Perched up high above on a hilltop, the fort of Chittorgarh or Chittor Fort is an epitome of Rajputi strength and valor.
Echoing off the Rajputi gallant and luxury of the bygone era, the fort is also associated with the infamous Jauhar of Rani Padmini.
Chittorgarh was the capital of Mewar and is located in the present-day town of Chittor on the left bank of the Berach river.
The fort comprises of 65 historic built structures including 4 palaces, 19 significant temples, 4 memorials and several water bodies, making it the largest fort in India area wise.
Located on top of a rock-strewn plateau, the 305 hectares of a component site, with a buffer zone of 427 hectares, encompasses the fortified stronghold of Chittorgarh.
Built in the 7th century AD by the Mauryans, the fort gets its name from the Mauryan ruler, Chitrangda Mori.
When seen from a bird’s eye view, the fort appears to be in the shape of a fish circumscribed on a hilltop.
The prudent framework of the fort consists of 84 water bodies out of which only 22 remain. Fed by the natural rainwater and catchments, the total water storage capacity of the water bodies comprising of ponds, wells, and step-wells is of 4 billion liters, sufficient for an army of 50,000.
Chittor Fort is listed among the UNESCO World Heritage Sites under Hill Forts of Rajasthan.
HIGHLIGHT
According to his courtier Amir Khusrow, in 1303, the Delhi Sultanate ruler Alauddin Khalji invaded Chittor to capture Ratnasimha’s queen Padmini, that is when Padmini and other women committed jauhar or mass self-immolation.