The Ultimate Sacrifice
Trip Start
Mar 20, 2005
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Trip End
Dec 25, 2005
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Chittogarh, India
Friday, September 16, 2005
From Udaipur I took a side trip 76 miles to Rajasthan's highly regarded fort, Chittorgarh. This ancient complex was built in the 7th century by the Mauryans and was further expanded by the Mewar empire through the coming centuries.
Its strategic location, on top of a formidable plateau filled with water reservoirs, was the envy of many. It is said that an army of 50,000 could live in the fort for four years without fear of thirst. And yet, despite these advantages, this impregnable fort was sacked three times during its long history. The first was in 1303 by Alauddin Khilji, the Sultan of Delhi. He hoped to capture the beautiful queen, Rani Padmini. The second and came in 1535 by Bahadur Shah, the Sultan of Gujarat, and lastly by the great Mughal emperor, Akbar, in 1568.
Each time the Rajput generals fought against overwhelming odds until the bitter end. And each time, when the battle was nearly lost, tens of thousands refused surrender and chose instead to commit mass suicide in a ritual called 'jauhar'. No one wanted to lose their honor and live out a life under the hands of their enemy. For this bravery and sacrifice, the defenders of Chittorgarh will be remembered forever.
Here are a few photos of my exploration of Chittorgarh.
