Rajasthan has its own rich history, which makes it a center of attraction for tourists. The forts and palaces here inadvertently attract people. Although the fort of Amber Fort from Jaipur to Jaisalmer are very famous among the people, but the fort of Kumbhalgarh has a different significance among them. Kumbhalgarh Fort is a fort of Mewar on a wide range of Aravalli hills in Rajsamand district near Udaipur, Rajasthan state in western India. The specialty of this fort is its 36 km long wall. It is a World Heritage Site included in Hill Fountains of Rajasthan. Built by Rana Kumbha during the 15th century, this fort wall has the status of the second largest wall in Asia. So let's know in detail about this-
Says the Great Wall of IndiaYou must have heard about the Great Wall of China, but Kumbhalgarh is called the Great Wall of India. Located 80 km north of Udaipur forest, Kumbhalgarh Fort is the second largest fort in Rajasthan after Chittorgarh Fort. The fort wall spans a length of 36 kilometers and is therefore known as The Great Wall of India. Kumbhalgarh Fort spread in the Aravalli range is the birthplace of Maharana Pratap, the famous king of Mewar. This is the reason that Rajputs have a special place in the hearts of this fort. In 2013, the fort was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site at the 37th session of the World Heritage Committee.
# Kumbhalgarh Fort's structureThe fort is built with seven huge gates. The main buildings inside this grand fort are Badal Mahal, Shiva Temple, Vedi Temple, Neelkanth Mahadev Temple and Mammadeo Temple. The Kumbhalgarh Fort complex has about 360 temples, of which 300 are Jain temples, and the rest are Hindu. One of the specialties of this fort is that this grand fort was never actually won in battle. However it was captured only once by the Mughal army by deceit when they added poison to the fort's water supply.
# How To Get There & Ticket CostsKumbalgarh is situated 82 km northwest of Udaipur by road. Taking a cab might cost you around 5000, also you can take a vehicle on rent which is a much cheaper and fun option. Vehicle rentals cost around ₹ 500-1000 per day and it takes around 2 hours to reach Kumbhalgarh from Udaipur. So gear up, take your vehicle and you are ready for the road trip to the fort.
Ticket Cost: Cost to enter the fort for Indian nationals is ₹ 40 and for Foreign nationals, it is ₹ 600. Parking facility is available and does not have a cost to it.
# Light & Sound Show
Every evening there is a light & sound show that begins at 6.45pm & it is something you must not miss. the 45-minute show is an enchanting experience that brings alive the history of the fort. Cost for the show is additional at ₹ 100 for adults and ₹ 50 for children. It starts at sharp 6.45pm & it gets pretty dark by the end so it’s advisable to keep a torch handy to make your way out. Post the show, the whole fort is illuminated and it’s absolutely spell-binding.
# Mysterious storyKumbhalgarh is a very mysterious story associated with the construction of the fort wall. It is said that when Maharana Kumbha started its construction work in 1443, a lot of obstacles started coming in it. Concerned with this, Rana Kumbha summoned a saint and told him all his troubles. The saint said that the construction of the wall will proceed only when a person willingly sacrifices himself. Hearing this, Rana Kumbha again became worried, but then another saint said that he was ready to sacrifice himself for this. He said that he should be allowed to walk on the hill and wherever he stops, he should be killed and a temple of Goddess should be built there. It is said that the saint stopped after walking for 36 kilometers. After this, he was sacrificed there. In this way, the construction of the wall was completed.