New Delhi: Rajasthan is a place with magnificent forts and palaces. In 2013, the Hill of Forts, Rajasthan, was given the UNESCO World Heritage Site tag. The Hill Forts of Rajasthan are six forts located in the state. Initially, the Hill Forts of Rajasthan were submitted to UNESCO as a serial property formed by five Rajput forts in the Aravalli Range, built and enhanced between the 5th and 18th centuries CE by several Rajput kings of different kingdoms.
The six forts include Chittor Fort (Chittorgarh), Kumbhalgarh Fort (Rajsamand), Ranthambore Fort (Sawai Madhopur), Gagron Fort (Jhalawar), Amer Fort (Jaipur) and Jaisalmer Fort (Jaisalmer). In this article, let us look at how Hill Forts of Rajasthan made it to the UNESCO World Heritage Site list.
The Selection Process: How Hill Forts of Rajasthan Earned UNESCO Recognition
Rajasthan had planned to nominate a series of hilltop forts as UNESCO World Heritage Sites to showcase their unique culture and architecture.
The state party of Rajasthan had explained how they selected the forts for this nomination. They based their selection on four main criteria: the forts fit the hilltop geography, they served as power centres, they included sacred sites, and they were designed for urban settlements.
Rajputs followed architectural guidelines that categorised forts according to their geography.
The earliest texts identified four types of forts: Hilltop Forts, Water Forts, Forest Forts, and Desert Forts. This nomination focuses only on the Hilltop Forts of Rajasthan, leaving out other forts like Junagarh Fort, a ground fort. Although it is on a hilltop, Mehrangarh Fort was excluded because it was a citadel without a civilian urban settlement. UNESCO does not recognise it as a Heritage Site.
The initial list of forts in Rajasthan included all that the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) recorded. Out of hundreds of forts, 54 were closely examined for key features of Rajput military architecture. The State Party then selected 24 of the most significant forts with crucial aspects of Rajput fortifications. This number was later narrowed down to 13.
Initially, five forts were chosen, all located on the Aravalli Range and belonging to different clans. A sixth fort, Jaisalmer, was added to the series later on.
Exploring the Six Majestic Forts: A Detailed Overview
Chittor Fort
Chittor Fort, also known as Chittod Fort, is one of the largest forts in India. It was the capital of Mewar. The fort is located on a hill that is 180 meters (590.6 feet) high and covers an area of 280 hectares (691.9 acres) above the valley drained by the Berach River.
Kumbhalgarh Fort
Kumbhalgarh Fort, called the Great Wall of India, is a fortress in the Aravalli Hills of Mewar. Its wall is one of the longest continuous walls in the world, stretching 38 kilometres. The fort is one of the largest fort complexes globally. Rana Kumbha from the Sisodia Rajput clan built it with help from the famous architect Mandan. He built 32 of the 84 forts in his region, with Kumbhalgarh being the largest and most detailed. There are over 70 temples within the fort, including both Jain and Hindu temples.
Amer or Amber Fort
Amber Fort is located in Amer, which is high on a hill. It is the main tourist attraction in Jaipur and is known for its artistic design. Raja Man Singh originally built Amber Fort, and Jai Singh I later expanded it. Successive rulers made further improvements and additions over the next 150 years. In 1727, the Kachwahas moved their capital to Jaipur during Sawai Jai Singh II’s rule.
Ranthambore Fort
Ranthambore Fort is a hill fort inside Ranthambore National Park, near Sawai Madhopur. It has a strong historical background in Rajasthan. The Chahamanas likely built the fort starting in the mid-10th Century AD. The Delhi Sultanate captured it briefly in the 13th century.
Jaisalmer Fort
Jaisalmer Fort is in the city of Jaisalmer. It is one of the few “living forts” in the world, as nearly one-fourth of the old city’s population lives inside it. Built in 1156 AD, it is the second oldest fort in Rajasthan. The story goes that it replaced an earlier fort at Lodhruva, which Jaisal was unhappy with, leading him to find the new city of Jaisalmer.
Gagron Fort
Gagron Fort is a hill fort in Jhalawar district. It is a unique combination of a hill fort and a water fort. Bijaldev Singh Dod, a Rajput king, built the fort in the 12th century. It was later taken over by Sher Shah and Akbar. The fort stands at the meeting point of the Ahu River and Kali Sindh River, surrounded by water on three sides and a moat on the fourth side, earning it the name “Jaladurg”. The fort has experienced 14 battles and two Jauhars by queens.
Hill Forts of Rajasthan are six forts spread across Rajasthan. The hill forts with the UNESCO World Heritage Site tag are Chittor Fort, Kumbhalgarh Fort, Ranthambore Fort, Gagron Fort, Amer Fort and Jaisalmer Fort. Read on to know how these forts were selected for UNESCO World Heritage Site. knowledge Knowledge News, Photos and Videos on General Knowledge
