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Kumbhalgarh Fort
Located 64 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 by Rana Kumbha. Because of its inaccessibility and hostile
topography the fort had remained un-conquered. It also served the
rulers of Mewar as a refuge in times of strife. The fort also served
as refuge to the baby king Udai of Mewar. It is also of sentimental
significance as it is the birthplace of Mewar's legendary King
Maharana Partap.
The fort is self-contained and has within its amalgam almost
everything to withstand a long siege. The fort fell only once that
too to the combined armies of Mughal and of Amber for scarcity of
drinking water. Many magnificent palaces an 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 offer s
a superb birds view of the surroundings. The fort's thick wall
stretches some 36 kms and is wide 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
the walk around it can be very rewarding.
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