Chittorgarh: His Home

After a smooth 30-minute drive from Baasi down wide highways, a sharp turn led us through dense foliage, a narrow path seemingly swallowed by the trees. Our driver, playfully exasperated with my relentless questions, finally cheered, “Madam Ji, aa Gaya Apka Chittorgarh.” For about five minutes, the fort itself was hidden from view, the thick foliage offering no clue to the legendary citadel’s whereabouts. Then, as the jungle slowly receded, I finally glimpsed a hill ahead. At first glance, it looked ordinary, but my driver leaned in and explained, “Woh Raha Chittor Durg upar, aise Patthar se bana hai ke dikhta nahi jhat se.” I was surprised; for all my reading, no book prepared me for how well Chittorgarh blends into its rugged surroundings. Only by looking carefully could I spot the ruins and rooftops: a city on a plateau, veiled until the last moment. Goosebumps. I was, at last, so close to Pratap's Home.

The Mystique of Chitrakut

Locals believe the hill, Chitrakut, is the only plateau in the vast Aravalli range, its formation referenced in both the Ramayana and Mahabharata. They call it a miracle of the gods. As we ascended the slopes towards the plateau (modern Chittorgarh town sits on the far side), I noticed lines of poetry in striking red scrawled across yellow stones, so close together you could touch both at once. They celebrate the fort’s storied heroes, Rani Padmini, Kunwar Pratap Singh, Rajmata Karnavati, Veer Gora and Badal, Jaimal, Patta, and Kalla. One verse particularly stood out to me:

Garh Ho Toh Chittor, Baki sab Gariya.
Rani Ho Toh Padmini, Baki sab Gadhayiya.

Checking In & Getting Around

Without delay, we checked into Pratap Palace, a well-located, upscale hotel near the central bus stand and Railway Station. To reach the fort, about 4 Km from the city, we took an auto, which I highly recommend: not only are autos nimbler (essential for some of the narrow lanes and steep slopes cars can’t handle), but you’ll need to arrange for your driver’s waiting time since you won’t find any vehicles for hire once inside the fort precincts.

Crossing the Gambhiri: Tales of Escape

On the way from the new city to the hilltop fort, we crossed the Gambhiri River. Our auto driver animatedly described it as the very river Panna Dai crossed to ferry young Kunwar Udai Singh to safety at Kumbhalgarh, a daring escape that saved the heir and preserved the Sisodia lineage. Folklore tells of a hidden tunnel from the Rana Kumbha Palace down to the river, used by both Kunwar Pratap and Udai Singh at different dark moments in history, though the locals today can barely say where its entrance was.

Entering Chittorgarh: The Seven Gates

Chittorgarh Fort is accessed by a road built for elephants by Rana Kumbha, running along the fort’s back. To enter, you cross through seven imposing gateways (pols):

Ganesh Pol
Hanuman Pol
Laxman Pol
Ram Pol
Suraj Pol
Badi Pol
Jorla Pol

Purple houses, home to descendants of Chittor’s siege survivors, dot the pathway once you cross the Pols. About 5,000 people still reside within the ramparts. Our driver pointed out the Mughal siege, which first targeted this backside approach, deemed less fortified than the front near Padmini Jal Mahal and Kirti Stambh.

As we passed each gate, I marvelled at the robust guard towers and the whispered histories of epic battles and betrayals. Stopping at the Ganesh Pol, we admired a shrine to Lord Ganesh and heard about the infamous morning of 23 February 1568, when Jaimal Rathore and Kalla Rathore mounted a doomed last line of defence here.

Heroic Stand at Suraj Pol

Suraj Pol and Ganesh Pol served as the front line for the desperate defenders. Four months into the siege, Jaimal Rathore went to negotiate at the Mughal camp. Standing firm, he rebuffed Akbar’s demand for obeisance:

“Apko apka salam Maidan-e-Jung mein milega.”

As battle raged, Kalla’s legs were severed, but undeterred, he leapt atop his uncle Jaimal’s shoulders to continue fighting, swords against muskets. Both fell here, but not before Jaimal cleaved the trunk of Akbar’s war elephant and spat his defiance: “Apka salam Jalaluddin.” Their memorials now mark this very spot. Jaimal’s wife famously led the women into the fire, Jauhar, at Jaimal-Patta’s home.

