Kumbhalgarh Fort is built amidst the hills on the western side of the Aravalli hills in Rajsamand district of Rajasthan. Kumbhalgarh Fort was built by the rulers of Mewar. This fort is named after the great Rana of Mewar, Rana Kumbha. Kumbhalgarh Fort is also known as the second largest wall in Asia.
How to reach – Kumbhalgarh Fort
Kumbhalgarh Fort is situated in the Aravalli hills, 84 kilometers away from Udaipur. Kumbhalgarh can be reached by road from Udaipur in 2 hours. The road from Udaipur to Kumbhalgarh is very beautiful and full of nature.
If you go during monsoon, after the rain the sky is completely clear and greenery and hills are visible far and wide.
कुम्भलगढ़ किला | Kumbhalgarh Fort Hindi
If you are traveling by train, then the nearest station/junction to reach Kumbhalgarh Fort is Falna which is connected to major railway stations of the country. From here you can also travel by taxi or bus.
Even if you are traveling by flight, Udaipur Airport is the nearest airport to reach Kumbhalgarh Fort and a taxi can be taken from there.
History – Kumbhalgarh Fort
Kumbhalgarh, as the name suggests, has its connection with Rana Kumbha. This fort is named Kumbhalgarh after his name. His full name was Rana Kumbhakaran. Mewar remained the safest during his time. Rana Kumbha is known as the ruler of Mewar who never lost any war. Kumbhalgarh Fort, built in the 15th century, is known as Ajay Durg. After Rana Kumbha, Rana Sanga also got the construction work done in this fort.
According to historians, it is difficult to say when Kumbhalgarh Fort was built. Temples and buildings of the Maurya period are also present inside this fort. These temples and buildings were built by the Maurya ruler King Samprati in the sixth century. Before this, some remains of the third century have also been found inside this fort.
King Samprati, the grandson of Emperor Ashoka of the Maurya dynasty and a peace-loving king who was a follower of Jainism, camped here for some time while returning from Iran and built some temples here during that time. At that time this place was called Matsyendra Nagar and this fort was called Matsyendra Durg. In the 14th century, Rana Kumbha’s grandfather, Rana Lakha, won this place in a battle with the Chauhan dynasty and after that it was ruled by Mewar.
When Maharana Kumbha built Kumbhalgarh Fort, he also kept within the boundary walls of the fort the temples which were built by King Samprati. Maharana Kumbha had built a total of 32 forts in Mewar and Kumbhalgarh fort is the largest among them. This fort was built for the royal family keeping in mind the protective aspects. It took a total of 15 years to build Kumbhalgarh Fort. The construction of this fort started in the year 1443 and its construction was completed in the year 1458. The wall around this fort is the second largest wall after the Great Wall of China.
Kumbhalgarh fort separated Malwa from Mewar. In that century, there were many attacks by Khilji on India. We all know about the attack on Chittorgarh’s King Ratan Singh, his queen Padmini and Alauddin Khilji’s fort. Even after that, Khilji and his descendants continued attacking Chittorgarh. Here the Shah rulers of Gujarat were also moving towards Mewar. Seeing all this, Rana Kumbha chose Kumbhalgarh as a safe place. This fort was built to protect Mewar from those attacks.
When Ahmed Shah, the ruler of Gujarat, could not conquer this fort, he caused a lot of damage to the temple of Van Devi established here. He had heard that this fort is protected by Vanadevi herself, hence he caused damage to the temple of Vanadevi.
Kumbhalgarh Fort is a hidden fort amidst the hills. This fort always remained safe from foreign attacks and remained a safe stronghold of Mewar during the invasion of Mughals.
There were many times when the kings of Mewar took refuge in Kumbhalgarh Fort to escape external attacks. To protect his life, Maharana Pratap’s father and King Udai Singh of Mewar was hidden from Chittorgarh and sent to Kumbhalgarh Fort by Panna Dhay. By staying safely in this fort, he regained his kingdom.
In 1577, Kumbhalgarh was captured by Akbar’s commander Shahbaz Khan for 6 months, but in 1578, Maharana Pratap won this fort back. Kumbhalgarh Fort is also famous for the birthplace of Maharana Pratap.
Architecture – Kumbhalgarh Fort
Kumbhalgarh Fort is built at a height of 1100 meters above sea level. This fort is built in old Rajputi style. Carvings inspired by Hindu gods and goddesses can be seen on the walls of the fort. In these Rajputi style forts of Rajasthan, the gate is called Pol. There are total seven poles in Kumbhalgarh Fort.
The outer wall of the fort is 15 feet thick. This fort is also known for its strong fortification. The outer wall of the fort is so wide that four horsemen used to roam around simultaneously to guard the fort. According to the guide, the wall of the fort is not 36 kilometers long but the area of this wall is 36 square kilometers.
