kumbhalgarh Tour Advisor

Located 84 kms north of Udaipur in the wilderness, Kumbhalgarh is the second most important citadel after Chittorgarh in the Mewar region. Cradled in the Aravali Ranges the fort was built in the 15th century AD by Rana Kumbha. The inaccessibility and hostility of the topography lends a semblance of invincibility to the fort. It served the rulers of Mewar as a refuge in times of strife. The fort also served as refuge to King Udai of Mewar in his early childhood when Banbir killed Vikramaditya and usurped the throne. It is of immense sentimental significance for the people being the birthplace of Mewar's legendary king Maharana Pratap. The fort is self-contained in all respect to withstand a protracted siege. Its defences could be breached only once by the combined armies of the Mughal and of Amber primarily for scarcity of drinking water. There is a magnificent array of temples built by the Mauryas of which the most picturesque place is the Badal Mahal or the palace of the clouds. The fort also offers a superb bird’s eye view of the surroundings. The fort's massive wall stretches some 36 kms with a width enough to take eight horses abreast. Maharana Fateh Singh renovated the fort in the 19th century. The fort's large compound has very interesting ruins and a walk around it can be very educative.

Kumbhalgarh Fort:
As mentioned above, this fort is an architectural and engineering wonder. It is one of the most spectacular forts in India, if not the world. One of the most popular places to visit in Kumbhalgarh for locals and tourists alike, it stands 1900 m above sea level and is testimony to the construction principles of the time that it is still in a great condition. Traversing the entire fort premises will easily take at least half a day. On the way, you can visit temples and palaces located inside the fort complex.

Badal Palace:
This palace stands inside the Kumbhalgarh Fort complex and has tremendous tourist footfalls. Once you go inside, you will see why. A handsome two-storied structure, it stands at the top of the fort premises and has many paintings and colourful murals inside. The views from the windows and terraces are simply breath taking, showing all of the neighbourhood in its glory. The palace is so named because of its location at the top and how airy it is. It has two sections: one for the royal ladies to retire, and one for the men to have parties, games and official meetings.

Vedi Temple:
This is one of the best places to visit in Kumbhalgarh Fort, and can be explored in a few hours. The three-storied temple is dedicated to Goddess Vedi, and stands near the Hanuman Gate of the Fort. The temple is also said to have been built by Rana Kumbha, but it was restored by Maharana Fateh Singh a couple of centuries later. However, there is a curious legend attached to this temple: it was one of the few sacrificial sites in Rajasthan!

Kumbhalgarh Wildlife Sanctuary:
If you have a penchant for wildlife and the open spaces, then this is the best place to visit in Kumbhalgarh. The sanctuary is flanked by the Aravalli range on one side, and was originally a forest for royal hunters. Today the sanctuary houses over 200 species of birds, several big cats, leopards, wolves, chinkaras, nilgai and deer, among others. The forest is vast and has trekking trails, special routes for safaris, horse riding area, etc.

Neelkanth Mahadev Temple:
Dedicated to Lord Shiva, this magnificent temple is a major attraction and one of the best places to visit in Kumbhalgarh. It is said to have been built in the year 1458, and has all the layout of a typical Indian temple. You can see the open entrance, an inner sanctum, pillars with several inscriptions, a high Shiva lingam of stone, and entrances to the inner sanctum from four sides. You and your loved ones will enjoy visiting this temple and saying your prayers.

Mammadev Temple:
Let’s continue visiting the temples in this vicinity, and come to the famous Mammadev Temple. It was also built by Rana Kumbha, and dates back to the year 1460. Despite its long existence, it is still in great condition and can be visited at all times of the year. It is located below the Kumbhalgarh Fort and is one of the most visited places in Kumbhalgarh. Its architecture and design are a sheer joy to behold – take a look at the beautiful chhatris, and four stone blocks bearing inscriptions about important historical events. However, it is missing a few pillars which were housed in the Udaipur Museum a few years ago. The temple also has a freshwater reservoir on the premises.

Parshuram Temple:
This mysterious temple is one of the best places to visit in Kumbhalgarh. It is located inside a cave, and the legend goes that the sage Parshuram would sit inside this cave to meditate for long hours. However, the temple was built inside later and is dedicated to Lord Shiva. But scores of Parshuram devotees throng to it as well. There are idols of Lord Ganesh and as many as nine holy water reservoirs inside. Also, you need to walk down about 500 steps to reach the temple from the cave entrance.

Mucchal Mahavir Temple:
Let’s round up our list of places to visit in Kumbhalgarh with one last temple: the Mucchal Mahavir Temple. This temple is not located inside the fort, but inside Kumbhalgarh Wildlife Sanctuary. It is a Jain temple which is quite beautiful to behold. The interiors house large statues of wildlife like elephants. The inner sanctum has the large Mahavir idol. This idol is different from other Lord Mahavir idols – the face in this idol has a large moustache. Due to this, the temple got its curious name!