Best time to visit : September to March
The land of palaces, forts and temples, Chittorgarh is the most coveted tourist destination of Western India. Standing proudly on the Berach River, this place testifies Rajput pride and gallantry. Home to Asia’s largest fort – the Chittorgarh Fort, it is one of those tourist places in India that stand as an evidence of country’s undying culture, rich tradition and glorious history. The place is popular for its graceful beauty, courage, and strong historical and cultural values. A number of adjoining cities exhibit interesting historical wonders, making the trips to Chittorgarh extraordinary.
Facts
Capital of the former kingdom to Merwar, the city gets its name from the famous Chittorgarh Fort. The city was formerly named as Chitrakut by Maurya dynasty. The land of Chittorgarh was graced by the princess of Chittorgarh, Rani Padmini, The epitome of beauty and courage, Rani Padmini committed Jauhar (ritual killing into a large fire) following her dishonour and abduction. Chittorgarh is famous for its ‘Jauhar Mela’ – the biggest Rajput festival held to honour the sacrifice of three Jauhars and other brave ancestors. Teej and Ganguar are other festivals celebrated with great enthusiasm. Summers are extremely hot in the region, but winters are pleasurable.
Typical Rajasthani cuisines like Dal-baati-choorma, Guwar fali ki saag, Laal Maans, and Moranga ki sabji are served here. Hotel Padmini, Bassi Fort Palace, Hotel Chetak, Hotel Panna and Hotel Pratap Palace are famous for serving typical Rajasthani cuisine in traditional style. The city also serves luscious sweet dishes like Ghevar, Imarti, Balushahi, Palang Torh, Seero (Halwa) and Jhajariya. Apart from this the city also serves scrumptious Mughalai cuisines. Hotel Meera is famous for authentic Mughal dishes.
Chittorgarh is a paradise for shoppers. The place is popular for selling wooden toys, metal works, leather jootis and traditional jewellery. The famous Thewa jewellery is the best memento tourists can buy from Chittorgarh. The Aloka printed fabrics made up of vegetable dyes draws maximum tourist attention. Some of the best places to shop for these items are Rana Sanga Market, New Cloth Market, Sadar Bazaar, Gandhi Chowk, Fort Road Market and Station Circle.
Nearby Places:
- Bhilwara (about 58 km.) – The city boasts some of the beautiful Neolithic temples that displays the impressive Nagar style of architecture.
- Udaipur (about 121 km.) – Popular for its lakes and palaces. You can shop for both western and typical items in Udaipur. One of the westerner’s favourite holiday spots in India.
- Bundi (about 158 km.) – Famous for its kunds (holy wells) and historical fortresses.
- Ajmer (about 197 km.) – Renowned for the religious spots. Among the most popular places is the shrine of Khwaja Ajmer Sheriff and Brahma temples.
- Jaipur (about 310 km.) – Dubbed as Pink City, Jaipur is home to the splendid forts and fortresses. The biggest attraction is the spectacular Hawa Mahal.
With the help of a friendly tourist guide, visitors can explore other nearby places like Bassi (about 342 km.), Baroli (about 131 km.), Nagar (about 238 km.) and many more, if you intend to have an extensive Rajasthan itinerary.