Chittorgarh district is an administrative district of the state of Rajasthan in western India. It lies in the south-eastern part of the state and takes its name from the historic town of Chittorgarh, which serves as the district headquarters. The district is best known for the imposing Chittorgarh Fort, a UNESCO World Heritage Site associated with the medieval rulers of Mewar.
| Country | India |
|---|---|
| State | Rajasthan |
| Region | Mewar |
| Headquarters | Chittorgarh |
| Division | Udaipur division |
| Type | District of Rajasthan |
Chittorgarh district lies on the eastern edge of the Mewar plateau, where the Aravalli ranges descend into the Malwa plateau. The terrain consists of low hills, plateaus, and fertile valleys drained by rivers including the Berach, the Gambhiri, and tributaries of the Banas. The district shares boundaries with several Rajasthan districts such as Bhilwara, Rajsamand, Udaipur, and Pratapgarh, and lies close to the border with Madhya Pradesh.
The area now covered by the district formed the historic core of the kingdom of Mewar, ruled by the Sisodia Rajputs. Chittorgarh Fort was the seat of Mewar before the capital was shifted to Udaipur in the latter half of the sixteenth century. The fort witnessed three major sieges — by Alauddin Khalji in 1303, by Bahadur Shah of Gujarat in 1535, and by the Mughal emperor Akbar in 1568 — events that figure prominently in the regional historical tradition, including narratives associated with Rani Padmini and Maharana Pratap.
After the integration of the princely states, the territory became part of the state of Rajasthan in 1949 and Chittorgarh was constituted as a district. In 2008, the new district of Pratapgarh was carved out, partly from areas earlier administered under Chittorgarh.
The district is administered by a District Collector and falls under the Udaipur revenue division of Rajasthan. It is divided into several tehsils and sub-divisions, with major towns including Chittorgarh, Nimbahera, Begun, Rawatbhata, Kapasan, and Bhadesar. For parliamentary representation, much of the district falls within the Chittorgarh Lok Sabha constituency.
The economy is based largely on agriculture, with crops such as wheat, maize, soybean, gram, and oilseeds being prominent. The district is also a significant centre for mineral-based industries: it has substantial deposits of limestone supporting cement manufacturing around Nimbahera and Chanderiya. The Chanderiya Lead-Zinc Smelter, operated by Hindustan Zinc, is among the major industrial establishments. The Rajasthan Atomic Power Station at Rawatbhata, on the Chambal river, is one of India's important nuclear power facilities.
Chittorgarh is closely associated with Rajput history, valour, and devotional traditions, including the legacy of the saint-poet Mirabai, who is traditionally linked to the royal house of Mewar. Major heritage sites in the district include: