Chittorgarh Tourism and Travel Guide
History of Chittorgarh: which is one of the oldest cities of Rajasthan dates back to the 8th century. It was given as a dowry gift to Bappa Rawal, the founder of the Sisodia Dynasty when he married the last Solanki princess somewhere in the 8th century. Spread over a 7-mile long hill, the city of Chittorgarh was ruled by the descendants of Bappa Rawal till somewhere around the 16th century.
Chittorgarh was always a fiercely contested seat of power due to its strategic location. In fact Chittorgarh’s history is fraught with some of the bloodiest battles of all times. It was sacked a number of times, the most famous attack being the one launched by Alauddin Khilji, the sultan of Delhi who was enamored by its then queen Padmini’s beauty. The tale of this
brave queen who sacrificed her life to escape dishonor is still sung about by the local musicians of Rajasthan. In fact the history of Chittorgarh is replete with the tales of its gallant warriors for whom honor triumphed over everything.
After Khilji’s attack, Bahadur Shah attacked Chittorgarh in 1535 AD followed by a third one by Akbar in 1568. The last attack was the final straw and Chittorgarh never recovered from this attack. In fact, the city was never inhabited after that. Right now, this ghost town still reverberates with the tales of its past glory and the sacrifices made by its people.have
Climate: Chittorgarh is located in the southern part of the state of Rajasthan, in the northwestern part of India. It is located beside a high hill near the Gambheri River. The climate of Chittorgarh is arid. Summers are quite hot (April-June) and winters are cool (October-February). It experiences scant rainfall between June and August. The best time to visit Chittorgarh is in winters.
How to reach?
By Air: The nearest airport is Dabok Airport (Maharana Pratap Airport) at Udaipur,
By Rail: Chittorgarh railway station is beautifully placed on the banks of River Gambheri. The Chittorgarh railway station is well connected with other major cities in India namely, Ahmedabad, Ajmer, Udaipur, Jaipur, Kota and Delhi. If you prefer luxury travel, then there is no better choice than the train, Palace on Wheels which offers a truly regal experience.
By Road: There are regular bus services from Chittorgarh to other cities in India.
Food: Rarely has the world seen so rich a cuisine from so little that was available from the land. Rajasthani cooking was influenced by the war-like lifestyle of its inhabitants and the availability of ingredients in this region. Preservability was the criterion and food that could last for several days was preferred. Scarcity of water, fresh green vegetable have all had their effect on the cooking. Minimum use of water and a preference for milk, buttermilk and clarified butter can still
be observed. Dried lentils, beans from indigenous plants like kair, sangri, etc are liberally used. Perhaps the best-known Rajasthani food is the combination of dal, bati and churma but besides this there is still a marked distinction in what people of different castes prefer to eat.
Traditional observance :- Though the Rajasthani kitchen has to cater to different communities with their own traditional flavors. The Rajput warrior, for example, is not averse to shikar, killing game to put in his pot at night. The Vaishnavs, followers of Krishna, are strict vegetarians. So are Bishnois, a community known for its passion for conserving animal and plant life.
The Marwaris of Shekhawati, of course, are vegetarian too, but their cuisine, though not too different from the Rajputs, is richer in its method of preparation. And there are the Jains, who are not only vegetarians, but do not eat after sunset and their food is devoid of garlic and onions, otherwise, important ingredients in the Rajasthani pot.
Regional Specialties :- All the princely states of the past, boast of their own regional specialties. Bikaner has its own savories, especially bhujiya and rasgulla, which has accounted for its fame and the quality of its papads remain unrivalled. Jodhpur has its makhaniya lassi and kachoris, puffed breads with stuffing those with mawa (condensed milk), while others have biting hot green chillies laced with a ‘masala’ that is also intended to titillate the palate.
In Bharatpur, milk sweets occupy a niche by themselves. Rajasthani delicacy linked with the monsoon festival of Teej is called Ghevar, consisting of round cakes of white flour over which sweetened syrup is poured. There are other notable regional delicacies to be savored like Ladoos from Jaisalmer, Malpua from Pushkar and Kalakand from Jaipur.
Shopping: A city of bravery and sacrifice, Chittorgarh is also known for its some unique shopping items. Chittorgarh shopping destinations offer an interesting experience to the tourists. A Chittorgarh shopping guide will include the following items for which the city is quite
Fabrics
Famous as the city of bravery and sacrifice, Chittorgarh is a legendary city of Rajasthan. One of the most visited tourist destinations of Rajasthan India, Chittorgarh offers an exciting shopping experience to its visitors.
Chittorgarh is known for a range of exquisite handicrafts items including the famous thewa jewellery. Thewa jewellery consists of gold designs embedded in glass. Other famous items available in the Chittorgarh markets are colorful leather jutis- slip on shoes made of camel leather with embroidery on them, and Akola printed fabrics with vegetable dyes. The wooden painted toys from nearby villages are also quite popular and can be a good gift item for your friends and family back home.
The major shopping centers in Chittorgarh include Sadar Bazaar, Rana Sanga Market, New Cloth Market, Fort Road Market, Gandhi Chowk and Station Circle.