The Women Warriors & Hanuman Pol

Past Hanuman Pol, orange-painted stones and miniature memorials commemorate the many unnamed soldiers and especially the Viranganas—women who chose to fall in battle (Saka) rather than perish in Jauhar. This poignant area, dedicated to those women who wielded swords alongside their kin, was the first place on the site to truly move me, goosebumps and all.

One such hero, Patta Sisodia, just 17 and a distant royal kin, joined the battle alongside his newlywed wife, Jiwa Bai, herself only 13. After Jaimal and Kalla fell, Patta and his family led the women in the fort’s final defence at Hanuman Pol.

The Eklingji Temple and Final Gates

A turn after Hanuman Pol brought us to the small, flag-festooned Eklingji Temple, the most venerable such shrine left in the fort. After Jorla Pol and Laxman Pol, we arrived at Ram Pol, topped with watchtowers offering magnificent views over old and new Chittorgarh. From that dizzying vantage above the old fort, the sweeping landscape feels impossibly rich with stories.

Practicalities: Tickets, Timings & Local Wisdom

After Ram Pol lies the ticket office, where you’ll pay separate charges for vehicles and visitors (cameras are free). The fort is open from 9:30AM to 5:30PM, and it typically takes 3 to 4 hours to see everything, so plan ahead! Be prepared for evening light and sound shows, a must for any visitor. One tip: avoid openly carrying food or coconuts used for temple offerings, especially at the temples, as the monkeys are notorious for raids.

Must-See Inside the Fort

Your journey through Chittorgarh Fort should include:

Kumbha Palace & Sringaar Chauri
Vijay Stambh (Victory Tower)
Kirti Stambh and Jain Temple
Kumbha Shyaam Temple
Meera Mandir and Sahastrashiva Temple
Gaumukh Kund
Jauhar Sthal
Padmini Jal Mahal
Surya Talab & Vishnu Talab
Ambe Maata & Kalika Maata Mandir
House of Jaimal and Patta
The Mohor Magri and the historic battleground
Ratan Singh Palace (entry requires a separate ticket—located on the far side of the fort)

Final Impressions

Chittorgarh is not just a place; it is a living epic, its stones resonating with sacrifice, courage, poetry, and pride. From the subtle approach through jungles and the hidden plateau, to the seven mighty gates and the stories that cling to every inch of rampart, walking into Chittorgarh is stepping straight into legend.

Look Carefully! The Fort Walls!

River Gambhiri

Ganesh Pol

Suraj Pol

One of the gates

Kalla Rathore Memorial

The Virangana Memorials

Hanuman Pol

Jorla Pol

Laxman Pol

Watch Stations for soldiers.

View from the top

Chittorgarh from the Guard tower

RamPol

Chittorgarh: The First Jauhar

The concept of Jauhar holds a profound place in Rajputana history. It is a ritual where Rajput women willingly choose death by jumping into a fire altar, invoking the gods, and embracing honour rather than living under the humiliation of enemy conquest. Unlike Sati, Jauhar was never forced or compulsory; it was considered the most honourable death a Rajputani could choose when their men lost battles and the enemy laid siege. The Historical Setting: Jauhar Gate and Chittorgarh Fort Chittorgarh Fort once housed the palace of Rana Ratan Singh near the famed Vijay Stambh and his Jal Mahal at the fort’s main gate. When Alauddin Khilji invaded Chittor, much of this was destroyed. However, later ruler Rana Kumbha rebuilt the Jal Mahal and re-established the Jauhar Sthal to honour Queen Padmavati (also known as Padmini). Ratan Singh, who ruled Mewar during Khilji’s reign as Sultan of Delhi, was known to be a peace-loving monarch who enjoyed music and poetry. One of his court poets, Ragha...

