Kumbhalgarh Fort and Jain Temple Travel Blog
Kumbhalgarh is a gorgeous, massive and well-nigh invincible fortress situated on the summit of the Aravali Hills in the center of a forest turned into a wildlife sanctuary. Built by Rana Kumbha in 15th century, its unique location and its grandeur makes information technology a must visit place in that role of Rajasthan. It is believed that Rana Kumbha built about 32 forts during his reign, of which Kumbhalgarh is the largest and well-nigh elaborate. This fort is inducted in the listing of UNESCO World Heritage Sites in the month of June, 2013 along-with five other colina forts of Rajasthan.
Location: This fort is situated nearly 82 kms northwest of Udaipur city in the district of Rajsamand, Rajasthan. The famous Jain Temple of Ranakpur is nearly 45 kms away from this fort by road.
How to Reach? The best manner to visit this fort is by taking a single day tour from Udaipur along-with Ranakpur Jain Temple. There are many tour operators in Udaipur offer this single twenty-four hours tour service.
Udaipur is major urban center in the Southern Office of Rajasthan and a very pop tourist destination in the worldwide tourism excursion. Udaipur is well connected to the major cities of Bharat by Road, Rails and Air Transport. Two National Highways NH-8 and NH-76 pass through the city. Regular AC Sleeper besides full general buses connect Udaipur to Major cities like Ahmedabad, Jaipur, Jodhour, Indore and Delhi. Information technology is likewise a major Railway Junction with a skillful connectivity to Delhi, Mumbai, Ahmedabad and other major cities of Republic of india. Udaipur Airport is continued to many cities in Bharat by scheduled domestic flights operated by major carriers. Delhi as well as Mumbai is connected to Udaipur on Air India, Vistara and IndiGo Airlines Network with daily scheduled flights.
After reaching Udaipur, The road ship is the simply option to travel to the Kumbhalgarh Fort. At that place is no rail as well as flight connectivity to Kumbhalgarh. There is no regular public buses plying on this route. Either book a private cab from Udaipur or join whatsoever of the unmarried-twenty-four hour period private bout offered by numerous bout operators in Udaipur.
Some sources also suggest to grab a train to Phalna Junction, which is connected to Mumbai, Udaipur, Jodhpur, Ahmedabad,Jaipur and Delhi by express trains and about 95 kms away from Kumbhalgarh. From there, again you take to conform a private taxi to Kumbhalgarh Fort. I highly recommend yous to plan your journeying from Udaipur instead of Phalna. It will be more convenient, more comfortable and more economic compared to a transport arrangement from Phalna. Better to get a whole day package from Udaipur to include all nearby places like Eklingji Temple, Battlefield of Haldighati, Kumbhalgarh Fort, Ranakpur Jain Temple and Nathdwara.
My Trip to Kumbhalgarh Fort:
Kumbhalgarh was the role of my 10-days long solo motorcycle trip to the Eastern Part of Rajasthan that included destinations like Ranthambhore National Park, Bundi, Chittorgarh, Udaipur, Haldighati, Ranakpur, Kumbhalgarh etc. Riding from Udaipur to Kumbhalgarh through the continuously changing landscapes was one of the most pleasant experience of the whole trip. I moved through the beautiful lakes of the Lake City very early in the morning time and dodged the heavy traffic of the trucks at NH-8, before stopping to seek the blessings of Eklingji, the master deity of Mewar, at Eklingji Temple. From there, I passed through the battlefield of Haldighati, where I roamed in the green fields of Chaitri Roses with a local shopkeeper, saw the whole process of making globe famous perfume and nectar and clicked many pictures. After Haldighati, lush green fields converted into a mural surrounded by thorny bushes and barren lands, where I institute many abandoned bucket wheels on the wells.
Moving farther, I had a bad feel with the rear Tyre puncture. Luckily the nearest puncture repair store was just ii kms abroad and more luckily that Mumbai-return mechanic was able to handle the bike, that was rather a rarely used bike in that part of country.
The whole repairing procedure took at least two hours of the day, only the worst experience of the day was still left for the evening. Moving further, I passed through surprisingly cute landscape with barley and wheat fields near water canal and the hills in the background. Many people were working in the fields as it was the crop production fourth dimension.
Gradually, those wheat fields were left backside and I was moving on the winding serpentine roads on the small hills through the forest. That area was the role of the Wildlife Sanctuary of Kubhalgarh. This wild fauna sanctuary is the home of a reach wild life that includes wolf, leopards, sloth bear, hyena, jackal, jungle cat, sambhar, nilgai, chausingha (the four horned antelope), chinkara etc. Moving along the paved road on the outskirts of this sanctuary, Suddenly, I had the get-go glimpse of The Great Wall of India.
Standing tall in the centre of a forest on Aravali Hills, those walls are the symbol of a mighty fort and and then the get-go glance of that Mighty fort, Kumbhalgarh Fort…Chittorgarh Fort and Ranthambhore Fort are impressive, only for me, nothing can shell that first impression of Kumbalgarh Fort. It is the mightiest, the grandest and actually invincible.
Entry Ticket and Timings: The entry ticket of Kumbhalgarh Fort for an Indian national is INR 10 only and for Foreign Nationals it is INR 100 only. Digital Cameras are immune inside the fort without any cost. Fort remains open from 8.00 AM to 6.00 PM daily throughout the yr.
Like Chittorgarh Fort, private vehicles are not immune on the road within this fort, then you lot have to walk a lot to visit the attractions inside the fort area. There are some master attractions like palaces and temples located airtight to the main entrance and those can exist visited in 2-3 hours, but if yous want to see the other temples and attractions like Gole Rao Group of Temples, some Jain Temples, Prithviraj ki Chhatri etc, then information technology will accept well-nigh 4-five hours to explore the entire complex.
All-time Way to Visit Kumbhalgarh Fort: Kumbhalgarh Fort is a part of Kumbhalgarh Wildlife Sanctuary that spread in the area of 578 sq.kms. around Kumbhalgarh and Ranakpur. Youth Hostels Association of Bharat offers a regular trekking expedition once in a year in the month of November from Ranakpur to Kumbhalgarh and so to Muchalla Mahavir Temple. This 5 Days/iv Nights trekking expedition covers the total of 40.5 kms trekking in Kumbhalgarh Wildlife Sanctuary including the Kumbhalgarh Fort. Return journeying of 25 kms from Muchalla Mahavir Temple to Ranakpur is covered by passenger vehicle. This expedition fee is INR 3010 inclusive of Stay, unproblematic nutritious Vegetarian Nutrient, Transportation, Guidance, Equipment and Insurance for Youth Hotsel Members and do not include to and fro journey from the hometown to the base of operations camp in Ranakpur. In my opinion, this is the best option to explore the fort surface area , wildlife sanctuary equally well as the Jain temple of Ranakpur, if yous take 5-days time to spend in that area.
Attractions at Kumbhalgarh Fort:
1. Massive Entrance, Ram Political leader: The massive entrance gate of the fort is known as Ram Politico. This gate itself is a symbol of the sheer grandness of this fort.
2. Nearby Temples that include Ganesh Temple, Swami Narayan Temple, Neelkanth Mahadeva Temple, Vedi Complex etc: After entering through the main archway, you come across the group of temples at both sides of the principal archway. At the left paw side there is a Ganesha Temple and a Swami Narayan Temple. At the correct hand side, there is a Vedi Circuitous, Neelkanth Mahadeva Temple, Parsvanath Temple etc. Many of these temples were built during the reign of Rana Kumbha.
3. Palaces that include Kumbha Palace, Badal Mahal and the Birthplace of Maharana Pratap: In that location are mainly 3 palaces inside the fort at different heights. A road from the master archway leads towards the palaces along the Ganesha Temple and Swami Narayan Temple. After passing through a gate known as Pagda Pole, you come up across the first palace, Kumbha Palace. This palace, a 2 storeyed edifices, consisting of two rooms, a corridor and some open up spaces, are now in a highly ruined state.
Well-nigh Pagda Pol, along the Kumbha Palace, in that location is another mansion known equally Jhalia ka Malia or the Palace of The Queen Jhalia. This is the identify where Maharana Pratap was believed to be born. The traces of former painting can even so exist seen on the wall.
Badal Mahal or The Palace of Clouds was built past Rana Fateh Singh and named so because of its state of affairs at the highest point of the fort. The palace had a separate department for males and females. In the female department, in that location were rock windows with jalis, then that the queens and other ladies could encounter the courtroom proceedings and other events in privacy.
