Aug 20, 2008

Chittorgarh

My destination after Ahmedabad was Chittorgarh, in Rajasthan (again).

The train ride from Ahmedabad to Chittor went through some beautiful country. The only way to explore it would be on foot, some day. Indian countryside is fertile and populated, dotted with little villages and farms.

Chittor is a sleepy little country town with , for a change, a healthy smell of cow rather than people poo. The reason to come here is the huge 8th century fort on the hill next to the new city. It's really a pleasure palace (but not domed) that rambles along for four kilometres, 700 acres in total.

(anyone know how to make this pic clickable without shrinking it like it is now?)

Inside there are temple complexes, palaces, lakes, a deerpark, immaculately kept gardens, wilderness areas, wells, farms and villages. It took me half a day to walk around half of it.

Part one of my 'happy animals near monuments' series:


As far as romantic Rajasthan stories goes, Chittorgarh's is a doozy. Three times - in the 14th century by Ala-ud-din, in the 16th by Bahadur Shah, then in the 16th by Akbar, the town was attacked by overwhelming numbers. The people could have safely stayed in the fort, but because they were Rajputs the men rode out to charge the enemy and be put to the sword, and the women comitted jauhar. It's estimated 32,000 men and 13,000 women died under Bahadur Shah alone.

Benny wisely suggested I should charge the fort, confident that the Chittorgahns would come out and fight.

Sitting in a rooftop cafe with the fort lit up at night is right up there in romantic Indian places to go.

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