The point when people consider india, at last Indian forts & their crypt packed with jewels and COINs, strikes a chord.All things considered, they'r noteworthy part of india's rich history, they've been offered in countless photos and documentaries.Consequently, it's not astonishing that these wonders are very high on peoples must "SEE LIST" when voyaging through india. Here is some deep insight of our 1st tour to major indian forts in RAJASTHAN.
#India'sfort - The Mehrangarh fort
The Mehrangarh Fort, built by Rao Jodha in 1459 in Jodhpur, is one of the largest forts in the country. It is situated at the top of a 410 feet elevated hill and guarded by massive walls. Located in the centre of the city, the fort covers an area of approximately 5 Kms of a hill. Its walls have a height of 36 metres and width of 21 metres.
To reach the fort, seven gates have to be crossed namely Victory Gate, Fateh Gate, Gopal Gate, Bhairon Gate, Dedh Kamgra Gate, Marti Gate and finally Loha Gate. The first defensive gate is the Victory gate which was built by Maharaja Man Singh in the year 1806 to celebrate his victory against Jaipur and Bikaner. Maharaja Ajit Singh built Fateh Pol on his victory over the Mughals. Dedh Kamgra Gate still bears the marks of cannon balls which were bombarded during wars. Loha Gate, the last one is a very special gate. It has sharp iron spikes to protect from enemies' elephants. Also, on the walls inside the gate are the handprints of Maharaja Man Singh's widows who left the palace in 1843 to commit Sati.
Archi :The Fort and palaces were built over a period of 500 years, and thus one can see the basic architectural style of the mid 15th century along with the features of 20th-century architecture. The fort has 68ft wide and 117 ft. Long walls were overlooking the surrounding areas.
BEST TIME TO VISIT
The best time to visit Mehrangarh Fort is during winters. Between October to March, the weather remains cool and pleasant and offers you with an excellent opportunity to explore the entire fort.
The ideal time of the day to visit the fort is the winter mornings. Right after breakfast, set out to the fort as it gets opened for tourists at 9:00 am. After spending two or three hours, you can head to the nearby tourist's places to spend the rest of the day.
DID YOU KNOW?
The fort is one of the largest, best preserved and most impressive monument. Perched on a perpendicular cliff, it is located at the height of around four hundred feet above the skyline.
To construct the fort, Rao Jodha had to shift a sage Cheeria Nathji forcefully. He cursed the king that the fort will face water scarcity. Rao Jodha later pleased him by building a temple and a house for him.
You will also find people performing folk dance in front of the main entrance.
Many films from Hollywood and Bollywood have been shot here. The Prison escape scene in the movie The Dark Night Rises was shot in Mehrangarh fort.
THE AMER FORT
Amber Fort, also known as Amer Fort is one of the best tourist destinations not just in Jaipur City but the whole of Rajasthan. Amer Fort is known for its artistic Hindu style elements. With its large ramparts and series of gates and cobbled paths, the fort overlooks Maota Lake, which is the main source of water for the Amer Palace.
The fort was built by Raja Man Singh I, one of the Navratnas of Emperor Akbar.Constructed of red sandstone and marble, the attractive, opulent palace is laid out on four levels, each with a courtyard.
Archi :
The structure has four different parts, each with a separate entrance. The main entry to the fort is through the 'Suraj Pol' or Sun Gate which opens up into the main courtyard. This east-facing gate is also the main entrance to the palace and its position with respect to the rising sun is the source of its name. The 'Jaleb Chowk' is one of the four courtyards of the Amer Palace. The 'Sila Devi' Temple is right at the entrance to the main palace grounds. The second courtyard is famous for its 'Diwan e Aam', the 'Sheesh Mahal' and the 'Sukh Mahal'. A very famous attraction here is the 'Magic Flower', a fresco carved out of marble.
BEST WAY TO VISIT
The grandest way to reach the gates of Amer from the main car park is by elephant and this experience costs ₹900 for two people. Inside Amer Fort there is very limited tourist signage so most visitors hire a private guide that lasts for approximately 1 hour and costs ₹450, these tour guides do have a tendency to try to lead visitors to commission based shops afterwards though. There are acceptable toilets by the main entrance and a couple of expensive shops to purchase water and drinks.
HOW TO REACH
Amer Fort is open every day from 8:00 until 17:30 and the entrance fee is ₹ 200. Amer Fort lies 12km to the north of Jaipur and a single taxi fare will cost ₹200-250 while using the supposedly enforced auto rickshaw rate will cost ₹85 but most visitors pay ₹250-300 for round trip with 2 hours of waiting time.
THE HILL FORTS OF KUMBHALGARH
Kumbhalgarh Fort is one of the five hill forts of Rajasthan that were declared the UNESCO world heritage site in 2013. It is situated in Rajsamand district of Rajasthan and lies 82 kilometres northwest of the city of Udaipur. Constructed on the foothills of Aravalli ranges, it is surrounded by thirteen hill peaks of the ranges and is perched at an elevation of 1,914 m. The magnificent fort is situated in the middle of a forest which has been turned into a wildlife sanctuary. It is the second largest and the most important Mewar fort of Rajasthan after Chittorgarh palace.
Under the reign of Mewar kings in Rajasthan, the majestic fort was built by Rana Kumbha in the 15th century between AD 1443 and 1458 under the direction of Mandan who was a very renowned architect of that time. The fort was constructed in the exact same place where an old castle existed which was attributed to Samprati who was a Jaina prince of the second century BC. It is named after the King Kumbha. The Kumbhalgarh fort was cleverly designed on a hilltop to provide the strategic position to the Mewar kings to protect them against the attacks of the enemy which is why it is also recognized as the second most important fort of Rajasthan.
