Credit: Vikash Meena
Kumbhalgarh Fort is a famous fort that is located in the Rajsmand district of Rajasthan. Constructed under the supervision of the renowned architect Mandan, the fort was built by Rana Kumbha between 1443 AD and 1458 AD. It was designed to have a defense against being Surrounded by thirteen elevated mountain peaks, the Kumbhals are situated at the top of one of the ridges, which is at a height of 3500 feet.
History and Architecture of Kumbhalgarh Fort
It was constructed on the site of an older castle attributed to Samprati, a Jaina prince from the 2nd century BC. The fort walls are over 38 km long, which is the second longest after the Great Wall of China. Kumbhal Garh Fort has seven gates that include Bhairava pol, Nimboo pol, Paghra pol, Ram pol, Hulla Pol, Hanuman pol, and Top-Khana pol.
There are more than 360 temples, out of which 300 are Jain temples and the rest belong to Hindu temples. Some of the notable Hindu temples within the fort are the Golerao group of temples, Neelkanth Mahadev temple, Vedi temple, Ganesh temple, Prasavanatha temple, and Mamadeo temple. While the Neelkanth temple houses a large Shivlinga, the Ganesha temple is the oldest among them.
Inside the Kumbhalgarh fort, there is an inner fort called Kartargarh that includes a palace built by Maharana Fateh Singh. Badal Mahal, or Cloud Palace, is another notable feature that is situated at the highest point. Zanana Mahal (the Place for Queens) and Mardana Mahal (the place for kings) were built by Rana Fateh Singh. Zanana Mahal has stone jalis that allowed the queen to observe court proceedings and events in privacy. The Palace of Rana Kumbha and the Palace of Queen Jhali believed to be the birthplace of Maharana Pratap, are also located within the fort complex.
Timing
To reach the fort, there is a steep climb that takes 40 minutes. It is advisable to use the facilities, including water and washrooms, at the bottom before starting the climb. The fort is open from 8 AM to 6 p.m.
There is a light and sound show from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m.