Chittorgarh

Overview

Chittorgarh, also spelt Chittaurgarh and historically known as Chitrakuta, is a city in the southern part of the Indian state of Rajasthan. It serves as the administrative headquarters of Chittorgarh district and lies along the Berach and Gambhiri rivers. The city is best known for the Chittorgarh Fort, one of the largest forts in India and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and is closely associated with the history of the Mewar kingdom and the Sisodia Rajputs.

Geography

Chittorgarh lies on the Malwa plateau's western edge, where it meets the Aravalli range. The old city is dominated by a massive hill on which the fort is built; the modern town has spread on the plain to the east and south. The Gambhiri and Berach rivers flow past the fort hill and have shaped both the city's defensive geography and its agriculture. The climate is semi-arid, with hot summers, a monsoon season between June and September, and cool winters.

History

Early period

According to local tradition, the fort was originally constructed by the Maurya ruler Chitrangada Mori, from whom the name Chitrakuta or Chittor is said to derive. By the medieval period, the fort and the surrounding region had become the seat of the Guhila and later the Sisodia Rajput dynasty of Mewar.

Sieges of Chittorgarh

Chittorgarh is remembered in Rajput tradition for three major sieges, each followed by the act of jauhar (mass self-immolation by women) and saka (a final fight to the death by the men):

• 1303 – The fort was besieged and captured by Alauddin Khalji of the Delhi Sultanate during the reign of Rawal Ratan Singh. The episode is associated in legend with Rani Padmini.
• 1535 – Bahadur Shah of Gujarat besieged the fort during the regency of Rani Karnavati for the young Rana Vikramaditya.
• 1568 – The Mughal emperor Akbar captured Chittorgarh after a long siege, with the defence led by Jaimal of Badnore and Patta of Amet during the absence of Maharana Udai Singh II, who had moved his capital to the newly founded city of Udaipur.

Later history

After the third sack, the rulers of Mewar continued to govern from Udaipur, but Chittorgarh remained an important symbol of Rajput identity. The fort was returned to Rana Pratap's successors in the early 17th century under terms reached with the Mughals. With the decline of the Mughal Empire and the rise of British paramountcy in the 19th century, Mewar became a princely state under the Rajputana Agency. Chittorgarh was integrated into the Indian Union after independence in 1947 and became part of Rajasthan when the state was reorganised in 1949–1956.

Chittorgarh Fort

The Chittorgarh Fort, sprawling over a hill several hundred metres above the surrounding plain, is the city's defining feature. Major monuments within its walls include:

• Vijaya Stambha (Tower of Victory), built by Rana Kumbha in the 15th century to commemorate his victory over Mahmud Khalji of Malwa.
• Kirti Stambha (Tower of Fame), an older Jain tower dedicated to Adinatha.
• Rana Kumbha's Palace, the oldest palace complex in the fort.
• Padmini's Palace, associated in tradition with Rani Padmini.
• Temples including the Meera Temple, Kumbha Shyam Temple, and Kalika Mata Temple.
• Gaumukh Reservoir, a perennial water tank fed by a spring.

In 2013, Chittorgarh Fort was inscribed by UNESCO as part of the serial World Heritage Site "Hill Forts of Rajasthan", along with the forts of Kumbhalgarh, Ranthambore, Amber, Jaisalmer, and Gagron.

Administration