Archi :
The Kumbhalgarh fort is built 3600 feet above the sea level, in the lap of thirteen elevated Aravalli mountain peaks. Covering around 12 square kms, the walls of the fort stretch over an area of about 36 kms and is one of the longest walls in the world, second only to China's Great Wall. The width varies from 49 feet to 15 feet at most places. The fort offers a bird's eye view of the surrounding towns and dunes of the Thar. It has seven fortifies gateways that stand in the form of sentinels. The largest gate is known as Ram Pol or Ram Gate and is a unique piece of attraction. The fort also houses around 360 temples, 300 of which are the ancient Jain temples.
BEST WAY TO VISIT
The adventureous way to reach the gates of fort is by horse and this experience costs ₹650 for two people. Just like Amer,inside kumbhalgarh Fort there is also very limited tourist signage so mostly visitor hires a private guide that lasts for approximately 1 hour and costs ₹150, these tour guides do have a tendency to try to lead visitors to commission based shops afterwards though.As same with above trip to jaipur. My sincere advice is to avoid those thughs, pass a smile with a say "NAMASKAR". Well lets jump into our next fort JAISALMER(theonlydesert).
THE JAISALMER FORT
Jaisalmer Fort, nestled amid the golden sands of Thar Desert and steeped with rich past and heritage, is not just a fort but a mini-town with houses, temples, shops, and restaurants. Showcasing brilliant craftsmanship, it is one of the most renowned forts in the world and a UNESCO World Heritage site. Built in 1156, Jaisalmer Fort gets its name from the former Bhati Rajput ruler Rao Jaisal. More than three thousand people live within the fort walls with multiple entrance gates on the path up top, the last of which directs you to the popular public square named Dashera Chowk. Standing tall with an impressive height of 450 meters, the Fort offers a stunning panoramic view of Jaisalmer city dripped in yellow where most of the houses and complexes are built of yellow sandstone.
One of the largest forts in the world, Jaisalmer Fort is located on the southern edge of the city. Popularly known as 'Sonar Qila' or 'Golden Fort', it is a massive structure exhibiting its aesthetic beauty. The Golden fort crowns the Trikuta Hill standing at an altitude of 30 meters over the Jaisalmer city. It is bounded by massive battlements with several entrances. The walk through the intricate labyrinth of lanes is an experience worth having. Jaisalmer Fort presents a breathtaking sight during sunset with sand reflecting a golden hue to this mysterious age-old architectural grandeur. A detective novel was written based on Jaisalmer Fort by a famous Indian director Satyajit Ray, which was later on converted into a movie called Sonar Kella.
DID YOU KNOW?
Jaisalmer Fort was prophesised by Krishna
Let’s take a look back at the founding king of Jaisalmer himself, Rawal Jaisal. The eldest son of the ruler of Deoraj, Jaisal was passed over for the throne in favour of his half-brother and was exiled from the kingdom. He eventually made his way to Trikuta Hill, where it is said that he met Eesul, a sage who resided on the hill. Eesul discovered that Jaisal’s lineage could be traced back to the Yaduvanshi Rajput clan, claimed to be descendants of the ancient Yadus mentioned in the Rig Veda and the Hindu god Krishna himself. He then showed Jaisal a spring that was created by Krishna, and a rock on which the god had prophesised that a Yaduvanshi descendant would found his kingdom on that very hill. The prophecy was one of the key reasons for Jaisal to eventually build the fort on the hill, and the legendary rock remains within its walls.
Archi:
Jaisalmer Fort is an amazing rustic fusion of Islamic and Rajputana style of architecture. Standing haughtily, this gigantic structure presents a stunning sight at night under the shadows of the moon. The Golden Fort complex comprises of several buildings such as palaces, temples, houses, wells, Havelis; all of them crafted out with light yellow sandstone which reflects a soft lion colour at day time and honey-gold as the sun sets. One would notice the intricate carvings and designs decorating the balconies, windows, and arches of havelis. The fort has several entrances namely Hawa Pol, Ganesh Pol, Rang Pol and Jawahar Pol, each uniquely and exquisitely crafted. The final gate across the zigzag pathway leads to Dashera Chowk.
BEST TIME TIME TO REACH
The best time to visit the fort is during the months of winter when the weather is pleasant in day time and quite chilly in nights.The grandest way to reach the gates of jaisalmer fort from the main city is by camel and this would experience little higher ₹1900 for two people. Jaisalmer is connected to the rest of Rajasthan by buses provided by Rajasthan State Transport Corporation as well as other private bus operators. The airport was inactive but Spice Jet has now started flight from Delhi since 29th October 2017.
DID YOU KNOW?
Jaisalmer Fort was prophesised by "KRISHNA"
Let’s take a look back at the founding king of Jaisalmer himself, Rawal Jaisal. The eldest son of the ruler of Deoraj, Jaisal was passed over for the throne in favour of his half-brother and was exiled from the kingdom. He eventually made his way to Trikuta Hill, where it is said that he met Eesul, a sage who resided on the hill. Eesul discovered that Jaisal’s lineage could be traced back to the Yaduvanshi Rajput clan, claimed to be descendants of the ancient Yadus mentioned in the Rig Veda and the Hindu god Krishna himself. He then showed Jaisal a spring that was created by Krishna, and a rock on which the god had prophesised that a Yaduvanshi descendant would found his kingdom on that very hill. The prophecy was one of the key reasons for Jaisal to eventually build the fort on the hill, and the legendary rock remains within its walls.
If you enjoy this article and gold adultion colors from the walls.! do uV & rS.
There are many ancient architectures and monuments are yet to be spotted. Till #staytunned
Have a great day.
Thank you
