Palace On Wheels

Chittaurgarh ( Day 5 )

About Chittaurgarh Fort
On the next day of the journey aboard the Palace-On-Wheels you arrive at Chittaurgarh. The story of Chittaurgarh is a saga of valour, tenacity and sacrifice. Chittaurgarh (also Chittorgarh) was sacked three times and its defenders had to make the supreme sacrifice. The Fort of Chittaurgarh is a treasure trove of history and offers to the traveler an insight into the life of the Great Rajput rulers, who laid down their lives fighting a superior enemy instead of leading a life of submission under them.

The fort of Chittor is believed to have been the capital of the Gahlot and Sisodia kings who ruled Mewar from the eighth to the sixteenth century AD. The fort is named after Chittrangad Mauraya. The Sisodia ruler Ajay Pal (AD 1174-1177) improved the fort wall built by the Gahlot king in the ninth century AD. The fort has witnessed three ferocious sieges and each time her defenders, demonstrating true Rajputana pride, fought valiantly against the enemies. The magnificent fort rises 150 m above the surrounding region and runs to an approximate length of 3 km covering an area of 60 acres and peripheral length of 13 km.

Symbol of Valor
The Chittaurgarh Fort is a living testimony to the bravery of the great Rajput rulers who laid down their life fighting a superior enemy instead of leading a life of submission. The fort is located on a hill that dominates the modern township of Chittor. It is a fine example of the Rajput style of architecture.

Sieges
Out of the three major sieges, the first one occurred in AD 1303 when Ala-ud-din Khilji of Delhi attacked to gain possession of Padmini, the beautiful wife of Rana Rattan Singh. In spite of gaining control of the fort, the goal remained unachievable since Padmini along with other Rajput women marched in procession to an underground cave and committed self-immolation or jauhar.

The second siege in AD 1535 was by Sultan Bahadur Shah of Gujarat. The Rajputs fought valiantly but were defeated and jauhar was once again performed.

The third siege of the fort took place in AD 1567 with the Mughal ruler Akbar arrayed against the might of the Rajputs. It is believed that Akbar got annoyed with Udai Singh for sheltering the then ruler of Malwa. This was a bloody war with jauhar being performed for the third time. The tales of valor of Jaimal and Kalla are still alive in the local folklore. It is believed that Akbar was so impressed by the valor of Jaimal and Kalla that he got their statues installed at the Agra Fort.

Legends
Legend has it that it was because of the beautiful Padmini that Chittaurgarh was sacked the first time. When Sultan Ala-ud-din Khilji, the ruler of Delhi, heard of Padmini's beauty, he requested Rana Rattan Singh (her husband) for a glimpse of the queen. However, the Sultan was permitted to see only the reflection of the queen from a water tank that overlooked the palace. Ala-ud-din is said to have been so carried away by Padmini's beauty that he attacked Chittor in order to possess her. This led to the first bitter and bloody siege of the Chittaurgarh fort and the subsequent mass suicide.

The Pols
The ascent to the Chittaurgarh Fort takes one through zigzag paths interrupted at intervals by seven enormous gateways or 'pols'. The different gateways are Padan Pol, Bhairon Pol, Hanuman Pol, Ganesh Pol, Jorla Pol, Lakshman Pol, and Ram Pol. The Suraj Pol is the gate on the east. There are two chhatris (small domed canopies, supported by pillars) where the two famous commanders Jaimal and Kalla fell when Akbar laid siege to the fort in AD 1567.
Near the Padan Pol is the memorial of Rawat Bagh Singh who joined hands with King Vikramaditya to fight against Sultan Bahadur Shah of Gujarat when Chittor fort was attacked the second time. The Bhairon Pol is named in the memory of Bhairondas Solanki who also fought against Sultan Bahadur Shah in AD 1534. The Hanuman Pol, the Ram Pol, and the Lakshman Pol have a temple in their vicinity. The Jorla Pol has two adjacent gateways.

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