"Kumbhalgarh" There is a legend that the infant Udai Singh was smuggled from Bundi and hidden in the inner chambers of the Kumbhalgarh fort by his faithful maid Panna Dhai. The reason was to save him from the murderous uncle, who desired his throne.
Surrounded by the cluster of thirteen mountain peaks of the Aravali range lays this formidable medieval citadel. About 1914 m high from the sea level, the fort was built by Maharana Kumbha (1419-63 A.D.) and is the principal fortification after Chittaurgarh, around 90 kms northwest of Udaipur.
This massive fort is encompassed by a serpentine 36 kms long wall and has seven majestic gates and seven ramparts, one within the other. The infant Udai Singh was hidden in the Nimboo Pol which lies on the western side of the last gate.
Later, Udai Singh ascended the throne of Mewar keeping Kumbhalgarh as his residence. Then further, he established Udaipur, a beautiful lake city of the many magnificent palaces and temples within the fort. One of the most profound is the Badal Mahal or the palace of the cloud. It is established at a great height than the other royal residences. It offers a breathtaking spectacle of the countryside around.
There are ancient ruins of the temples inside, which dates back to the reign of the grandson of the Mauryan Emperor - Ashoka. Most of the ruins in Kumbhalgarh are that of Jain temples of various periods.
Kali temple and the Mamdev Kund lie in the east. Adjacent in the north is the temple of black marble lingam devoted to the Hindu god Shiva. This temple is supported by the fine fluted pillars with a unique tapering shape. |
