Kumbhalgarh Fort - The Heroic Wonder

It took me around two and a half hours to reach the Kumbhalgarh Fort from Udaipur, Rajasthan. I took off to the place in afternoon and reached there by 6:15 pm There is a sound and light show in the fort premises that begins at 6:00 pm in the evening. I managed to make it to the show and missed just a 15 minute of it. It was all pitch dark and there were certain focus lights, which were focusing on different angles of the fort, while there was a background score along with the light show that was narrating the story of Kumbhalgarh and it's rulers.

The Kumbhalgarh Fort is a Mewar Fortress on the Aravali Hills, in Rajsamand District near Udaipur, Rajasthan. It is a World Heritage Site and was built by Rana Kumbha. Kumbhalgarh is also known to be the birth place of the great warrior of Mewar, Maharana Pratap. 

With a wall that extends more than 38 kms, Kumbhalgargh Fort is among the largest wall complex in the world. Kumbhalgarh seperates Mewar and Marwar and was also used as a place of refuge at the time of battles. The view of the Fort wasn't pretty visible at night and so I along with a friend of mine, planned to take an off for the day and come back again the next morning to witness this Heroic Wonder. 

We booked Kumbhalgarh Forest Retreat, a resort which was almost 6 kms from the fort. It was a wonderful place. The ambiance and the food both were great. The rooms were pretty spacious and had these big balconies. The view from there was beautiful. 

We checked out from the hotel in the morning, had a complementary breakfast which was a part of the tariff. I was all set to see the architectural excellence. 

I drove to the fort and on the way, I saw the huge wall of the fort which extends for over 38 kms. Whenever I see such distinguished characteristics of a historical architecture, I am amazed to see it. My thoughts go back to their era, where I think about the efforts and hardships it would have taken for them to build such a huge structure on a hill. All this and that too in an era when availability of material and transportation wasn't easy at all.  

We reached the parking and then entered the fort from its's huge gate. As I entered the gate, into the fort premises, I wondered for how would I climb up the fort. Even the sight and thought of climbing that path uphill and those extended walls of the fort, made me feel tired. I still manged to take off , after drinking two bottles of lime juice. 

There was ramp uphill and then there were stairs to to the top of the fort. People were seen all around, taking rest in between the path. We finally reached the top. Man!! it was beautiful. One could see the whole Kumbhalgarh from the top. Not just the city but the view of the 'Great Wall of India" was an amazing experience. It felt like, the wall had no end, it was stretching to infinity. There were a number of temples all around. It is said to have 360 temples within the fort, 300 ancient Jain and the rest Hindu. 

While I was standing at the top of the fort cliff, I asked my friend to click a photograph of mine as I wished to keep a memory of the place with my presence into it. 

I saw a photographer capturing the beauty of the fort and it surrounding from another end. He appeared to be a traveler from some other country as he had a guide with him, who must be narrating him the stories of the fort. 

After staying there for more than half an hour and breathing in the fresh air from the top, we got down the ramp. There were some broken doors and small gardens in the way. I got a few clicks there and moved ahead. 

I went down the fort and climbed the stairs to the great wall that extends to a vast 38 kms. It was a beautiful sight. There were temples and beautiful landscapes all around. The beauty of the Kumbhalgarh Fort was worth a capture. I was startled to see such a majestic structure and to hear the historical stories of bravery, sacrifice and conspiracies around the Fort of Kumbhalgarh.

It wasn't my first visit to the fort. I visited here in 2004 during a college trip with a bunch of friends. But that time, may be I wasn't having such a perspective to be seeing and appreciating things in depth. Over all these years I've grown as an individual and so have my perspective and my way of looking towards life and it's valuable stories.

I am sharing a few pics here from my trip in 2004 here. I don't think so for it would be so difficult to recognize me in these vintage shares.

The trip back in 2004 was as amazing as this one. It was a close knit group of friends, many of us are still in touch and they belong to that set, onto whom you could rely upon any day.

The trip to the Kumbahlgargh Fort was an amazing experience. Specially the view and the fresh air from the top of the fort were among the best things I loved about the fort. Not just this but the great wall, which almost appears like extending to infinity was something to be falling in love with.

I would surely wish to visit this place again and to walk through the entire 38 kms to see what falls in the way and what exists at the end of it.



