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Chittorgarh

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Pop: 75,000 Area Code: 01472
Chittorgarh, located 115km northeast of Udaipur, has a gigantic, impressive Rajput fort. It is basically a hassle-free town, to which few travelers come to, but the outstanding fort is definitely worth a visit.

History
Chittorgarh has a long and glorious history of victories and defeats. It was originally the capital of the Rajput Mewar dynasty, which later moved to Udaipur. Invaders sacked the city three times.
In 1303, the Delhi Sultan Ala-ud-din Khilji had the city besieged in order to get the beautiful Padmini, the wife of Maharaja Ratan Singh. At this time 13,000 women performed jauhar by throwing themselves into a funeral pyre. Then 7,000 warriors put on orange robes and went into battle to certain death.

In 1535, Sultan Bahadur Shah of Gujarat made a surprise attack on the city and killed everyone. In 1567, Emperor Akbar besieged the city and over 30,000 people were killed. The women of the city performed jauhar. At this time, Maharaja Udai Singh moved the capital from Chittorgarh to Udaipur, where the royal family still lives. The fort was returned to the Rajputs in 1616, but the royal family stayed in Udaipur.

Information
The Tourist Office (41089), Station Rd, has maps (Mon to Sat 10 am to 5 pm).

You can change money at the State Bank of India, near the Roadway bus stand, and the State Bank of Bikaner and Jaipur, Station Rd.

The GPO is on Shri Gurukul Rd, near the Hotel Pratap Palace.

General Hospital (%102), Station Rd; and Aditya Hospital (41544), Station Rd, are supposed to be good hospitals.

Chittorgarh Fort
The places to see are all inside the fort, which is basically deserted ruins. The views from the walls, on all four sides of the fort are outstanding. It takes about half a day to see everything. Guides (about Rs 200) can usually be found near the Rana Kumbha Palace, close to the fort’s gate.

There are seven pols (gates) beginning on the east side of town going for one km up to the fort’s entrance. The first is Padan Pol. Located at the second gate are the chhatris (monuments) of the heroic Jaimal and Kalla, who both died in battle when Chittorgarh was attacked in 1567. Rama Pol is the final gate that leads into the fort.
To the right of the Rama Pol gate is Shingara Chauri Mandir, a 15th century Jain temple dedicated to the 16th tirthankara, Shantinath. It has intricate carvings. If you go straight from the gate you come to the Rana Kumbha Palace, where it is said the third jauhar of Chittorgarh happened in an underground cellar. Now only a Siva temple and the stables remain.

In the Fateh Prakash Palace (built in the 1920s) is the Government Museum, which has a collection of statues and weapons. Open daily except Fri 10 am to 4.30 pm; admission Rs 2, photography prohibited.

Near the palace is the artistic Meera Mandir, dedicated to the saintly woman devotee of Lord Krishna, Mira Bai. Also nearby is the lofty Kumbha Shyam Mandir with its deity of Varaha (the boar incarnation of Lord Vishnu) in the inner sanctum.

Taking Fort Road south brings you to the sandstone Jaya Stambha (Tower of Victory), which is considered to be the highlight of the fort. This outstanding 37m (122 ft), nine-storey sandstone tower is covered with intricate sculptures. It was begun in 1458 to commemorate a significant victory in 1440 and was finished ten years later. You can climb to the top of this tower and from the top, the view is outstanding.
Nearby is the Mahasati, the place where women performed sati by throwing themselves on their husbands’ cremation fire. The Sammadheshwar Mandir is also nearby.

Further south on the main road is a large tank called Gaumukh Kund (Cow’s Mouth Tank). It is called this because of the carved cow’s mouth from which the water of the tank comes.          

Further down the main road is the weathered Padmini’s Palace, which is next to a shallow pool with a pavilion in the center. It is said that Ala-ud-din-Khalji saw the reflection of beautiful Padmini in a palace mirror. After seeing her, he laid siege to Chittorgarh, which led to the city’s residents performing jauhar. The Kalika Mata Mandir, with its sculptures of gods, is across from here. It is now dedicated to goddess Kali, but was originally dedicated to Surya, the sun-god.

You then follow the road south, past Deer Park and Bhimlat Tank. You then come to a crack in the wall said to have been where political prisoners and traitors were throw to their death 200m below.

The road then goes north and you come to Suraj Pol, the fort’s eastern gate. Near the gate is the 22m high Kirti Stambha (Tower of Fame). The tower is dedicated to Adinath, the first Jain tirthankara and is covered with Jain sculptures.

