The fort of Ranthambore is perhaps the greatest stronghold of Rajasthan. It has an unrivaled historical past full of thrilling deeds of bravery and sacrifice.
Location and Architecture
The fort is situated on an isolated rock 1578 feet above the sea level. The rocky terrain around Ranthambore is full of dense forests. The historic fort is 12.8 km from Sawai Madhopur which is 360 km from Delhi and 132 km from Jaipur. The hill on which the fort stands is one of the highest and rises principally by sheer precipices all around which in themselves constitute sufficient defence.
Attractions of Ranthambore Fort
The curtain walls and the gates are built of dressed stones, coursed but roughly bonded. The main gate of the fort called ‘Bada Darwaja’ is a massive tall structure with projected balconies and is particularly formidable. A stairway rises from the ground level to this gate which is flanked on which sides by huge bastions.
The embattled rampart walls were unusually thick made of stone blocks. Bhairava, Dhikuli and Markati yantras were set on the fort-walls to shower big stones on the besiegers.
There were five big deep tanks in the fort which were kept ready full of water. The fort is approachable through a narrow and sinuous path and is not visible until the end of valley is reached through a series of gateways.
The Ranthambore Fort
Scattered about within the fort are temples, shrines, tombs, walled enclosures and court yards, notable among these are the Ganesh Temple, Laxminarayan temple, Brahma and Raghunath temple and the Jain temple.
There are two large sized rooms known as ‘Johara-Bohra’ which were used to store grain. The mausoleum of Pirsadruddin is built on the bank of Ranihar tank. Hamir Mahal, Supari mahal and Badal mahal stands in a dilapidated condition. On the eastern side there is a stream of water named ‘Gupta Ganga’ which flows under ground.
Three huge cenotaphs stands in the front each resting on thirty two red stone pillars. Five big tanks and and several fountains make abundance of water here.
Traditions are eloquent in describing many interesting anecdotes regarding the fort. Dancers sing songs of its glory on ceremonious occasions. It is described as ‘Ranat-Bhanwar’.
Ranthambore is considred the wildlife gateway of Rajasthan, the National Park is the place where you will find the wild animals experiencing their natural habitat. If you wish to find more on Ranthambore National Park, do visit this site. You will find a lot of information about Ranthambore, tourist places, accommodation and other information on Ranthambore.