There are a total of 360 Hindu and Jain temples inside the Kumbhalgarh Fort. There are 300 Jain temples and 60 Hindu temples in it. Rana Kumbha had settled Jain traders in the Kumbhalgarh fort and that is why there are temples of Hindu and Jainism here. Inside the fort there are temples of Lord Shiva, Ganesha, Lakshmi, Bhairon and other deities.
Planning was also done for rain water harvesting in Kumbhalgarh Fort. Special arrangements were made for this. Rain water was collected, filtered and used for drinking purposes by the people in the fort. There were stairs built along the wall of the fort to transport water. By using these stairs, water could be delivered to any part of the fort in a very short time.
Some big holes were made in the walls of the fort to stop the enemy and places were made under the walls to collect oil and ghee. In case of enemy attack, hot oil and ghee were thrown down from these holes due to which enemy soldiers were killed and could not climb easily due to the slippery walls.
Kumbhalgarh Fort
There are total seven gates in Kumbhalgarh Fort. Apart from Kumbha Mahal, Jhali Rani’s Palace, Tara Ki Burj, Topkhana and Badal Mahal, it also has the birthplace of Maharana Pratap and Mehar Baba Temple. Some villages have also been established inside the fort. People living in these villages work in the field of traditional weaving and painting.
Hanuman Pol, Kumbhalgarh Fort
Hanuman Pol, the first gate of Kumbhalgarh Fort is known as Hanuman Pol. Tourists can go inside by taking tickets at this gate. There is car parking inside this gate.
There is a big statue of Hanuman outside this gate, which was installed by Rana Kumbha after bringing it from Marwar after conquering it. Special sharp metal parts have been installed at the gate of Hanuman Pol to prevent elephant attacks. This is also seen on the doors inside the fort.
Ram Pol – Kumbhalgarh Fort
Ram Pol is the main gate of Kumbhalgarh Fort. After getting the tickets checked here, tourists can go inside the fort. Tour guides also stand near this gate and from here if you wish, you can take the guide with you. Guide fee is Rs 700.
Ram Pol is built in the outer wall of the fort, which is also famous by the name of “Wall of India”. After going inside this gate, the first thing you see is the Ganesh temple which is on the left side of the gate.
Ganesh Mandir – Kumbhalgarh Fort
The Ganesh temple on the left side of Ram Pol was built by Rana Kumbha. This temple is on a high platform on which there are stairs to climb. The Ganesha idol is installed inside the temple and there is no priest in it. There is a Lakshmi Narayan temple along with the Ganesh temple.
Similarly, in City Palace Udaipur too, when one goes inside the palace, the first thing one sees is the idols of Ganesha and Lakshmi. It is known as Ganesh Deodhi in Udaipur Palace.
There is a small restaurant near the Ganesh temple where snacks and tea etc. are available. There is a lot of climbing involved in the tour of the fort and it also takes a good amount of time. It takes at least 2 hours to see and understand the entire fort thoroughly and if you are on a tour with children, it may take more time. If you want, you can also keep water and some snacks with you.
Bharon Pol – Kumbhalgarh Fort
Bhairon Pol is the gate inside the fort. There is a temple of Bhairon outside this gate. Inside the fort, there are winding paths rather than straight paths to go from one gate to another. This was done for the security of the fort. If there was a straight path, it would have been easier for the enemy to break the gate of the fort, that is why not much open space was left in front of the gate of the fort.
At that time, elephants were often used to break doors and to break the door, it was necessary to break the elephant at some distance and apply force. To prevent this, a wall was built in front of the gate of the fort or crooked paths were made.
Nimbu Pol – Kumbhalgarh Fort
Before Bhairon Pol comes Nimbu Pol. There is Tara’s tower between Nimbu Pol and Bhairon Pol.
Chaugun Pol
After Nimbu Pol, there is a gate inside the fort named Chaugun Pol. One can reach Rana Kumbha Mahal from this gate and from Nimbu Pol.
Tarak ki Burj
Tara Ki Burj was built by Kunwar Prithviraj for his wife Tarabai Solanki. Tara Burj can be seen from Bhairon Pol. Currently, Tara Ki Burj Bhavan is closed for tourists.
Topkhana – Kumbhalgarh
Inside the Kumbhalgarh Fort, inside the outer 15 feet thick wall of the fort, there is an artillery chamber in which cannons were kept. Here in the artillery, through some paintings, the way the cannon was used at that time has been shown.
Birthplace of Maharana Pratap – Kumbhalgarh Fort
Maharana Pratap was born in Kumbhalgarh Fort. He also spent some of his childhood years here. Kumbhalgarh Fort was a very important fort for the Ranas of Mewar. After the battle of Haldighati, when Maharana Pratap was hiding in the forests and preparing his army for the war, he had made Kumbhalgarh Fort his base. While living here, Maharana Pratap wrested his kingdom from the Mughals and also ruled from here. Maharana Pratap also took his last breath in Kumbhalgarh Fort.
