OVERVIEW

 

Few sights are as emblematic of Rajasthan as the massive forts – often perched dramatically atop craggy hilltops above the surrounding countryside – which dot the state, an image that vividly encapsulates the region’s martial heritage and turbulent past. The stark simplicity and brute strength of these military strongholds present a striking contrast to the richly decorated royal palaces which grew up within many of them, and whose fancifully decorated pavilions, apartments, and gardens provide a showcase of Rajasthani architecture at its most flamboyant. The evolving history of Rajasthan can be read in the development of its forts and palaces. Rajputana’s mightiest dynasties generally boasted strategically situated and impregnable citadels, the most famous being those at Mehrangarh, Chittaurgarh, Amber, Jaisalmer Fort, and Udaipur city.

 

1. AMBER PALACE:

 

On the crest of a rocky hill 11 km north of Jaipur, the Rajput stronghold of Amber was the capital of the leading Kachchwaha clan from 1037 until 1728, when Jai Singh established his new city at Jaipur. The natural setting, perched on a narrow rocky ridge above the surrounding countryside and fortified by natural hills, high ramparts, and a succession of gates along a cobbled road, is unforgettably dramatic – a suitably imposing stronghold for one of Rajputana’s most eminent families. It’s worth visiting Amber independently since tour groups rarely get enough time to properly explore the entire complex. Arrive early in the day to avoid the big coach parties. There’s a small tourist office at the bottom of the path to the palace. It’s a pleasant fifteen-minute uphill walk from here up to the palace. Alternatively, you could hire a Jeep or waddle up on the back of an elephant.

 

 

 

2. CHITTAURGARH FORT:

 

Of all the former Rajput capitals, Chittaurgarh, 115km northeast of Udaipur, was the strongest bastion of Hindu resistance against the Muslim invaders. No less than three mass suicides (jauhars) were committed over the centuries by the female inhabitants of its fort, whose husband watched their wives, sisters and mothers burn alive before smearing ash from the sacred funeral pyres over their bodies and riding to their deaths on the battlefield below. An air of desolation still hangs over the honey-colored ramparts, temples, towers, and ruined palaces of the old citadel. It seems impossible to fathom that such an imposing structure, towering 180m over the Mewar valley on a rocky plateau, could have ever been taken, let alone three times. The entire fort is 5km long and 1km wide, and you could easily spend a whole day up here nosing around the myriad remains, although most visitors content themselves with a few hours. Below the fort, the modern town, spread over both banks of the River Ghambiri, holds little to detain travelers beyond the narrow bazaars of its old quarter, and some tourists choose to squeeze a tour of Chittaurgarh into a day trip, or en route between Bundi and Udaipur. A one-night stop, however, leaves time for a more leisurely visit to the fort and a stroll through the town.

 

 

3. JAISALMER FORT:

 

Every part of Jaisalmer Fort, from its outer walls to the palace, temples, and houses within, is made of soft yellow Jurassic sandstone. The medieval fort, founded by Rawal Jaisal in 1156, so inspired Bengali filmmaker Satyajit Ray that he wrote a story about it called Shonar Kella (The Golden Fortress), which he later made into a movie. Inside, the narrow winding streets are flanked with carved golden facades, and from the barrel-sided bastions, some of which still bear cannons, you can see the thick walls that drop almost 100m to the town below. Two thousand people live within its walls; seventy percent of them are Brahmins and the rest, living primarily on the east side, are predominantly Rajput.

A paved road punctuated by four huge gateways winds up to the fort. On the ramparts above the entrance, road sit large round stones, waiting to be pushed down onto any enemy army trying to force its way in. The first gate, Akhai Pol, dating from the eighteenth century, opens into a large plaza that narrows as its far end to funnel you up to the second gate, Suraj Pol, which was the original entrance to the fort. Next to it is a deep trench called Berisal Burj, the “death well” into which traitors and criminals were once thrown. A steep, enemy-deterring sharp bend, almost doubling back on itself, takes you through to the third gate, Ganesh Pol.

The fourth gateway, Hawa Pol, leads into Main Chowk, where terrible acts of johar once took place.

 

 

4. MEHERANGARH FORT:

 

Jodhpur’s Meherangarh Fort provides a taste of the war, honor, and extravagance that characterized Rajputana. The walk up to the fort from the old city is pretty steep, but you can reach the entrance by taxi or auto along the road from Nagauri Gate. The audio tour is outstanding and highly recommended; it takes about two hours to complete. You enter the fort through Jai Pol, the first of seven defensive gates on the way up to the fort’s living quarters, and constructed in 1806 to celebrate Meherangarh’s successful holdout against a siege mounted by the Jaipuri and Mewari armies during a dispute over the hand of a Mewari princess. Beyond the final gate, the massive Suraj Pol lies the Coronation Courtyard, where maharajas are crowned on a special marble stone. Upstairs are some fine miniature paintings of the Marwari school mostly featuring Maharaja Man Singh, who greatly encouraged miniature painting during his reign. The most elaborate of the royal apartments, is the magnificent 1724 Phool Mahal, with its jewel-like stained–glass windows and gold filigree ceiling. In the Jhanki Mahal or Queen’s Palace, there’s a colorful array of cradles of former rulers. The jali screens on either side of the room allowed the women of the palace to look out onto the courtyards on both sides without being seen.

 

5. UDAIPUR CITY PALACE:

 

Udaipur’s fascinating City Palace stands moulded in soft yellow stone on the northeast side of Lake Pichola, its thick windowless base crowned with ornate turrets and cupolas. The largest royal complex in Rajasthan, the building comprises eleven different mahals constructed by successive maharanas during the three hundred years that followed the foundation of Udaipur in 1559. Part of the palace is now a museum. Guided tours serve to illuminate the chronology of the palace buildings, the significance of the paintings, and the details of the lives of the maharanas. Narrow low-roofed passages connect the different mahals and courtyards, creating a random effect, designed to prevent surprise intrusion by armed enemies – the layout of the whole complex is incredibly labyrinthine and confusing. However, fortunately, visitors are directed around a clearly signed and easy-to-follow one-way circuit, so your opportunities for getting lost are pretty limited. To reach the palace museum, first, buy your ticket at the kiosk at the main entrance then walk across the massive courtyard bounding the eastern side of the palace where elephants once lined up for inspection before the battle.