Forts architecture in Rajasthan

The term Fort refers to a defensive wall built around important structure.

Harappa Civilisation forts

A city of Harappa civilization was generally divided into 2 parts known as the upper town and the lower town.The upper town at Kalibangan (Rajasthan) is fortified.

Gagron Fort

1. Gagron Fort, Jhalawar, is an example of a hill and water fort.
2. It is one of 12 kinds of Vedic fort architecture known as JalDurg.
3. There is a monastery of Saint Pipaji across the confluence of two rivers.
4. Alauddin invaded Gagron during the reign of Jaitra Singh in the year 1303 AD.
5. It is UNESCO WHS.

Chittorgarh Fort

1. गढ़ तो चित्तौड़गढ़ बाकी सब गढ़ैया |
2. It is the biggest fort in India. It is the largest residential fort of Rajasthan.
3. It sprawls over a hill 180 m (590.6 ft) in height spread over an area of 280 ha (691.9 acres) above the plains of the valley drained by the Berach River.
4. As per “Kumarpal Prabandh”, it was made by the king “Chitrangad Mourya”.
5. In 734, Bappa Rawal occupied it by defeating the king Man Maurya. For a long time, it was the capital of Mewar till the establishment of the Udaipur.
6. Kumbha constructed Kumbhaswami / Kumbh Swami temple and Srinagar Chawari temple in it.
   1. Mokal reconstructed  the temple of Sammidheswar in it.
7. Inside the Fort of Chittor consists of- 
   1. Ratneshwar pond.
   2. Bhimlat pond.
   3. Meera pond.
   4. Kalika Pond.
   5. Lakhota Bari etc.

Kumbhalgarh Fort

1. It is the 2nd biggest fort after Chittorgarh in India.
2. It was cionstructed in the memory of Kumbhal devi, wife of Maharan Kumbha.
3. It was constructed by Mandan.
4. The outer wall is 36 km long called as Great wall of India
5. Katargarh Palace located in the middle of fort is called Eye of Mewar.
6. KumbhalgarhFort is UNESCO World Heritage Site.
7. इतनी ऊंचाई पर स्थित हैं कि नीचे से ऊपर की ओर देखने पर सिर से पगड़ी नीचे गिर जाती है। – Abul Fazal.

Ranthambore Fort

It is located in the Sawai Madhopur District of Rajasthan. It lies in the Ranthambore National park,

It is included in the UNESCO World Heritage Site

Its earlier name was Ranastambha or Ranastambhapura.

“अन्य सभी दुर्ग नंगे है जबकि यह दुर्ग बख्तरखंद है। – Abul Fazal

Jaisalmer Fort

1. गढ़ दिल्ली गढ़ आगरो, अधगढ़ बीकानेर। भलो चिणायो भाटियो, सिरे तो जैसलमेर।

Bikaner Fort

1. सियाळो खाटू भलो, ऊनाळो अजमेर, नागौर नित रो भलो… सावण बीकानेर’,
2. It was built for beautification and architecture point of view than the military or war.’
3. Founded in 1595 years ago by Rao Bika on the day auspicious of Akshya Tritiya ( Akha Teej ).

Bhatner Fort

Jalore Fort

1. Pratihar king Naagbhat constructed Jalore Fort.
2. Parmar extended and repaired the fort.
3. It is Located on Swarngiri hills.

Amer Fort / Kakilgarh

1. Constructed by Man singh I.
2. It has
   1. Suhag Mandir – where ladies of the royal family used to watch functions held in the Diwan-i-Aam through latticed marble windows called “jâlîs”.
   2. Sukh Mandir – 12 similar rooms built by Mirza Raja Jaisingh.
   3. Garden of Daularam.
   4. Moata lake.
   5. Sheela Mata temple 
   6. Jagat Siromani Mandir
      1. Black stone Krisna statue.
   7. Ambikeshwar temple
   8. Baradari palace
   9. Sheesh mahal
   10. Diwan i Aam
   11. Diwan i Khas.
   12. Kesar Kyari

Jaigarh Fort

1. Also called CHeel ka Teela / Quarter of living of kite bird / Vijaygarhi.
2. Construction was started by Man singh I, completed by MIrza Jai Singh.
3. Sawai singh kept Jaibaan canon in it.
4. Famous for Large water tanks.
5. Armoury and treasury were placed here .
6. Many hidden tunnels hence Mysterious fort.
7. Emergency liberating fort of Jaipur.
8. Vijaygarhi – Vijai Singh / chimanaji, younger brother of Sawai Singh, was kept as a prisoner.

