Chittorgarh: The Towers of Victory & Faith

Let’s get back to Chittorgarh! Our journey from the Kumbha Palace took us deeper into the fort. Spotting a signboard for “Jauhar Kund and Vijay Stambh,” we were tempted, but our driver insisted we see the Kirti Stambh first. So, we meandered for about half an hour along the fort’s old, narrow horse trail, its history palpable at every turn. At the far end, the Kirti Stambh and adjacent Jain temple awaited us. Built in the 12th century atop a hill loftier than the Vijay Stambh, the Kirti Stambh is a striking Jain structure, renowned for its exquisite architecture and offering truly spectacular views across the ancient fort and beyond.

Kirti Stambh and Jain Temple

Stepping up to the iconic Vijay Stambh is an experience that lingers long after you leave Chittorgarh. While the Kirti Stambh impressed us with its ancient charm, the Vijay Stambh truly stands out; its architecture is more intricate, and the tower itself was built later, taking inspiration from the Kirti Stambh as its model. Every level unveils exquisite detailing, and if you’re feeling adventurous, you can climb a narrow spiral staircase right up to the top floor. From here, the panoramic views are breathtaking: you can spot the temples dotting the landscape and look directly onto the solemn expanse of the Jauhar Sthal.

A word of caution, if, like me, you’re a bit uneasy in confined spaces, the climb can feel rather snug, so pace yourself!

There’s more to this monument than just its commanding presence. Vijay Stambh was crafted under the orders of Rana Kumbha, who dedicated it as a tribute to his victory over the combined armies of Malwa and Gujarat led by Mahmud Khilji. Interestingly, a Jain Guru at Rana Kumbha’s court advised him not to make the new tower taller or broader than the original Kirti Stambh. In a twist of history, the initial site chosen for the Vijay Stambh was scrapped after the foundation was already built (that base still survives today), and instead, the tower was constructed on a slightly lower ground just a few metres away.

The reason was that a King shouldn't be vain enough to make his achievements greater than his religion. He decided to dedicate the Vijay Stambh to his Aradhya Vishnu. And also built the Kumbha Shyaam Temple.

Vijay Stambh

The Base of the original site of Vijay Stambh

If you want to see Rajput architecture amongst the ruined, destroyed Chittorgarh, then look carefully at the figures and designs on the Vijay Stambh. There are stories from the Vishnu Purana that show the clear influence of Vaishnavism on the Shaivist Sisodiya ruler.

The Narrow roads with pillars indicated there was a wall

The next stop was the temples and Talabs, each telling its own story at Chittorgarh!

Rakhi Tales

A Rakhi to the Enemy: The year was 1535 CE. The Rajmata of Mewar, widow of Rana Sanga, was in a dilemma. On one hand was an attack from Bahadur Shah of Gujarat as a threat to her capital, Chittorgarh, and the throne of her beloved teenage son Vikramaditya. On the other hand, there was the son of her husband's archenemy, Humayun, who could be of some help. Rani Karnavati wrote a letter to Humayun, who was in the east at that time. Along with it, she sent a Rakhi, a thread of brotherhood, asking him, as a sister, for protection against the enemy. But the road was too long, and time was of the essence. Humayun arrived at Chittorgarh, in response to her letter, keeping his end of the bargain but a little late. Rani Karnavati had already performed the Jauhar. They never met. Humayun established Rana Vikramaditya on the throne of Mewar, as he had promised as a brother, and returned to his post. Two dynasties, political rivals and sworn enemies, from Sanga-Babur to Pratap-Akbar and even R...

The Thirteenth Night

This is part of the "Uttara Series" You will find under the Mahabharata. The series is also available on Wattpad. The night of the Bhadra Amavasya saw a funeral pyre in the Pandavas' camp. Wails of the ladies filled the air as the young brave heart was turning into ashes. The ashes lit up a celebration in the Kauravas' camp. Duryodhan, Dushyasan, Shakuni, and Jayadrata all succeeded in their mission. Breaking the Pandavas' backbone, killing their favourite son. Karna joined in the celebrations reluctantly; he had released the boy from the pain. The face kept coming back to him. After all, he was his nephew. He shut his eyes in pain. The air tonight seemed cursed. The pyre burning made the teenage widow run towards it. She had no hope of living without him. Life was already tough; each day, he went to war with a smile on his face. She had already lost her brother. Now she had none to return home to her. "Stop!" His mother pleaded between the wails. "...

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 ...

Roopmati's Renewal

The entourage was too large and extravagant for a musician. Roopmati remembered that as a child, during festivities, she would ride on her father’s shoulder to see the entourages pass by the main streets of the town nearby. She had seen many a musician. None had such a huge entourage. Roopmati frowned a little, unsurely as she took her father’s leave. His warning rang in her ears. “Remember what you do, how you behave will all come back to me.” She nodded. The chief queen was at a loss for words. She had never seen the Sultan himself step into the Mahal to check the chambers to be allotted to one of the girls who were coming in. She was not one of the girls. She was a musician. The queens were curious. What would her position be then? She could not be a concubine, and she was not a queen. A musician in the royal palace of the ladies? Had the Sultan lost his senses? Or did he have some other agenda? If he wanted someone, he had them. He was the Sultan. There was no way he was tryin...