Maharana Pratap: The Sun of Mewar

Many of you have read my fan fiction as well as historical representations of the life and times of Maharana Pratap Singh of Mewar. I provided small details of his life in many articles. But never have I ever made a separate historical post on him. It is very difficult to put together his life without the help of folklore because historical evidence is scarce. This one was requested, and hence here it goes. Needless to say, this one is very special. This is a blend of history and folklore. Leave your love. ❤️ Background and Birth: The year was 1540. Mewar was under a cloud of uncertainty. Banbir, their ruler for four years now, was a very incompetent ruler who always spent his time in luxury, drinking and dancing with girls. The crown prince Udai Singh was rumoured to have been killed by him. Chittorgarh was in darkness. Around March 1540, Mewar once again saw hope as some trusted generals, along with Kunwar Udai Singh, attacked Chittorgarh, taking Banbir by surprise. He was soon t...

Sisodiya: Kings, Queens and Princes (1538 - 1597)

I am back with another History post, this time it is on the wives and sons of Rana Udai Singh II of Mewar, his son and heir Maharana Pratap and Rana Amar Singh. This is a continuation of the Sisodia Family History I posted some time back. The information has been taken from Annals of Mewar by James Todd, Maharana Pratap by B.N. Rana, and Maharana Pratap by Rima Hooja. Udai Singh II was the son of Ranisa Karnawati and Rana Sangram Singh. He was born on 4th August 1 522, at Chittorgarh and died on 28th February 1 572 at Gogunda . He was the Ruler of the Sisodia Dynasty. He is believed to have 56 sons and 2 5 wives, apart from the many insignificant queens in his Rani Mahal. Here is a list of his main queens and their sons. Maharani Jaivanta Bai Songara of Jalore was his chief queen and consort. Her son is Maharana Pratap. He was married to her before he went to war with Banbir, as her father, Akshayraj Rao, was a friend and ally of his father, Rana Sanga. Saj...

The Cortege That Shook The Raj: Kanailal Dutta

10th November, 1908 Around late morning, a procession of lacs made their way through the streets of Calcutta (Kolkata), India. Some were chanting “Vande Mataram”, others blew conch shells, and Ululation filled the air. Flowers were being showered from all directions, and garlands made their way through the crowd, being thrown at the procession in the middle. Bhagwat Gita and Ananda Math (Novel by Bamkim Chandra) were offered. No, this was no “ Sobha Jatra ” or celebration. There were no religious festivities either. That dawn, the Alipore Jail, which opened only two years back, witnessed the hanging of Kanailal Dutta, a twenty-year-old member of the “Jugantar Dol”, an anarchist group that was set up primarily by Aurobindo Ghosh (Later Rishi Aurobindo), his brother Barindra and their associates. Kanailal hailed from Chandannagore, and although he was not present in most of their meetings in Kolkata, he was still one of their early members from Chandannagore, then a French province. ...

Haldighati: The Battlefield

The year was 1576 CE. Four years had passed since Maharana Pratap’s coronation as the ruler of Mewar in 1572 CE. In those years, the land simmered not just with heat but with tension. The Timurid emperor Akbar, determined to fulfil his imperial vision, had sent not one, but three peace emissaries with Man Singh and Bhagwan Das leading them, between 1573 and 1575 CE, offering reconciliation in carefully worded treaties. But the wounds of Chittorgarh’s fall in 1568 CE were fresh for Pratap. With the blood and tears of Jauhar and Saka still alive, with the thousands mercilessly killed, there would be no peace without freedom. Pratap was no ordinary king, to be driven just by his zeal. He was a strategist, steeped as much in statecraft as in pride. When Man Singh came in 1575 CE with yet another offer, he was quick to realise that Akbar was reluctant to an out-and-out battle with Mewar. Pratap chose not to appear himself, sending his heir, Amar Singh, instead, stating that kings met kings...

The Garuda Cannon of Krishna Chandra

Maharaja Krishna Chandra was an influential king in Nadia, Bengal, who formed his capital at Krishnanagar. During the preparation of the Battle of Plassey that sealed the deal for British Colonisation in Bengal in 1757, Krishna Chandra was under the Mughals of Delhi, who did not support Bengal Subah Nawab Siraj Ud Daulah in his attack against the British in Calcutta. As a result, he too was vocal against Siraj and supported the British. Siraj ordered for him to be imprisoned for not paying his due taxes to the Nawab, and he found freedom only after Robert Clive and Mir Jafar ousted Siraj by betraying him. Once Krishna Chandra was back in his state, the Mughal emperor, who was now reduced to a puppet of the British, by suggestion of Robert Clive, gifted the king a token of appreciation for his support, a cannon, which the Raja named the Garuda Cannon. What was so special about the cannon? This is the only cannon found in any museum with an inscription in Bengali scripture. Most cannons ...

