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Chittorgarh is in South Rajasthan on the Berach River, and famous for its massive fortress, claimed to be the largest in India. The city was called Chittaur and was capital of Mewar under the Rajputs from the Seventh to Sixteenth Centuries. Chittorgarh Fort is usually included in all tours of Rajasthan so do not expect to be alone there…
The road up to Chittorgarh Fort leads through seven huge gates (called “pols”) to the main gate, Ram Pol (meaning Gate of Ram). Each gate has a different design, size and names beginning with number one is: Padan Pol, Bhairon Pol, Hanuman Pol, Jorla Pol, Ganesh Pol, Laxman Pol Ram Pol. Once at the top, visitors pay admission, camera fees and guides then drive their clients to the most important sights, usually beginning with Khumba Palace.
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layout of Chittorgarh Fort, India
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Khumba Palace area, Chittorgarh Fort, India
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Khumba Palace area, Chittorgarh Fort, India
We began exploring the fort history at Khumba Palace built in the Fifteenth Century. Ruined Khumba Palace is the most massive monument in the fort and of great historical and architectural interest. The fort itself is 2-1/2 miles wide by 1 mile long and surrounded by 10 kilometers/6.2 miles of walls.
Despite that immensity, there were three occasions when the fort was sacked and instead of being conquered by invaders, the women and children immolated themselves in a funeral pyre while the men marched to death in battle. It is told that the women and children committed Jauhar. The long meaning of Jauhar is: the ancient tradition of honorable self-immolation of women and subsequent march of men to the battlefield (against any odds) to end their life with respect. Or, I prefer to call it, “Mass suicide” when escape is impossible. All immolations reputedly took place at Khumba Palace.
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Khumba Palace temples, Chittorgarh Fort, India
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Khumba Palace, Chittorgarh Fort, India
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Khumba Palace ruins, Chittorgarh Fort, India
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remaining balcony in Khumba Palace, Chittorgarh Fort
I asked new guide Shemeish (not sure if his name is spelled correctly since he happened to be our 10th guide and my pea brain could no longer remember names) how long people could live inside Chittorgarh fort when besieged. Would you believe this fort had 84 bodies of water (only 22 exist today)? The zillion gallons of water in ponds, wells, and stepwells could support 50,000 people for four years. (Approximately 100,000 people lived inside the fort at one time.)
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steps lead down to holy Gaumukh Reservoir, Chittorgarh Fort
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Gaumukh Reservoir, Chittorgarh Fort
Within the cremation grounds and cenotaphs there is a large pool of water (or water tank) fed by a spring which flows from a stone cow’s head. Called Gaumukh Reservoir, bathing in the water is considered to be holy.
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Chittorgarh Fort walls stretch for 10 kilometers/6.2 miles
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one of seven gates leading to Chittorgarh Fort, India