4. Temples beyond the entrance gate that include Gole Rao Group of Temples , Jain Temples etc: Beyond the entrance gate, about 2 kms abroad, there are many temples scattered in the fort surface area. If yous are lacking of time, then ameliorate to click them from the height of the Badal Palace. If you take time, you can walk on a paved road going along the Vedi Complex and Neelkanth Mahadeva Temple. Located in the middle of hilly terrains and surrounded by thorny bushes, these temples are a perfect identify to spend some moments.
There are about 360 small and large temples scattered inside the Kumbhalgarh Fort. Of these 360 temples, about 300 temples vest to Jain Deities and well-nigh 60 temples belong to Hindu Gods and Goddesses.
Things to do:
1. Sit on the top of Badal Palace and run into the expansion of wildlife sanctuary and the fort expanse: Badal Palace is situated on the pinnacle of the Kumbhalgarh Fort. Roof of this palace offer an excellent view of Kumbhalgarh Wildlife Sanctuary spreading over the Aravali Hills.
ii. Meet a local living inside the fort and listen the story of the construction of this fort: According to the legend, when Rana Kumbha started structure of this fort, he faced many difficulties and at a point of time, he thought to abandon this construction. Then ane twenty-four hours Rana Kumbha met a holy man, who suggested that those difficulties would be end, if somebody would sacrifice his life voluntarily. But that man should be a pure hearted person. Nobody was like that. The Male monarch was very disappointed. Then, that holy man offered his ain sacrifice and advised the king to built the main entrance where his beheaded caput would fall and the palaces where his body would fall. Rana Kumbha went ahead as per his suggest later on the sacrifice and then this chiliad and purple fort was synthetic. You can talk to any local people there, who will exist happy to tell you this story without any charge.
3. Click the pictures of The Groovy Wall of India: The outer wall of this fort is believed to be the second longest wall later the Great Wall of China. They are about 36 kms long and almost fifteen anxiety thick. ( nevertheless some sources say it is only fifteen kms long at present). From the top of the Badal Palace, you tin can click many good pictures of this Peachy Wall of India.
4.Locate numerous temples from a higher betoken: At the top of the Badal Palace or any other higher point, you can check your knowledge nearly the temples and other monuments inside the fort, past simply locating them in that wilderness.
5. Walk on the massive wide walls of the fort: Not all forts in India are so grand as Kumbhalgarh Fort and simply few of them provide an opportunity to walk on the outer walls. Kumbhalgarh Fort is mightiest and grandest and you can besides walk on its 15 feets thick outer walls near the main archway beyond the Vedi Complex.
6. Eat at a Restaurant closed to the entrance: This fort is situated in the middle of nowhere, on the hills, surrounded past a wild fauna sanctuary. Y'all volition not detect any good place in nearby area to eat. Then, better to eat at a decent restaurant inside the fort near to the primary entrance. The prices are of course inflated but still affordable in the center of nowhere.
7. Admire this fort from the view signal: Well-nigh one km before to the primary entrance of the Kumbhalgarh Fort, you will find a find board pointing towards the Kumbhalgarh Fort View Bespeak. That point provides an first-class outer view of this grand fort and its mighty walls.
8. Savour Sound and Light Show: Every evening the Kumbhalgarh Fort is illuminated with flood lights and a special Audio and Lite show starts at 6.45 PM on the story of Rajput Royals.The testify is simply in Hindi language and organised by The Rajasthan Tourism Development Corp. The ticket cost is INR 100 per person for the Indian Nationals (Perhaps INR 250 for the foreigners). This 45 minutes show is highly recommended , provided that you are planing to stay there in the night.
9. Trek to Ranakpur Jain Temples: The best manner to explore the wild fauna sanctuary, Kumbhalgarh Fort and Ranakpur Jain Temples. If you have fourth dimension, please attempt this trek once, and to experience the best attempt it with Youth Hostels.
Where to Stay?
There are very few hotels (about 8-9) in Kumbhalgarh expanse and they are basically loftier-end heritage hotels or resorts. So from a backpacker's point of view, those hotels are very expensive. It is better to stay in Udaipur and accept a ane day trip to Kumbhalgarh to return back by evening.
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