Source – Jaigarh – Wikipedia

Nahargarh Fort

1. Sawai Jai Singh constructed it. 
2. The loving women of Jagat singh II named Raaskapoor were kept as prisoners.
3. Sawai Madho singh II constructed 9 similar palaces in it for his 9 slave women.
4. Initially name was Sudershangarh, later Nahargarh, after Nahar Singh Bhomia Ji.
5. It is called the Guard of Jaipur.

Bala Fort

1. Constructed by Nikumb Chauhan. Reconstructed by Alaghu Rai s/o Kokil Dev.
2. Hasan Khan Mewati repaired it.
3. In the fort there are 
   1. Nikumb Palace
   2. Water palace
   3. Salim palace, Jahangir yha raha tha.
   4. Karni mata temple by Bhaktawar singh.

Akbar Fort

1. Daulatkhana of Akbar
2. Britishers converted into armoury hence Fort of Magazine.
3. Rajputana Museum.

Taragarh Fort

1. Constructed by Ajay Raj Chuahan
2. Flying prince Mewar Prithviraj renamed it to his wife’s name.
3. It has MOnument of Prithviraj and his horse NatyaRambha.
4. Marathas also occupied it. There is garland of Nana Saheb in it.
5. After Marathas Britishers Occupied it.
   1. William Bentick converted it into sanatorium 
6. Meeran Dargah
7. Ajaymeru fort was built on Bithli hills.  = GIbraltar of RJ(By William Bentick) = GarhBithli= Taragarh = Palace of Roothirani  
   1. Tara w/o Prithviraj Sisodiya insisted Prithviraj Sisodiya to repair this fort hence called Taragarh.
8. GarhBithli
   1. It is constructed on Bitli hills.
   2. One more reason – It is reconstructed by Bithal Das Gaur, a feudal of Shah Jahan.
9. Darah Sikoh took shelter here.
10. Musculine looking women shrine

Taragarh Bundi

1. Constructed by Hada King Bar Singh.
2. From a long distance it seems like a STAR.
3. It is famous for wall Paintings.
4. Rudyard Kipling said that by seeing it one could say that it might have been constructed by the ghosts.
5. James Todd considered the palaces of Bundi to be the foremost palaces of RJ.
6. In this fort there are
   1. Sukh palace
   2. Chatra palace
   3. Rani Ji ki Bawdi
   4. Cenotaph of 84 pillars.
   5. Phool sagar pond
   6. Sur sagar pond
   7. Canon named – Garbh Gunjan.

Churu Fort

1. धोर ऊपर नींमड़ी धोरे ऊपर तोप। चांदी गोला चालतां, गोरां नाख्या टोप।।
   • वीको-फीको पड़त्र गयो, बण गोरां हमगीर। चांदी गोला चालिया, चूरू री तासीर।।
2. Constructed by Thakur Kushal Singh in 1739.
3. In the year Bikaner ruler Surat singh invaded it in 1815. Silver cannons were fired.
   1. Syoji singh was a thakur of Churu.
   2. Amar Chandi surana  was Bikaner army commander.

Bharatpur Fort

Bayan Fort

Taragarh Fort(Bundi)

Mandalgarh Fort

1. Banas + Berach + Meenal = Mandal
2. Chandana Gurjar constructed in the memory of Mandiya BHil.
   1. Later Kumbha reconstructed it.
   2. Mansingh stayed here before Haldighati.
3. Built in spherical / mandal design.
4. There are 
   1. 32 pillar cenotaphs of Jagannath Kachhawa.
   2. Cenotaph of Rana Sanga.
   3. Temple of Undeshwar Mahadev.
   4. Sheetla Mata

Achalgarh Fort

1. Parmar ruler constructed, Repaired by Rana Kumbha in 1452.
2. Kumbha Swami Temple.
3. Sawan Bhabo statue – Kumbha and Uda. 
4. Achleshwar Swami temple – thumb of Shivaji is worshiped.
5. Statue of Dursa Ada.
6. Bhanwara Thal – honey bees attacked Mahmud Beggara army.

Shergarh Fort(Baran)

Shergarh Fort(Dholpur)

1. Maldev, Kushan feudal constructed it.
2. SSS gave it SHergarh name.
3. In the fort there are
   1. The Kamal Bagh, a garden of Dholpur is mentioned in Baburnama,
   2. India’s Largest clock house is in Dholpur
   3. Coins of Dholpur are called Tamchashahai.
   4. Cannon name Hunhunkar.
   5. Shrine of Sayyed Hussain.

Kota Fort

Kankanbari Fort

Shahbad Fort

Chomu Fort

Dauasa Fort

Madhorajpura Fort

Fatehpur Fort

Neemrana Fort

Kuchanam Fort

Nagore Fort

Bhanisrodgarh Fort

Malkot Fort

Mohangarh Fort

Timangarh Fort