Chittorgarh Fort - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

Chittorgarh Fort

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Chittorgarh Fort is a human being who achieves moksa through asceticism and who then becomes a role-model and teacher for those seeking spiritual guidance....

(revered Jain teacher). In the lowest floor of the tower, figures of the various tirthankars of the Jain pantheon are seen in special niches formed to house them. These are digambara monuments. A narrow stairway with 54 steps leads through the six storeys to the top. The top pavilion that was added in the 15th century has 12 columns.

Rana Kumbha palace

At the entrance gate near the Vijaya Stamba, Rana Kumbha's palace (in ruins), the oldest monument, is located. The palace included elephant and horse stables and a temple to Lord Shiva

Shiva

Shiva is a major Hindu deity, and is the destroyer god or transformer among the Trimurti, the Hindu Trinity of the primary aspects of the divine. God Shiva is a yogi who has notice of everything that happens in the world and is the main aspect of life. Yet one with great power lives a life of a...

. Maharana Udai Singh

Maharana Udai Singh

Maharana Udai Singh was a king of Mewar and the founder of the city of Udaipur in the present day Rajasthan state of India. He was the 53rd ruler of the Mewar dynasty. He was the fourth and posthumous son of Maharana Sangram Singh and Rani Karmavati, a princess of Bundi.-Early life:Udai Singh was...

, the founder of Udaipur, was born here; the popular folk lore linked to his birth is that his maid Panna Dhay saved him by substituting her son in his place as a decoy, which resulted in her son getting killed by Banbir. The prince was spirited away in a fruit basket. The palace is built with plastered stone. The remarkable feature of the palace is its splendid series of canopied balconies. Entry to the palace is through Suraj Pol that leads into a courtyard. Rani Meera, the famous poetess saint, also lived in this palace. This is also the palace where Rani Padmini, consigned herself to the funeral pyre in one of the underground cellars, as an act of jauhar along with many the other women. The Nau Lakha Bandar (literal meaning: nine lakh treasury) building, the royal treasury of Chittor was also located close by. Now, across from the palace is a museum and archeological office. The Singa Chowri temple is also nearby.

Fateh Prakash palace

Located near Rana Khumba palace, the precincts have modern houses and a small museum. A school for local children (about 4,000 villagers live within the fort) is also nearby.

Gaumukh reservoir

A spring feeds the tank from a carved cow’s mouth in the cliff. This pool was the main source of water at the fort during the numerous sieges.

Padmini’s palace

This palace, a white building, a three storied structure (a 19th century reconstruction of the original), is located in the southern part of the fort. Chhatris (pavilions) crown the palace roofs and a water moat surrounds the palace. This style of palace became the forerunner of other palaces built in the state with the concept of Jal Mahal (palace surrounded by water). It is at this Palace where Alauddin was permitted to glimpse at the mirror image of Rani Padmini, wife of Maharana Rattan Singh. It is widely believed that this glimpse of Padmini's beauty besotted him and convinced him to destroy Chittor in order to possess her. Maharana Rattan Singh was killed and Rani Padmini committed Jauhar. Rani Padmini's beauty is compared to that of Cleopatra and her life story is an eternal legend in the history of Chittor, in particular and of the Mewar state in general. The bronze gates to this pavilion were removed and transported to Agra

Agra

Agra a.k.a. Akbarabad is a city on the banks of the river Yamuna in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh, India, west of state capital, Lucknow and south from national capital New Delhi. With a population of 1,686,976 , it is one of the most populous cities in Uttar Pradesh and the 19th most...

by Akbar.

Other sights

Close to Kirti Sthamba is the Meera temple. Rana Khumba built it in an ornate Indo–Aryan architectural style. It is associated with the mystic saint-poet Mirabai who was an ardent devotee of god Krishna

Krishna

Krishna is a central figure of Hinduism and is traditionally attributed the authorship of the Bhagavad Gita. He is the supreme Being and considered in some monotheistic traditions as an Avatar of Vishnu...

and dedicated her entire life to his worship. She composed and sang lyrical bhajan

Bhajan

A Bhajan is any type of Indian devotional song. It has no fixed form: it may be as simple as a mantra or kirtan or as sophisticated as the dhrupad or kriti with music based on classical ragas and talas. It is normally lyrical, expressing love for the Divine...

s called Meera-Bhajans. The popular legend associated with her is that with blessings of Krishna, she survived after consuming poison sent to her by an enemy. The larger temple in the same compound is the Kumbha Shyam temple (Varaha

Varaha

Varaha is the third Avatar of the Hindu Godhead Vishnu, in the form of a Boar. He appeared in order to defeat Hiranyaksha, a demon who had taken the Earth and carried it to the bottom of what is described as the cosmic ocean in the story. The battle between Varaha and Hiranyaksha is believed to...

temple). The pinnacle of the temple is in pyramid shape. A picture of Mira Bai praying before Krishna has been installed now in the temple.

Across from Padmini’s palace is the Kalika Mata Temple, Chittorgarh Fort

Kalika Mata Temple, Chittorgarh Fort

Kalika Mata Temple is an ancient Hindu temple located within the Chittorgarh Fort in the Chittorgarh municipality of Rajasthan state in India. It predates Maharana Pratap and has thousands of visitors every day. The goddess worshipped at this temple is an aspect of goddess Bhadrakali, clan goddess...

. Originally, a Sun temple dated to the 8th century dedicated to Surya

Surya

Surya Suraya or Phra Athit is the chief solar deity in Hinduism, one of the Adityas, son of Kasyapa and one of his wives, Aditi; of Indra; or of Dyaus Pitar . The term Surya also refers to the Sun, in general. Surya has hair and arms of gold...

-the sun-god, was destroyed in the 14th century. It was rebuilt as a Kali

Kali

' , also known as ' , is the Hindu goddess associated with power, shakti. The name Kali comes from kāla, which means black, time, death, lord of death, Shiva. Kali means "the black one". Since Shiva is called Kāla - the eternal time, Kālī, his consort, also means "Time" or "Death" . Hence, Kāli is...

temple.

Another temple on the west side of the fort is the ancient Tulja Bhavani

Bhavani

Bhavani is a ferocious aspect of the Hindu goddess Parvati. Bhavani means "giver of life", the power of nature or the source of creative energy. In addition to her ferocious aspect, she is also known as Karunaswaroopini, "filled with mercy"....

temple built to worship goddess Tulja is considered sacred. The tope khana (cannon foundry) is located next to this temple in a courtyard, where a few old cannons are still seen.

Jauhar mela

The fort and the city of Chittorgarh host the biggest Rajput

Rajput

A Rajput is a member of one of the patrilineal clans of western, central, northern India and in some parts of Pakistan. Rajputs are descendants of one of the major ruling warrior classes in the Indian subcontinent, particularly North India...

festival called the "Jauhar Mela". It takes place annually on the anniversary of one of the jauhar

Jauhar

Jauhar and Saka refer to the ancient Indian tradition of honorary self immolation of women and subsequent march of men to the battle field to end their life with respect. It was followed by the Rajput clans in order to avoid capture and dishonour at the hands of their enemies...

s, but no specific name is given to it. It is generally believed that it commemorates Padmini’s jauhar, which is most famous. This festival is held primarily to commemorate the bravery of Rajput ancestors and all three jauhars which happened at Chittorgarh Fort. A huge number of Rajputs, which include the descendants of most of the princely families, hold a procession to celebrate the Jauhar. It has also become a forum to air once views on the current political situation in the country.

External links

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