1 Chittorgarh
Chittorgarh - not part of Shekawati - just a convenient night halt stop for me; to see the famous Chittorgarh Fort; that I had missed in my earlier tours to Rajasthan
17-Nov-2012: I left the Ahemdabad Hotel around 8:00AM and drove past Udaipur with plan to reach Chittorgarh and halt for the night.
I reached Chittorgarh around 2:45PM and easily found a Hotel Sreeji on Station Road. The hotel room was a nice DBL-AC at Rs 1200/- just a convenient distance from the Fort Road.
Later, after tea, at 4:00PM I drove out to the Fort on top of the hill, that could be seen from my Hotel room balcony.
At the fort entrance engaged a local guide to explain the various monuments and palaces that are to be see in a 13 Km circular drive spread over the top if this hill. Chittorgarh epitomizes the chivalry of Rajputs - it was sacked and destoyed 3 times by stronger Muslim armies and 'Jauhar' was declared in the face of impossible odds.
The view from my hotel room balcony towards the Chittorgarh Fort on top of the hills
Bhimlat tank at Chittorgarh Fort
Shiv Temple at Chittorgarh Fort
Fatheh Prakash Palace & Museum inside the Chittorgarh Fort
Padmini Palace -The steps of the pavilion in the pool where Padmini sat to show a glimpse of herself, in a mirror in the palace to Ala-ud-din; that made him to destroy Chittor to possess her!
Padmini Palace - Chittorgarh
Sculpture details on the pillar at Shiv Temple
Fateh Palace - from a distance
Kirti Stambh - Tower of Fame - 12th cent
Kirthi Stambh - sculpture details
Sculpture details on Neelkanth Mahadev Temple
Entrance view of Shiv Temple
Jaya Stambh - Tower of Victory - 1468
Zoom view of a train pulling out of Chittorgarh railway station - from my hotel room