The hill towered over the surrounding gentle plains. Its steep, barren slopes and uneven, rocky terrain stood out against the horizon. The car carrying Amma, Shiv and Veer made its way up along a winding road full of hairpin bends and steep inclines. As the vehicle climbed higher, rocky cliffs and massive boulders came into sight, with clusters of hardy trees dotting the landscape. Below them, the countryside stretched far and wide, a patchwork of small villages, farmlands and fields.
The road leading up to the fort atop the hill offered tantalising glimpses of the impressive fortifications that loomed ever larger with each turn. The scale of the grandeur that lay ahead became more and more evident with every bend.
Suddenly, the view opened, revealing the formidable walls and towers that encircled the fort. The fort’s sandstone outer wall stood several metres tall even after so many centuries. Its original purpose of defending the fort and its inhabitants from unwelcome guests was obvious.
The wall stretched for kilometres, following the perimeter of the plateau on which the fort stood. It merged into every incline and projection of the hill, making it nearly impossible to distinguish where the natural rock ended, and the man-made fortifications began.
Amma, Shiv and Veer were mesmerized as they set their eyes on one of the oldest and most famous forts in India – the majestic Chittorgarh. There was pin-drop silence inside the car, and then, finally, Veer’s voice broke the reverie. “Look at that tall tower!” he said, unable to hide his excitement as he pointed to a colossal pillar rising from within the fort, seeming to touch the sky.
“And the huge walls surrounding the fort,” said Shiv, taking in the sight of the thirteen kilometres of battlements.
“Here we are, boys. In front of Asia’s largest fort!” exclaimed Amma.
“Wow! I didn’t know that,” said Shiv.
“I know everything about it,” Veer said, looking up from Amma’s phone with a triumphant smile on his face. “The Chittorgarh Fort is huge. It is spread over an area of 279 hectares and stands on this hill which is 180 metres high. It has several historic structures and numerous temples,” he announced.
“Stop showing off!” said Shiv, looking irritated. “Anyone can get this information from Google.”
Veer rolled his eyes.
“Don’t start, you two. We’re at one of India’s most famous forts, and there is so much to see and learn about this place,” said Amma.
“But he’s so annoying, Amma!” groaned Shiv.
“No complaining, Shiv. Why don’t I tell you both about the history of this incredible fort?” said Amma as the car continued to meander up the road.
The idea seemed to appease the boys, at least for the time being.
“Rajasthan, or Rajputana as it was called earlier, had four states – Mewar (present-day Udaipur), Marwar (present-day Jodhpur), Dhundapur (present-day Jaipur) and Bundi. Mewar, situated in the southern corner of Rajasthan, was the most powerful. The founder of Mewar was Guhil, and he began the Guhilot dynasty, which remained in power for twelve centuries. Mewar’s first capital was a place called Nagda. In the eighth century, the capital moved to Chittor, where it remained until the sixteenth century, after which it moved to Udaipur.
“Over the centuries, many significant events took place in Chittor, and several heroes emerged from this land – Bappa Rawal, Rana Kumbha, Rana Sangha, Maharana Pratap, queens such as Rani Padmini and saints such as Meera Bai. This fort and its history tell the story of Rajput strength and courage to fight for their land and their beliefs. The battles that this fort has witnessed have been some of the bloodiest in history,” said Amma as the car continued to ramble up the road.
“Who were these warriors?” asked Shiv.
“I want to hear about all the battles!” said Veer.
“Yes, you will indeed,” replied Amma as she laughed. “Let me start by telling you the story of King Guhil. King Shiladitya of Vallabhi was married to Queen Pushpavati. Once when the city was ransacked by invaders, the whole ruling family was killed except for the queen, who was on a pilgrimage at the time,” narrated Amma. Shiv and Veer shuddered.
The queen was pregnant with her first child. On the way back, she heard about the massacre. So, she took refuge in a cave in the Aravalli Mountains under the care of a priest until her child was born. She gave birth to a boy and named him Guha, as it means ‘one born in a cave’. Later, he came to be known as Guhil. For her son’s safety, the queen left the infant Guhil in the care of the priest’s family,” said Amma, continuing with her story.
“When he was old enough, Guhil ventured deep into the forests of Gujarat and befriended the Bhils, an indigenous tribe. It is said that Guha killed the head of the tribe and ruled over the forest tribe with an iron hand. Guha’s descendants, the Guhilots, ruled this mountainous region that would come to be known as Mewar. For eight generations, the Guhilots lived in the same area until their ruling king was killed. The king’s threeyear-old son, Kalbhoj, was somehow rescued and grew up to become the legendary king Bappa Rawal,” said Amma.
Shiv and Veer were all ears. “Tell us more!” they said.
“Chittor at the time was ruled by Chitrangada Mori, a descendant of the Maurya dynasty and was originally called Chitrakuta. It is said that the first fort built here was by him.”
Excerpted with permission from Amma, Take Me to the Hill Forts of Rajasthan, Bhakti Mathur. Illustrated by Priyankar Gupta, Puffin.
