Kumbhalgarh Fort

Kumbhalgarh is a fifteenth-century hill fort in the Aravalli range, built under Rana Kumbha, and its reputation rests on the wall. It runs for around thirty-six kilometres over the ridges, wide enough in places to walk along, dipping and climbing out of sight in both directions. Inside the enclosure are more than three hundred temples of various dates and, at the highest point, the Badal Mahal palace, from which the view is ridge after ridge of dry forest with almost no settlement in it. The fort adjoins a wildlife sanctuary, which is why the surroundings stay so empty. It is about two hours by road from Udaipur, and the winding approach is a good part of the trip.

History

Rana Lakha won this area and the plains of Godwar from the Chauhan Rajputs of Nadol in the late 14th century, and in 1448, according to the Kumbhalgarh inscription, Rana Kumbha ordered the fort, which was built by Mandan, chief architect of Mewar; of the 32 forts Kumbha is said to have built, it is the largest and most elaborate, and its name means Kumbha's fort. Ahmad Shah II of Gujarat failed to take it in 1457, as did Mahmud Khalji in 1458-59 and 1467, but Akbar's general Shahbaz Khan captured it in April 1578 after a six-month siege, and Maharana Pratap, who was born in the fort, recaptured it in 1583. In 1818 the British took it over and later returned it to Udaipur State; its wall runs for 36 kilometres, and since 2013 it has been part of the Hill Forts of Rajasthan World Heritage Site (Wikipedia, Kumbhalgarh).

The main sights

• The perimeter wall - the long rampart following the ridgeline, walkable for stretches from the gates.
• Badal Mahal - the palace at the summit, with painted rooms and a view over empty hills.
• The temple cluster - hundreds of shrines of different periods inside the walls, mostly unattended.
• The gateways - a sequence of stepped gates on the climb from the car park to the top.

When to go

October to March is dry and cool, and clear mornings give the longest views along the wall. The monsoon greens the hills and can be striking but brings mist that hides exactly what you came for. There is an evening sound and light show; check whether it is running before you plan around it. Allow travel time from Udaipur both ways.

What to expect

It is a long steep climb from the entrance to Badal Mahal, mostly on stone ramps in full sun, and there is no transport up. The famous wall cannot be walked end to end, only in short accessible sections, which surprises people. Interpretation on site is minimal. The two-hour drive each way makes it a full day for one fort.

Nearby

The Jain temple complex at Ranakpur is about an hour away and is usually combined with this in one trip.

Key facts