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Many accounts credit the Mauryan rulers as
having been the original builders, with the later Rajputs
having modified the structure according to their
specifications. The entire fort complex is spread over 600
hectares. The fort has seven entrances, with the heavy spiked
iron doors on them still intact. Each entrance is overlooked
by a watchtower.
The rulers knew that during a state of siege,
people could make do with less food, but water was a crucial
necessity. Therefore, the fort has no less than 90 ponds, step
wells, and reservoirs.
The Vijay Stambh, a tall, majestic tower, was built to mark
the taking of the fort by Maharana Kumbha from Mohamed Khilji.
The entire tower is lit up for evening prayers, delighting
spectators and worshippers alike. Rana Kumbha Palace, the most
significant of all the structures within the fort, is a place
marked by tragedy. It is in the underground chambers of this
palace that the queen of Chittor committed suicide.
The temple of the Kali Mata, was built over
1600 years back,
and was modified 700 years later. The stone façade, the
typical temple architecture, and the peace pervading the area
makes this temple worth a look. |
