painted courtyard while
the Ganga Niwas, another large courtyard, has a finely carved red
sandstone front. The multi-storied Anup Mahal was the governance
chambers for the rulers. The beautifully maintained rooms now display
the treasures of the Royal family. Other palaces include the Hawa
Mahal, Rang Mahal, Bijai Mahal, Badal Mahal and Anup Mahal. The
contents include the usual Rajput weapon collection, not to mention
an old WWI biplane presented to Ganga Singh by the British.
Har Mandir is the royal
temple, dedicated to Lord Siva. The fort museum has an extensive
collection of illuminated manuscripts, jewellery, jars and carpets,
arms and weapons, treaties, decorations and the 'Farmans'. The fort
is open is open from 10 am to 4.30 pm and is closed on Fridays.
Entry is Rs 50 and there’s a Rs 25 camera charge, Rs 100 for a video.
A guide is included in this price.
Jaisalmer Fort
Crowning the Trikuta Hill
is the grand Jaisalmer fort made of yellow sandstone. This fort
was built in 1156 by Rawal Jaisal. This fort is approached through
a series of massive gates Ganesh Pol, Suraj Pol, Bhoota Pol and
Hawa Pol which open up into a courtyard. The fort walls provide
a splendid view over the city and the surrounding desert. Majority
of Jaisalmer's population resides within the fort walls, which has
99 bastions around their circumference. The Jaisalmer fort also
has within its limits many havelies, temples and palaces.
Taragarh or The Star Fort
(Bundi)
Taragarh Fort, built in
1354,is situated atop a thickly wooded hill.It is a marvelloous
white fort with a huge reservoir which once supplied water to the
palace. Apart from the huge reservior carved out of stone,there
is the Bhim Burj, the largest of the battlesments, on which is mounted
a famous cannon. One can get lovely views over the town and surrounding
countryside from here. Doordarshan has its transmission tower right
next to the fort. It is indeed sad to see a timeold monument sharing
its place with a modern tower.
Chittotgarh Fort
According to legend, 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 1 km leads through seven gateways
to the main gate on the western side, the Rampol.
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. From the western end of the fort, one
can take a glance at the town and across the surrounding countryside,
as well as a charming view of an enormous cement factory.
There’s even a little
village in this part of the fort. Today, the fort of Chittor is
a virtually deserted to ruin, but impressive reminders of its grandeur
still stand and those with imagination should easily be able to
tune in to the this should easily be able to tune in to the romantic
heroism which lingers in the air of this incredible monument.
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.
Entry to the fort is free. Guides are available in the fort, usually
at the Rana Kumbha Palace and charge around Rs 200.
Lohagarh Fort (Bharatpur)
The massive iron structure
built in the early 18th century. With its impregnable defences it
sustained itself even after a number of British attacks. The fort
was conceived and designed by Maharaja Suraj Mal, the founder of
Bharatpur. The fort has three palaces within its precincts - Kishori
Mahal, Mahal Khas and Kothi Khas.
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