Local Travel (Tour of the Fort)
The fort is 3km from the bus stand and 6km from the railway station. It is over a 5km trip around the fort, so it is tough to do this walking. To get to the fort from the railway or bus station and to have a tour by auto-rickshaw costs around Rs 125, which includes waiting time. You should work out the waiting time in advance. Auto-rickshaws for a tour of the fort can be arranged at the tourist office.

Bicycles can be rented near the railway station (Rs 3 per hour, Rs 20 per day). Taking a bike means you can take your time, without being hurried by a rickshaw driver. It is a steep climb to the fort, but on top most of the roads are flat. It takes about three hours to see everything.

Where to Stay and Eat
There are Retiring Rooms at the railway station.
Birla Dharamshala, in the fort, has basic, very cheap, clean rooms.
Natraj Tourist Hotel (41009), near the Roadway bus stand, has really basic (and dirty) rooms with common bath for Rs 60/80, Rs 100/125 with bath and with air-cooling for Rs 150/200.
Bhagwati Hotel (3226) has rooms for Rs 125/175. Bucket hot water.
Shalimar Hotel (40842), near the railway station, has rooms with common bath for Rs 150/175 and Rs 175/200 with bath. 24-hour checkout.
Hotel Gaurav Palace (43107), off Fort Rd, is a new modern place with rooms with bath for Rs 300/400.
Hotel Chetak (41588), near the railway station, has rooms with hot water in the morning for Rs 250/350. Some rooms have a TV. It has a good veg restaurant. It is the best of the cheaper places near the station.
RTDC Hotel Panna (41238), Station Rd, is a good place with rooms with bath for Rs 200/250 and Rs 500/60 for a comfortable deluxe room. Dorm beds are Rs 50. It is well-managed.
Hotel Padmini (41718; fax 40072), Chanderiya Rd, out of town near the river, has rooms for Rs 400/500 and with A/C for Rs 600/700. It has a good veg restaurant.
Hotel Pratap Palace (40099; fax 41042), Shri Gurukul Rd, has clean, modern, air-cooled rooms with bath and hot water for Rs 550/650 and Rs 700/800 with A/C. It is a popular, friendly place. It has a good garden restaurant. They can arrange a village safari. You can arrange a discount in the off-season.

Travel
Train From Chittorgarh station (41009) there are trains to Kota (Niraj Kota Exp 2 pm, 5 hr), Bundi (3 pm, 160km), Udaipur (110km), Delhi, Jaipur (Pink City Exp, 9.20 am, 8 hr). Ajmer (180km), Indore (4 daily) and Ahmedabad. There are two express trains to Udaipur, the Ahmedabad-Delhi Sarai Rohila Exp #9943 (2 pm, 6½ hr), and the Chetak Exp #9615 (6.50 am, 4 hr). The passenger trains to Udaipur take much longer. The same two trains go to Jaipur (7 hr) and Delhi (14 hr).

Ajmer Purna-Jaipur #9770 (6 am, 4½ hr), Ahmedabad-Delhi Sarai Rohila Exp #9944 (2 pm, 5½ hr); Indore Jaipur-Purna Exp #9769 (10.30 pm, 8 hr).

Bus There are regular buses to Udaipur (3 hr, every hr), Kota (6 hr) via Bundi, Ajmer (5 hr), Jaipur (8 hr, 8 daily expresses) and Jodhpur (9 hr). Chittorgarh can be visited on a long day-trip from Udaipur. Bus station phone is 41177.

Around Chittorgarh

In Menal, 90km east of Chittorgarh, are a group of well-preserved 12th century temples.

Castle Bijaipur (40099) is 40km south of Chittorgarh in the peaceful village of Bijaipur. It is now a pleasant hotel with rooms for Rs 1250/1400. It is a former 16th century palace. You can book a room for here at the Hotel Pratap Palace in Chittorgarh. They arrange jeep and horse Village Safaris to places in the area. There are buses to here from Chittorgarh.

Bijolia, 50km east of Chittorgarh, has three ancient Central Indian-style temples. The Undeswara Temple has a yoni and linga in the inner sanctums, and some excellent carvings.

There are also the Mahalaleswara and Hajaswar temples. The Kushal Raj (01489 6743), opposite the bus stand, and the Mewara, next to the bus stand, are cheap basic places to stay.

In Jagat, 20km from Chittorgarh going towards Udaipur, is a well-carved 10th century Durga temple.

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