India’s very own Great Wall (Rajasthan series)

India’s very own Great Wall is located in Rajasthan!

Have you seen the Great Wall of India? Yes, it exists in Rajasthan! The UNESCO World Heritage Site, located near Udaipur, is a fort called Kumbhalgarh. The spectacular structure is known for its long wall on the Aravalli Hills. It is the second largest fort complex in India , right after Chittor Fort. 

Built by Rana Kumbha, the Mewar Kingdom ruler back in the 15th century, the beautiful fort sits 1100 m above sea level. It is now open to the public, so you can visit this wonderful place. The fort is 3600 ft tall, and 38 km long covering a vast area. An interesting fact about the fort is that it has some 360 temples, most of which are said to be Jain temples. You will also find step-wells, palaces, gardens, and 700 cannon bunkers.This fort Occupied until the late 19th century, the fort is now open to the public and  Light and sound show is also arranged daily at 6:45pm whose duration is 45 minutes. In this show, history of Kumbhalgarh can be viewed through music, sound, and light.

Coming to the wall, it runs for 36 km, and is said to be the second longest continuous wall in the world, right after the Great Wall of China. The massive wall meanders through the hilly landscape, and is a spectacular sight from the fort. A wonderful place for some photography. The fort was one of the main bastions of hope for rulers of the region during times of danger. It was, however, breached once during its lifetime. Some parts of the wall are quite wide, so much so that eight horses can ride through.

Important structures in the fort

Lakhola Tank is the most notable tank inside the fort, constructed by Rana Lakha during 1382–1421 CE. It is located in the Western side of Kelwara town.. The tank had a depth of 40 ft (12 m) during independence and since then has been raised to 60 ft (18 m). Aaret Pol is the gate on the western side, Halla Pol with an downward slope from the entrance, Ram Pol and Hanuman Pol near Bavadi are the major gates of the fort. There are inscriptions on the foot of idols in Hanuman Pol detailing the construction of the fort. Bad Shahi Bavdi is a stepped tank, believed to have been built during the invasion of Shahbaz Khan in 1578, the general of Akbar to provide water to the troops. Most buildings are visible from the Ram Pol, which is considered an architectural specimen.

Hindu Temple

A Ganesh temple built on a 12 ft (3.7 m) platform and is considered the earliest of all temples built inside the fort. Neel Kanth Mahadeva temple is located on the eastern side of the fort built during 1458 CE. The central shrine of Shiva is approached through a rectangular enclosure and through a structure supported by 24 huge pillars. The idol of Shiva is made of black stone and is depicted with 12 hands. The inscriptions indicate that the temple was renovated by Rana Shanga

Jain Temple

Parsva Natha temple (built during 1513), Jain temple on the eastern side and Bawan (52) Jain temples and Golera Jain temple are the major Jain temples in the fort. Mataji temple, also called Kheda Devi temple is located on the southern side of Neela Kanth temple. Mamdeo temple, Pital Shah Jain temple and Surya Mandir (Sun temple) are the other major temples inside the fort.

Must Visit places near Kumbhalgarh Fort: Kumbhalgarh Wildlife Sanctuary,  Badal Mahal, Neelkanth Mahadeo Temple,

Time needed to explore: Minimum 2 to 3 hours Normally, you should budget 2 to 3 hours as time taken to visit kumbhalgarh fort. Depending on your level of interest in the place and whether you wish to have a more detailed and thorough tour or not, the time taken can be less or more.

Food: Easily you will find top class to budget restaurant with your choice of food " Indian, Italian, Chinese, International.

Accommodation: If you want to spend night near by fort. You can easily find lot of hotel option from 5-start, 4-start, 3-start or budget hotels in Kumbhalgarh.

Languages: The languages spoken by the local people of Kumbhalgarh in Rajasthan are Hindi and Rajasthani. Because of more and more tourists coming and visiting the place, people have also started communicating in English.

Best time to visit Kumbhalgarh: The best season to visit Kumbhalgarh is the winter season. The temperature remains comfortable and is apt for visiting the monuments and other places of interest in Kumbhalgarh. The best months to visit are October, November, December, February and March.

Connectivity: 

Distance: kumbhalgarh fort distance from Udaipur 86 Km.

Nearest Airport: Maharana Pratap Airport 97 km.

By Road:  By road it will take around 02 Hrs from Udaipur

By Cab:  Cabs are easily available