Vijaya Stambha, or Victory tower, was built to commemorate the victory of Sultan of Malwa in 1448. Dedicated to Vishnu, it has nine levels with openings and balconies on each floor reached by two, narrow and slippery interior staircases. Slabs on top contain the genealogy of Chittaur rulers and portraits of the architect and his three sons are carved on the fifth level. The video below is very l-o-n-g and I wouldn’t blame you for not sticking it out but there is a lot to see.
The entire outside is covered with architectural ornaments, images of gods and goddesses, weapons, seasons, and musical instruments. Entrance to the Victory Tower is through one of two monumental doors that led to where the Rajputs were cremated.
Click here to view the embedded video.
partial Chittorgarh Fort layout, India
Victory Tower, Chittorgarh Fort, India
Victory Tower, Chittorgarh Fort, India
We just drove by the huge, white Government Museum that was once Fateh Prakash Palace. Inside is a collection of sculptures from temples and buildings in the fort. A person would have to spend an entire day inside Chittorgarh Fort to see everything and we didn’t have the time.
Fateh Prakash Palace, Chittorgarh Fort, India
entrance to cremation grounds, Chittorgarh Fort, India
Here is a very long story about Rani or Queen Padmini and her palace (one of the highlights), and I’ll try to shorten it. Allauddin-Khalji was Sultan in 1303 and heard about Padmini’s beauty, wit and charm. His armies surrounded the fort, and he sent a message to Padmini’s husband which said he would spare the city if he could meet its famous queen. It was finally decided that Khalji could look upon Padmini’s reflection if he came unarmed into the fort.
Padmini Palace, Chittorgarh Fort, India
mirrors for Khalji to see Padmini in Padmini Palace, Chittorgarh Fort, India
She then stood by the three-story structure in the middle of the lake known as Jal Mahal, and Khalji stood in the center of a room with mirrors strategically placed to view Padmini and fell in love with her. We visited the room with mirrors in a women’s compound.
Khalji left the fort taking King Ratan Singh as hostage. (Bad Khalji!). Padmini came up with a plan to rescue her husband, yadda yadda…battle…King was rescued but Khalji attacked the fort. Rather than surrender, Padmini and a total of 18,000 women, dressed in their wedding finery (always red), entered the mahal and sacrificed themselves in a funeral pyre.
water tank, Chittorgarh Fort, India
The men then put on saffron robes, smeared holy ashes of their women on their foreheads, and fought to the death. A second Jauhar occurred in 1535, when the Sultan of Gujarat attacked the fort.
Our last sight within Chittorgarh Fort was Kirti Stambha, a tower dedicated to Adinatha (the first Tirhankar) and built by the Jain community in Twelfth Century.The smaller tower is also a victory tower and stands next to small Kerti Jain Temple.
Jain Tower and Temple inside Chittorgarh Fort, India
Jain Victory Tower, Chittorgarh Fort, India
Adinath in Jain Temple, Chittorgarh Fort, India
There are many stands inside the fort offering clothing for men and women to dress as locals and take a photograph. The cost was reasonable, under $10 USD but we had a plane to catch and just didn’t have time. Chittorgarh is 112 kilometers/70 miles from Udaipur, from where we would fly back to Delhi tonight and then continue the onward journey to Chicago.
Udaipur Airport, India