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!

The Festival of Bengal: Days and Rituals

This article is partly featured in The Statesman Festival 2024 Magazine. In Bengal, Durga Puja is not only a religious tradition, but it is also a festival. It is called “ Bangalir Shreshto Utsab ” or the greatest festival of Bengalis. It is because, although it started as a religious festival, as we have discussed in the previous blogs, it turned out to be a representation of cultural unity and the freedom movement, as well as seeing her as the daughter returning home with her children. It is called a " Sarbojonin " Utsab or a festival meant for all and sundry. Durga Puja is inclusive of caste, creed, religion, as well as gender identities and professions. Thus, it is more than just a Puja . The traditions, rituals and ways of Durga Puja are hence very different from Navratri, which are observed in individual homes. Let's find out how. The Pandals and idol: As per Hindu tradition, four things are important when the idol of Maa Durga is prepared. These include clay fro...

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 Kaali Effect

The shopping mall echoed with a noise. The buzz grew silent. Fear crept in. Until somebody shouted, " It's just a Balloon!" The buzz grew again, the shopping continued, the romantic couples continued their walks, and the food court filled up with the aroma of the orders... A few decades back, people used to laugh carefree at a balloon bursting or a tyre booming in the streets or in various crowded areas. Now, in the back of everyone's head, a loud noise always brings the same thoughts... Another year, another city, another crowded place, Several innocent lives. They don't spare religious places either. For the sake of mankind? Religion? Politics? Power? They only know. Who are they? Nobody knows. It is said that the demon Kaali, who ushered in KaliYug, decided to reside in a few things. Addiction, Wealth, Desire, and Anger are some such things he resides in. This is KaliYug, where an innocent child's balloon makes adults fear the extremes. What is dharma here?...

The Annals of Rajputana

Col. James Todd’s Annals and Antiquities of Rajasthan describes Rajputana through History, Geography, Mythology, Folklore, Veer Gathas, Traditions, Cultures, Heritage, Rules, Valour and its people. However, one must remember that he was commissioned to write the narrative and his resources are not based on historical evidence. However, it is worth a read and very interesting. The following excerpts are from his book. Please take note that Todd's accounts are based on hearsay, stories, and commissioned by royals and hence aren't treated as historically accurate. However, his book is important as it is the first English-language book to have extensive work done on Rajputana. Rajputs are commonly believed to be people from Rajasthan; however, their branches have spread far and wide into Punjab, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Maharashtra and even parts of Bengal. The initial origination-based clans/tribes had been subdivided first in the book Prithvirajraso by Chand Bardai; howev...

Epic Love

Shiva - Sati/Parvati: The Destroyer of the Trinity, the supreme God of Gods, was a loner, vagabond, refusing to settle down and be tied down by earthly relationships. Enters Sati, the daughter of Prajapati Daksha of Kankhal. At such a young age, her love moves everyone except her father. The reluctant Shiva had to answer her calls, and for the first time, somebody wanted to marry him as a boon. What followed was wrath between Shiva and Daksha, a clash of egos that ended the soft maiden Sati's life. She chose death after overhearing her father insult her husband. Shiva's sorrow turned to the angry tandav that destroyed the world. He roamed around as a vagabond again, this time with a broken heart! A few years passed by in her memory as he roamed the land of Aryavarta, making a Linga at every Sati Peeth beside her. In that way, this time, he will always be there by her side to protect her. Enters Parvati, the daughter of Parvat Raj. She was believed to be Sati reborn by everyo...

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 ...

How Agni Became Auspicious

The great Rishi Saunak and his students had once gathered at the Naimisharanya at the beginning of the Kali Yuga to save themselves from the effects of this age. Here, Ugrasrava Sauti, the great Sage and son of Sage Lomharshana, came to meet them. He surprised them with stories of King Janamejaya's strange Swarpa Yagna and the strangest tales he heard from Maharshi Krishna Dwaipayana Vyas Dev there, at this strangest of events. The eager Rishis asked Sauti about the story of Bhrigu and Agni. Bhrigu was a powerful Rishi. His wife was Puloma, the Daughter of Daksha Prajapati and granddaughter of Brahma. One day, when his wife was pregnant, he left her in the darkness of the awaiting dawn to go for a dip in the holy Ganges far away. She was alone in the hut when a Rakshasa attacked her. Scared and alone, Puloma cried helplessly for aid. Her beauty had mesmerised the animals who wanted to marry her by force. The demon leader took her into the hut and shut the door. But inside the hut, ...

Shikhandi: A Tale of Identity and Revenge

Hastinapur was the most powerful empire in the north of the Vindyas, in the subcontinent once ruled by King Bharata. When its long-reigning and prosperous king Shantanu passed away in old age, he left behind his ambitious wife Satyabati, her two sons, Chitrangad and Bichitravirjaya and his first surviving son from his first wife Ganga, Devabrata, who took the lifelong oath of not being king nor marrying or having any progeny and hence earned the name Bhishma. When Chitrangad was about to ascend the throne, he died in an unfortunate accident, leaving the minor Bichitravirjaya as the only contender on the throne. Bhishma almost outspokenly took over the role of guardian to the throne of Hastinapur upon this event. However, the rules suggested that the young prince must marry before he could be crowned. Upon hearing of this, Bhishma sent his spies around the subcontinent to find eligible princesses who would not only marry the heir apparent but also be the future queen and queen mother of...

Chandra's Choice: The Story of Dhruvasvamini

More often than not, the private lives of kings and the existence of their queens remain in the words of bards rather than those of chroniclers. Dhruvasvamini is no different, even after being the queen of the golden age of the Indian Subcontinent. She appears in the Basarh Clay Seal as the mother of Govinda Gupta (attributed as a sibling of Kumara Gupta I) and the queen wife of Chandra Gupta II or Vikramaditya. Except for one mention of Dhruva Devi, as she is popularly known, she remains a mysterious character in the Gupta lineage, with a side mention in the dynasty’s history. Visakhadatta, a famous poet and playwright, who later wrote DeviChandraGuptam as the play capturing the life of Chandra Gupta II, captured Dhruva Devi as one of the protagonists of his story. Although some scholars attribute Visakhadatta to be under the patronage of Chandra Gupta II himself when he wrote this story, many historians debate the literary work as a historical fiction written much after his time. Tru...

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