- The Travel Wanderers 

Jaisalmer Fort - The Living Fort

It was a beautiful morning in the Golden City, Jaisalmer. I was all set and excited to visit the Jaisalmer Fort. I've heard a lot about it and I've seen a few videos and photographs of the fort which looked amazing. I, along with a group of friends checked out from the hotel and headed forward to see it. On the way, we had some breakfast. 

We were pretty close to the fort now, there was a cluttered parking and narrow streets. We got down from the cab and walked towards the fort gate. There it was, a huge ancient and historical architecture, with an entrance gate. It looked amazing and gigantic.

This beautiful Golden City, Jaisalmer with a history of 800 years, has been one of the favorite tourist destinations around the world. The Jaisalmer Fort is situated in the Indian state of Rajasthan. It is the second oldest fort in Rajasthan, built in 1156 AD by Bhati Rajput ruler, Rawal Jaisal, from whom it derives its name.

The fort's massive yellow sandstone walls during the day, fades to honey-gold as sun sets. For this reason it is also known as Sonar Quilla or Golden Fort. The fort stands amidst the great Thar Desert on Trikuta Hill.

There was a small market as one enters the fort gate. There were shops of leather bags, blankets, eatables and jewelry all around. I saw this guy playing an instrument. He looked perfect for making a click. I clicked a photograph of him while he was playing the thing that he was playing. He asked me for a Rs. 50/- for taking his photograph. I paid him the same. 

Further to my surprise, he offered to sell me a CD of his. He said that the CD has his videos playing the music of Jaisalmer. He was selling it in Rs. 200/-, which was pretty ok with me. But he was almost forcing it on me, and I already heard his musical stuff, so I dropped the idea and walked ahead. 

As I walked ahead, I saw this beautiful lady, smiling around. She was selling some jewelry. She had this grace on her face. She was very ethnic and belonged to the real core of the city. I clicked a few of her.

While walking further in the fort, I found the reason why it is also known as a "Living Fort". The fort still retains a resident population of 4000 people who are largely the descended from the Brahmin and Daroga communities. These two communities once served as the work force for the fort's one time Bhati rulers. 

The fort architecture is a treat to the eyes.The beautiful carvings on the yellow sandstone all around, gave it a majestic look. There were people all around the uphill streets of the fort. I was totally amazed to see this that the fort is their home and they have been residing here for years. I took a few photographs of the fort from different angles. 

I walked up the stairs of Jaisalmer Fort, to see other stuffs around. The view from the top of the fort was amazing. The whole city was visible from there. I clicked a few photographs from there. 

There on the top of the fort, there were certain cafe's and shops, where people were hanging out and were shopping around. There were many tourists from all parts of the world. There were certain passages within the fort. They were beautiful.

I got down the fort and wandered again in the streets. I clicked a few photographs of the people and arti-facts staged on the shops all around.

As I walked a bit further, I saw a guy, he was some tourist from some other country. He was playing an instrument, I would say, he was trying to learn. how to play the instrument from a resident of the fort. It was pleasing to see this. It defined, there are no boundaries to learning.

Walking further, I saw a cafe. The cafe was selling Apple Pie. I loved to see it and just a thought of it made the taste of apple pie rolled over inside my mouth. i asked my friends to come along and try it. I wasn't so sure for if they'd like it as I guess they haven't tasted it before. An Apple pie has been a delicacy at my home, as my mother prepares extremely tasty ones. That was one of the reasons, I wished t taste it. There was this lady. an old lady who was preparing and selling these pies. 

We ordered one. Yes definitely it was tasty. I loved the extra cooked sugar in it. It gave it a different taste altogether. I asked my friend to take a photograph of mine. I took a few pics of the market from the cafe. 

I then finally reached the entrance gate again. Here I saw this lady, extremely charming and gracious. I have seen her in many photographs of Jaisalmer Fort. She had these beautiful cat eyes. She looked gorgeous, one of the best faces I've seen and captured so far. She was smoking a local cigarette called 'Bidi'. I clicked a few photographs of her. I just loved her eyes.

This was the last photograph I took as a part of my travel memory inside the fort. We finally reached to our cab, and drove back to my city, Udaipur.

On the way while we were still in Jaisalmer, there were these huge windmills all around as if the city was waving us a goodbye and a wish for a happy and a safe journey ahead. 

We traveled a long way back home, but this experience was amazing. The Sam Sand Dunes, The Jaisalmer Fort, these were the two best things that I saw and relished in this Golden City. I will surely love to visit here again after a few years. 


- The Travel Wanderers