Kumbhalgarh - Mewar fortress in Rajsamand District of Rajasthan State.
64 km north-west of Udaipur, the 2nd most important citadel of Mewar after Chittaurgarh. Ranage upon range of the Aravallis protects this impregnable fortress. Thirteen mountain peaks surround it.
Kumbhalgarh Fort, built by Rana Kumbha in 1419-63, is built on the topmost ridge, 914 metres above sea level.
Seven great gates stand sentinel at the approaches and seven ramparts, one within the other with crenellated walls strengthened by rounded bastions and immense watch towers make this an impregnable mountain fortress. The fort has perimeter walls that extend 36 kilometres in length and claimed to be the longest in the world after "The Great Wall of China". Over 360 temples are within the Kumbhalgarh Fort. 300 ancient Jain and the rest Hindu Temples.
Kumbhalgarh is also the birthplace of Maharan Pratap, the great king and warrior of Mewar. According to a legend - the Maharan of Kumbhalgarh tried so many times to build the wall of the fort but each time failed to do so and consulted a local pilgrim about their construction problems. The pilgrim advised that he be beheaded and after cutting his head to build a temple where the head should fall, and to build the wall and the forth where the rest of his body lies.
Following his advice, they succeed in building the world's second largest wall. There are 8 gates and all have their own importance. On the west side of the last gate, known as Nimboo Pol, are the chambers where the infact Udai Singh was smuggled and hidden by his faithful maid Panna Dai thus saving him from the murderous wrath of his uncles, who wanted to usurp the throne. Udai Singh later came to the throne of Mewar, lived at Kumbhalgarh and built the city of Udaipur. The topmost palace in the Kumbhalgarh Fort is called Badal Mahal or Palace of cloud and offers a superb view of the surrounding countryside.
Seven great gates stand sentinel at the approaches and seven ramparts, one within the other with crenellated walls strengthened by rounded bastions and immense watch towers make this an impregnable mountain fortress. The fort has perimeter walls that extend 36 kilometres in length and claimed to be the longest in the world after "The Great Wall of China". Over 360 temples are within the Kumbhalgarh Fort. 300 ancient Jain and the rest Hindu Temples.
Kumbhalgarh is also the birthplace of Maharan Pratap, the great king and warrior of Mewar. According to a legend - the Maharan of Kumbhalgarh tried so many times to build the wall of the fort but each time failed to do so and consulted a local pilgrim about their construction problems. The pilgrim advised that he be beheaded and after cutting his head to build a temple where the head should fall, and to build the wall and the forth where the rest of his body lies.
Following his advice, they succeed in building the world's second largest wall. There are 8 gates and all have their own importance. On the west side of the last gate, known as Nimboo Pol, are the chambers where the infact Udai Singh was smuggled and hidden by his faithful maid Panna Dai thus saving him from the murderous wrath of his uncles, who wanted to usurp the throne. Udai Singh later came to the throne of Mewar, lived at Kumbhalgarh and built the city of Udaipur. The topmost palace in the Kumbhalgarh Fort is called Badal Mahal or Palace of cloud and offers a superb view of the surrounding countryside.
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