The Kumbhalgarh Fort Experience

Had a nice holiday last week visiting temples and forts in Rajasthan. Kumbhalgarh is a small hill station situated in the Aravali Mountains of Rajasthan. Kumbalgarh Fort situated at a height of 1100 meters is a mammoth structure winding along the slopes of the Aravali Mountains. The structure has a high bulwark of about 36 meters. The majestic fort is replete with several observation towers, crenelations and citadels that no enemy could hope to break into. It was built in the 15th century by Maharana Kumbha and is the birth place of the famous Rajput hero Rana Pratap who fought the Battle of Haldighati against the forces of Emperor Akbar. The ramparts and walls of the fort strech a good 12 kilometers and are an example of masonry only second to the Great Wall of China! It is a heritage site maintained by the Archeological Survey of India, one that must be viewed late evening when up and brings a wonderful glow to night skies of Kumbhalgarh. You can climb up right to the top of the fort and view the valleys beneath that are home to about 360 temples in and around the area. Sadly many of them seem abandoned and in a dilapidated state.

We sat in the gardens at the base of the fort, as going up to the Fort is not allowed after 5.30PM. The hot summer breezes turned more pleasant and cool and it was nice to spend time sitting on the Shiv temple steps, watching the life around. As it started getting dark swarms of tiny bats flew out of the fort dotting the evening skies. We were amazed at the teeming numbers that seemed to never end. Though the seasonal rush of visitors was absent there were quite a few like us who had come to see the Fort illumination. The lights come on slowly as parts of the fort light up gradually in colors of orange and green, offering a panoramic spectacle that can be seen for miles around in the vicinity.

The next morning we took a nice long walk along the road to the Fort with some canine company who with their wagging tails, keen to act as our escorts, never let us out of their sight! Around 10 AM we climbed up the Fort. The climb can be tedious and tiring but is a delightfully rare experience for city-dwellers like us. It was like taking a tread mill test! We climbed right up to the top stopping at times to take in more air as our lungs were exercised like never before! It took a little over an hour to climb to the top. There is not much to see in the Fort and sadly we had no guide with us; he reached the top much after we did! Even the bats we saw the previous evening that had made the Fort their home, were hidden from view. The climb down was faster. The view of the valley gives a good idea of the vegetation in the area; verdant green patches in the vast desert area of Rajasthan.

Kumbhalgarh is a quaint, small place, peaceful and cool. Early mornings and late evenings are very pleasant. Winters in Kumbhalgarh are pleasant and tourist time for this quiet, charming hill station, hidden in the Aravali Mountains. Thankfully mobile networks other than BSNL will not work here, making a brief holiday more relaxing, peaceful and rejuvenating, away from the bustle of a busy metropolitan life.