Rising 180 metres above the plains of southern Rajasthan, Chittorgarh Fort covers 700 acres — the largest fort in India by area.
From the 7th to the 16th century it was the capital of Mewar, the most fiercely independent Rajput kingdom. It endured three great sieges — by Alauddin Khilji (1303), Bahadur Shah of Gujarat (1535), and Akbar (1568) — each ending in the Rajput ritual of jauhar.
The Fort Above the Plain
The single hill on which Chittorgarh sits stretches for over 4 km and is entered through seven successive gateways. Inside are 65 historic monuments — palaces, temples, water tanks and towers.
The Two Towers
Vijay Stambha (Tower of Victory), 37 metres tall, was built by Rana Kumbha in 1440 to commemorate his defeat of the sultanates of Malwa and Gujarat. Its nine storeys are covered in sculptures of Hindu deities.
Kirti Stambha (Tower of Fame), 22 metres tall, is older (12th century) and Jain — dedicated to Rishabhanatha, the first tirthankara.
The Legend of Padmini
The most retold story of Chittorgarh is that of Rani Padmini. In 1303, Alauddin Khilji laid siege to the fort — according to legend, obsessed with her beauty, though modern historians view this as a later poetic embellishment.
When defeat became inevitable, Padmini led 16,000 women into the jauhar — a mass immolation to escape enslavement — while the men rode out in saffron robes to a final battle. The three great jauhars of Chittor still define Rajput cultural memory.
Visiting
Chittorgarh is easily visited from Udaipur (2 hours) or on the road between Udaipur and Jaipur.
Hire a guide to walk you through the seven gates — the stories embedded in each are the point of the fort as much as its stones.