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

The Reva Cries

Roopmati had watched the troops leave. She had stood behind the chief queen as she traditionally bid goodbye to her sons. She had waited for the Sultan to come to her. He did. He was confident that the sudden advancement of Akbar’s foster brother Adham Khan could be curbed. It was not war, just precaution. He reassured her. Malwa would never bow to the Timurids. And he would not let anything happen to her. To Her. Roopmati felt suffocated by her husband’s affectionate hug. She felt trapped in the scrutinising eyes of all the people in the palace. Angry, blaming eyes. She tried to pace herself and sing, but her voice cracked in fear. Her melody was drowned in tears. Every evening, a messenger would come to the chief queen with the news of war. Roopmati was kept in the darkness. She was not told about anything. She knew the rumours. She was a witch. A temptress who caused doom to the Sultan of Malwa. She was a spy of the enemy planted in his life to destroy him. She wondered if he came b...

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