Rani Padmini: The Valiant Queen

This story is a retelling of some parts of Malik Mohammad Jayasi's Padmavat, which was a historical fiction poem written in 1540, about 200 years after the siege of Chittorgarh by Allauddin Khilji. Historically, the Rajputs of Mewar didn't keep accounts of their queens, even by name, so the name Padmini or Padmavati was made up by Jayasi to represent the women of Chittor who chose the Jauhar. Historically speaking, Allauddin Khilji wanted the trade route to Surat for himself, which went through Mewar and Rana Ratan Singh, a patron of art, was not known for his military skills. So when Khilji surrounded the fort, the only way out was the Saka and Jauhar. Rani Padmini's Jauhar, as it is now popularly called, is also not the first Jauhar Khilji witnessed. The Jauhars of Ranthambore and Jaisalmer happened before he attacked Chittorgarh. Also, the act of Jauhar happened as early as the Greek invasions of Porus's state, when it is described as the "Mass immolation of Sat...

Etched In Stone

This historical short story is a fictitious account of Ashoka, the Mauryan Emperor and his first wife Devi, who finds no place in Magadhan History. There is another fiction about her in the blog as well. This story stemmed from a merge of two ideas, one was to mention the cave inscription found in Saru Maru that mentions Asoka spending some days there with his lover (presumed to be Devi), the other idea of how if words did not immortalise a lot of battles and achievements, the names of many great men would be lost in time. The prince stood on the edge of the cliff, looking at the horizon. Dawn arrived as the birds started leaving their nests, wings fluttering, eager to discover the world. He looked up at them, the thought of once again going back to exploring the length and breadth of his state making him feel a little restless as he eyed his healing wounds. He was left to die; his enemies wished so. Yet by some miracle of fate, as if his purposes were yet to be fulfilled, here he was ...

Battle of Haldighati

There have been a lot of talks going on regarding who won the Battle of Haldighati. While some want to change what we read and say that the Maharana won it, many oppose the point with a Mughal victory. Here, I compile every account I found of the Battle and its Aftermath and make my unbiased conclusion on the topic. PS. The dates vary from book to book; I gave the ones I found in most sources. The Background: Relation with Mughals Mewar was one of Rajputana's strongest individual kingdoms, along with the likes of Marwar and Kacchawar (Jaipur). Long before the Mughals under Akbar, Mewar under Rana Sangram Singh had successfully managed to keep the "Turk Invaders" under Babar at bay, fighting 17 wars, big and small. The relationship was further questioned when, during the invasion from Saurashtra, Sanga's widow, Rani Karnavati, had written to Mughal Emperor Humayun for help, sending him a rakhi. Contrary to popular belief, Humayun had rested on his way from Gaur (Beng...

The Prince of Mewar

Born on 16 March 1559 in the Kumbha Palace of Chittorgarh Fort, Bhanwar Amar Singh was the eldest son of Kunwar Pratap Singh (later Maharana Pratap) and Kunwarani Ajabdeh Punwar. As the first grandson of Udai Singh I, his birth prompted the Maharana's celebratory hunting expedition, during which a sage forewarned of impending danger. Heeding this, Udai Singh established a new palace by Lake Pichola, founding Udaipur as Mewar's capital. Amar Singh exhibited extraordinary valour from a young age, inheriting his father's martial skills and his mother's reputed compassion. His training commenced early; according to James Tod's Annals and Antiquities of Rajasthan, he participated in his first battle alongside Pratap at age eight. By ten, amid Chittorgarh's fall and familial divisions, he assumed responsibility for his siblings. Historical accounts recount his defence of the queens' entourage against enemy soldiers en route to Kumbhalgarh fortress. He shared a clo...

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