Chittorgarh Fort was raptured by Alauddin Khilji in 1303 AD and it was after this victory of the Khilji Sultan that Chittorgarh Fort came to be associated with Rajput valour and their spirit to sacrifice their blood and life for the defence of their cloister and hearth. Alauddin after the conquest of the fort caused a bridge to be constructed over the Gambhiri River below the fortress. The gate that was constructed and the towers raised over the abutments have disappeared but ten massive arches of grey limestone still exist. Later, with the advent of gunpowder when repeatedly assaulted and conquered by Afghans and Mughals by superior weapons and forces, Chittorgarh proved a tragic deathtrap for the defenders.
After the resurgence of Mewar under the Guhilputra Sisodias the rulers remained vigilant to maintain the defences of the fort. Chittorgarh, being the capital of Mewar, continued to receive the attention for proper upkeep by the Maharanas from the time of Hammir. Thus the fortifications, bastions, residential quarters and religious shrines do not represent the reign of one king but of severals. However, some of the remains of the time of Maharana Kumbha may be noticed. Maharana Kumbha strengthened the fortifications by repairing, reconstructing and remodelling the outer walls of the defence, and also repaired the existing gates adding some new ones. He is associated with seven gates. Ramarathya or Rampol was constructed with round bastions, which was partly demolished during the reign of Shah Jahan. The plinth of these bastions still retains carved friezes which are indications of the ornamental style. Hanumanagopura or Hanumanpol, Bhairavankavishikha (commonly known as Bhairavpol after the name of Bhairavdas Solanki who fell fighting at this gate in 1535 AD while defending the fort against Bahadurshah of Gujarat), Mahalakshmirathya or Lakshmipol, Chamundapratoli or Chamundpol, Tararathya or Tarapol, Rajapratoli or Rajpol. Tarapol was provided with projected balcony.
The use of terms Ratha, Gopura, Vishikha and Pratoli is quite interesting. These terms are used for gates of different type and for different occasions. Ratha has several meanings of which the one standing for a gate represents the structure rising into greater heights in storeys and having the gateway either through it or in between two such structures raised on the two sides of the road together serving as a gate. The Nagara type ratha is square and those in Chittorgarh come under this category. Thus Rampol, Lakshmipol and Tarapol were structures standing on the two sides and the space in-between serving as the entrance gate. The term Gopura was used for gate-houses of palaces and cities as well as for the temple but its use was exclusively restricted for the temple. The gopura also has several storeys, hence Hanumanpol was a gate-house with several storeys which increased its height making it an imposing structure. Pratoli is used for a gateway sometimes provided with a flight of steps; Vishikha stands for the gate-way on the main street.
Maharana Kumbha built a road to facilitate the heavy carriages to go up the hill up to the fort by paving and broadening the foot-path that was there before him. During his time this was the only road access to the fort. He also built the Ram Kund and a number of stepped wells and reservoirs for storing water. Among the residential quarters a few of the ruins of those built by Rana Kumbha can still be seen. One can have some idea of the placements of various adjuncts of the building with some traces of paintings on some of the walls, but beyond this one is left guessing.
The circumference of the fort is a little over 13 kilometer and covers an area over 700 acres. Its internal length at the summit is about five kilometer and at its widest it is 1.1 kilometer. The sides of the fort are perpendicular comprising a line of embattled ramparts supported by large round towers. On the west side are to be found the two historical towers, famous for architectural virtuousness and exquisite sculpture, and the palaces of Chitrangada Mori and of Rana Raimul, the temple of Rana Mokul, the pinnacles of the acropolis of the Guhilotes and the mansions of the two great heroes of the battle against Emperor Akbar, Jaimal and Phatta.
Within the walls of the fortress there are to be found monuments and ruins which are magnificent specimens of architecture and sculpture, apart from the several lakes and reservoirs dotting the surface of the fort. The two commemorative towers, the
Vijay Stambh (Victory Pillar) and Kirti Stambh (Fame Pillar), are fortunately both in a good state of preservation. This fort also houses some of the famous
Rajput architecture such as Rana Kumbha Palace, Padmini Palace, Sammidheshwara Temple, Jain Temple,
Kalika Mata Temple, Meerabai Temple and
Kumbha Shyam Temple. These are the ancient temples that have remarkable sizes and complex work. The mansions that have withstood the ravages of time and the vandalism of the Muslim invader are Padmini’s, Ratan Singh’s and Kumbha’s palaces. In these buildings there is provision of secret subterranean passages on the ground floor for escape in an emergency.
Yet other spots in the fort to note are the Mahasati, the cremation ground for the Ranas and their family, and the ‘johar’ (self- immolation en-masse by the queens and women folk) ground adjacent to the Gomukha and the Bhimtal reservoirs. The abandonment of Chittaurgarh led to the ruin of its palaces and apartments and its Durbar halls.