The Emperor's First Wife

Rukaiya Begum Ruqaiya Sultana Begum was born to Babur's second surviving son, Hindal Mirza, and his wife, Sultanam Begum, in 1542 C.E., merely a few months after Hamida Banu gave birth to the heir Jalaluddin Mohammad Akbar. She was well-versed in Persian, Urdu and Arabic and was attracted to poetry and music. Being a proud descendant of the Timurid clan, most of Rukaiya's childhood was spent in Kabul, near the Bagh E Babur, built by Babur himself. From early childhood, she had seen the struggle of her family to regain their lost power in Hind. In 1551 C.E., just after her father died young at a battle for Humayun, leaving her and her mother in the harem of the emperor, it was Hamida Banu who wanted the marriage of Rukaiya to her first cousin, Akbar. Theirs was the first in-house marriage of the Mughals, soon to be followed by many more in the generations to come. At the mere age of nine, she had married the crown prince, and when Humayun won back Lahore, she was fifteen. At...

The Buddhist Empress of India

Many historians believe that although Devi was the first wife of Asoka, his Buddhist queen, Asandhimitra, was not the same person. However, some also theorise based on Buddhist and Jain stories that they were in fact the same person, and the reason for that is that they don't seem to appear in the timeline together. Devi disappears when Asandhimitra arrives at the scene rather abruptly to do her charitable work. Hence, I personally believe they were one and the same. This story, however, is a retelling of folklore and not history. Please do not consider this piece of fiction as history. The whole village of Vidisha Nagari was buzzing with activity. Every home was being cleaned, and cooking preparations were underway. The youngest prince of Magadha was coming to a halt at their village on his way to Ujjain. Great unrest was reported at Ujjain, and the youngest prince, as the general of this region, was being sent by the emperor to solve the issue. The villagers were scared as the wh...

Bijolia: Her Home

Journey to Bijolia: Lost Kingdoms and Timeless Temples of Mewar Bijoliya translates to a stop between two cities. Nestled in Rajasthan’s Bhilwara district, Bijolia sits 55km from Bundi and 105km from Chittorgarh on the well-travelled Bundi-Chittorgarh road. Once part of Mewar, this seemingly sleepy town guards a rich and layered past: it was ruled from the 11th to the 13th century by the Punwars (or Parmar Rajputs) before falling under the Chauhan dynasty, who shifted the region’s capital to Bhilwara and constructed the imposing fort there. After a brief Chauhan rule, Bijolia was reclaimed by Rana Kumbha and became an integral part of the Mewar kingdom, with the Parmars serving as local Raos, representatives and stewards of the royal house. Despite its history and the famed Bijolia inscriptions (a treasure for historians), Bijolia has never found a seat on Rajasthan’s primary tourist circuit, especially if you’re venturing out by public transport or private car. While a handful of...

Mystic Murshidabad

Discovering Murshidabad: A Weekend in Bengal’s Royal Past A mere 200km from the heart of Kolkata, nestled in the historical district of Murshidabad, West Bengal, I set off for a weekend steeped in stories and grandeur. Before sharing the trip’s highlights, let me give you a quick primer on this fascinating place. Murshidabad: Where Bengal’s Destiny Changed Murshidabad, once an obscure village called Maksudabad, was transformed in 1704 when Murshid Quli Khan, Aurangzeb’s formidable general, shifted the capital of Subah Bangla from Dhaka to this very spot. The move not only brought prestige but also changed the fate of the Bengal province, stretching across present-day West Bengal, Odisha, Bihar, Jharkhand, and Bangladesh. The town was renamed after its patron, and by 1716, Murshid Quli Khan was crowned Nawab of Bengal by the Mughal Emperor. The region’s influence soon encompassed what are now the districts of Nadia and Murshidabad. Berhampore: The Modern Gateway Today, the district...

Nawab E Bengal

Background: Nawab Alivardi Khan was ruling Bengal at the peak of Nawabi rule, expanding his strong empire. He had successfully suppressed the Marathas and had given a strong message to the British East India Company’s rising influence at Calcutta. Highly aware of the British Colonial policies across the globe, Nawab Alivardi Khan was strict with his policies and stronghold over Murshidabad, the then capital of Bengal (including present-day Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Orissa, and Bangladesh). He had two daughters and no sons. Amina Begum was the elder one, followed by Ghaseti Begum. Amina had three sons with her husband and courtier, Ahmed Khan. The second son, Mirza Mohammad, fondly called Siraj-Ud-Daulah (light of the country)by his grandfather, was born in 1733C.E. He was his grandfather’s favourite because he was born while he won over the Marathas. Alivardi Khan never let the “fortune child” of the family out of his sight. Siraj grew up accompanying...

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...

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