THE FORT
The fort of Chittaurgarh can be singled out for it's glorious
history and it's stories of heroism. Countless tales of this rugged
fort and the battles fought here by it's legendary heroes fill the
pages of history books.70 miles east of Udaipur lies the famed but
ruined fortress of Chittaur, the Rajput's 'holy of holies', physical
symbol of chivalry and the sacrifice of thousands of men and women
who died in three gruesome massacres and mass suicides by jauhar
or self-immolation by women. Mewar (Udaipur) was the only house
that stead fastly refused to either capitulate to the Mughals or
give it's daughters in marriage to them. The first massacare took
place in 1303, when Chittaur was besieged by Allauddin Khilji, who
was besotted by the beauty of the legendary rani Padmini.
|