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Kumbhalgarh Fort, Rajsamand
84 km from Udaipur, Maharana Kumbha built Kumbhalgarh Fort in the 15th century.
It is the second most important fort in Rajasthan after the Chittaurgarh Fort. Crowning
the Aravalli Hills, the fort is not so easily accessible with seven great gates
that stand guarding its entrance. Just 6 kms, from the Kumbalgarh Sanctuary, this
mighty fort boasts of some great temples and the Badal Mahal or the Cloud Palace,
which gives scenic view of the city.
Kumbhalgarh (Kumbhalmer) is a fortress in Rajsamand District of Rajasthan state
in western India. The fort has perimeter walls that extend 36 kilometres in length
which are claimed to be the longest in the world after "The Great Wall of China".
Over 360 temples are within the fort 300 of them are ancient Jain temples and the
rest are Hindu temples.
The fort was considered impregnable, having withstood several attacks from the armies
of Gujrat, Malwa and the Mughals. The fort is self-contained and has within its
amalgam almost everything to withstand a long siege. The fort fell only once that
too to the combined armies of Mughal and of Amber for scarcity of drinking water.
Many magnificent palaces an array of temples built by the Mauryas of which the most
picturesque place is the Badal Mahal or the palace of the clouds. The fort also
offers a superb birds view of the surroundings. The fort's thick wall stretches
some 36 kms and is wide enough to take eight horses abreast.
Maharana Fateh Singh renovated the fort in the 19th century. The fort's large compound
has very interesting ruins and the walk around it can be very rewarding. The Kumbhalgarh
Fort also has a great significance by being the birthplace of Maharana Pratap and
as the finest examples of defensive fortification in Rajasthan.
The most interesting part is that this fort has a fort within itself. Named Kartargarh,
the inner fort has a palace built by Maharana Fateh Singh after he had pulled down
the old palace built by Rana Kumbha. Some remains of the old palace are still there
below the new one which includes the portion that had been occupied by Prithvi Raj.
Kartargarh has 365 temples and shrines including one with a huge Shivlinga dedicated
to Lord Shiva. The sanctuary is famous for it's wildlife which includes- wolf, leopard,
jackal and a variety of birds. The sanctuary is one of the few parks that allows
people on horseback.
Today, most forts and palaces in Rajasthan are converted into heritage hotels. The
majestic Kumbhalgarh Fort is reputed as one of the best heritage hotels in Rajasthan.
Over looking the Kumbhalgarh valley, the Hotel Kumbhalgarh Fort offers a perfect
blend of age-old hospitality and modernity.
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