Pagda Pol Kumbhalgarh Fort
Pagada Pol is at the highest point. The name of this gate comes from turban. Like the turban that is worn on the head, Pagada Pol is the highest gate of Kumbhalgarh Fort.
Jhali ka Maliya
Along with Pagda Pol, there is the palace of Jhali Rani which is called “Jhali ki Malia”. Jhali Rani was a devotee of Saint Ravidas and she accepted Saint Ravidas as her guru.
Kumbha Mahal – Kumbhalgarh Fort
Rana Kumbha Palace is located in a part of Kumbhalgarh Fort. Kumbha Mahal is a very simply built palace. This is a small part of the fort where Rana Kumbha used to live. This part of the palace consists of a few rooms and a large courtyard. There is also a kitchen. This part of the palace has been renovated.
There is a temple of Goddess Durga in one part of the palace.
Badal Mahal – Kumbhalgarh Fort
The highest part of Kumbhalgarh Fort is Badal Mahal. There are stairs to go up here. Above you can see the entire Kumbhalgarh Fort together. There is a forest spread around the fort. This fort is built so high that Abul Fazal had written about this fort that the turban falls off after raising the head to see this fort.
Queens’ rooms are also built in Badal Mahal. The windows of these rooms open towards the forest outside. The special thing about these windows was that the holes of the windows were made at an angle. Kumbhalgarh is a hilly place and it rains frequently. These windows were made inclined downwards to prevent rain water from entering. These windows had glass curtains on the outside, which were pulled down to close the windows in case of cold and rain.
Mehar Baba Mandir – Kumbhalgarh Fort
A story is told about the construction of the fort. It is said that when Rana Kumbha started building the fort here, every time the wall of the fort would collapse. This happened many times. Then, at the request of the villagers, Rana asked Mehar Baba, who was doing penance, the reason for this. According to Mehar Baba, this land was cursed and before construction could be carried out here, a human sacrifice had to be made, but the person had to accept this sacrifice willingly.
For this, Rana Kumbha started searching for someone who was willing to sacrifice himself but Rana could not find any such person. Now he again asked Mehar Baba and Baba accepted to sacrifice himself. On an auspicious day and time, Mehar Baba sat on a horse and was beheaded. Bhairav Pole was built at the place where his head fell, even after this Baba’s torso was still on the horse and the horse kept moving forward. Where Mehar Baba’s body fell from the horse, a temple in his name was built inside the fort. On one side of the same temple is Kumbha Mahal and on the other side is Badal Mahal.
This temple is also called Bhairon Temple. Anyway, there is a temple of Bhairon in Rajputi palaces and forts. Animal sacrifices were a very common practice in those days and animal sacrifices were often performed during pujas and festivals.
Neelkanth Mahadev Mandir – Kumbhalgarh Fort
There is Neelkanth Mahadev/Shiva temple inside the fort. This temple is famous for its huge Shivalinga. The height of this Shivalinga is four and a half feet. It is said that the Shivalinga of this temple was made in proportion to the huge body of Rana Kumbha. Rana Kumbha’s height was about seven and a half feet tall and he had long and strong arms.
It is said that Rana Kumbha used to perform Abhishek while sitting on such a high Shivalinga. There are seven domes on the roof of this temple which rest on 24 pillars. This temple was renovated by Rana Sanga after Rana Kumbha. This temple is open to tourists and devotees and a priest is also sitting here.
Parsvnath Digambar Jain Mandir – Kumbhalgarh Fort
This is a major temple of Jainism in Kumbhalgarh Fort. The kings of Mewar had built a large number of temples of Jainism along with Hindu religion. Apart from this, there is also Golera Jain Temple, Mamdev Temple and other Jain temples in the fort.
Vedi Mandir and Tri Mandir Kumbhalgarh Fort
This is a special temple which was built by Maharana Kumbha for performing Yagya/Havan. Behind this temple is the Trimandir, which is also known as the Tridev Brahma, Vishnu and Mahesh temple. Right now this temple is closed but tourists can see the temple clearly from outside.
Lakhola Tank Kumbhalgarh
There is a big tank in Kumbhalgarh Fort which was built to supply water inside the fort in case of war. Rana Kumbha was the grandson of Rana Lakha. It was called Lakhola Tank after the name of Rana Lakha.
Kumbhalgarh Light and Sound Show
A light and sound show takes place every evening at 6.30 pm at Kumbhalgarh Fort.
Villages – Kumbhalgarh Fort
These people living in the fort collect herbs from the forest and also work to preserve the traditional and cultural heritage of Rajasthan. Many of these people make different types of sarees from the fibers of custard apple/custard apple, banana, basil etc. There is a museum shop inside the fort where tourists can see this art and heritage and can also buy these special sarees.
There are many hotels to stay near Kumbhalgarh Fort. Tourists can also come here and enjoy the local food. The restaurants here are known for Rajasthan’s famous Dal Baati and Churma.
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