Pariksha SaathiLesson 10 of 10 · Rajasthan General Knowledge
Forts, Monuments and Famous Personalities of Rajasthan
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Forts by type
Ancient Indian texts classify forts by their natural defence: a giri durg stands on a hill (Chittorgarh, Kumbhalgarh), a jal durg is ringed by water (Gagron), a dhanva durg rises in the desert (Jaisalmer) and a parikha durg is protected by a moat (Lohagarh at Bharatpur). Six forts, Chittorgarh, Kumbhalgarh, Ranthambore, Gagron, Amber and Jaisalmer, were inscribed together as the Hill Forts of Rajasthan on UNESCO's World Heritage list in 2013. Mehrangarh, Junagarh and Taragarh are famous but are not part of that listing.
Chittorgarh, Kumbhalgarh, Ranthambore and Gagron
Chittorgarh, on a plateau above the Gambhiri and Berach rivers, is one of the largest forts in India; it holds the Vijay Stambh, a nine-storey tower built by Rana Kumbha after his 1437 victory over Malwa, the older Jain Kirti Stambh dedicated to Adinath, Padmini's palace, Kumbha's palace and the Meera temple. Kumbhalgarh in Rajsamand, built by Kumbha with the architect Mandan, has a wall about 36 km long, often called the second-longest wall in the world, and by tradition is the birthplace of Maharana Pratap. Ranthambore in Sawai Madhopur, a Chauhan stronghold, fell to Alauddin in 1301 and contains the Trinetra Ganesh temple. Gagron in Jhalawar is a water fort at the meeting of the Ahu and Kali Sindh, seat of the Khinchi Chauhans and scene of sakas in 1423 and 1444.
Amber, Jaisalmer and Jaipur
Amber near Jaipur, the old Kachwaha capital, was begun by Raja Man Singh I in the late 16th century; it has the Sheesh Mahal and the Shila Devi temple, and the Jaigarh fort above it holds the Jaivana, said to be the largest cannon on wheels in the world. Jaisalmer's Sonar Qila, built by Rawal Jaisal in 1156 on the Trikuta hill in yellow sandstone, is a living fort with homes inside its walls and 99 bastions. Jaipur was founded in 1727 by Sawai Jai Singh II, planned on a grid by Vidyadhar Bhattacharya, painted pink in 1876 to welcome the Prince of Wales, and inscribed as a World Heritage city in 2019. Jai Singh's Jantar Mantar, the largest of his five observatories (the others are at Delhi, Ujjain, Varanasi and Mathura), with the Samrat Yantra, the world's largest stone sundial, became a World Heritage Site in 2010. The Hawa Mahal, built in 1799 by Sawai Pratap Singh and designed by Lal Chand Ustad in the shape of Krishna's crown, has 953 small windows.
Other forts and palaces
Mehrangarh at Jodhpur, built by Rao Jodha in 1459 on the Chidiyatunk hill, holds the Moti Mahal, Phool Mahal and Sheesh Mahal; near it is the Jaswant Thada, a marble memorial, and on the separate Chittar hill stands the Umaid Bhawan Palace (1929-1943), built partly as famine relief. Junagarh at Bikaner, built by Raja Rai Singh with his minister Karmachand in 1589-1594, is a ground fort on the plain. Lohagarh at Bharatpur, built by Maharaja Suraj Mal with mud ramparts and a moat, withstood Lord Lake's siege of 1805. Taragarh, the Chauhan hill fort, overlooks Ajmer.
Temples and shrines
The Dilwara Jain temples at Mount Abu are masterpieces of marble carving: Vimal Vasahi (1031), built by Vimal Shah, minister of the Solanki king Bhimdev I, for Adinath, and Luna Vasahi (1230), built by the brothers Vastupal and Tejpal for Neminath. The Ranakpur temple in Pali, a four-faced (chaumukha) temple of Adinath built in 1439 by Dharna Shah in Rana Kumbha's reign with the architect Depa, has 1,444 carved pillars, no two alike. The Dargah of Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti (Gharib Nawaz, died 1236) at Ajmer draws pilgrims of all faiths to its annual Urs, and the Adhai Din ka Jhonpra stands nearby. Pushkar has one of the very few temples of Brahma, Nathdwara the Shrinathji temple whose idol Maharana Raj Singh sheltered from Aurangzeb, and the Kiradu temples near Barmer are called the Khajuraho of Rajasthan.
Personalities
Beyond the kings and warriors of earlier lessons, exams ask about these long-established figures. Maharaja Ganga Singh of Bikaner built the Ganga Canal (1927) and was the first Chancellor of the Chamber of Princes (1921). Hiralal Shastri, the first head of government of Rajasthan, founded the Vanasthali Vidyapith for women's education (1935). Kalibai, a young Bhil girl of Rastapal in Dungarpur, was shot in 1947 while trying to save her teacher Sengabhai. Allah Jilai Bai of Bikaner made the Maand song 'Kesariya Balam' famous. Vijaydan Detha ('Bijji') retold Rajasthani folk tales in Bataan ri Phulwari and, with the folklorist Komal Kothari, built the Rupayan Sansthan at Borunda. Kanhaiyalal Sethia wrote the song 'Dharti Dhoran Ri'. Panna Dhai, Bhamashah, Amrita Devi Bishnoi and the mathematician Brahmagupta of Bhinmal are other names that recur in questions.
Key facts
- Hill Forts of Rajasthan (UNESCO 2013): Chittorgarh, Kumbhalgarh, Ranthambore, Gagron, Amber and Jaisalmer.
- Vijay Stambh: built by Rana Kumbha, nine storeys, after the 1437 victory at Sarangpur; Kirti Stambh: older Jain tower dedicated to Adinath.
- Kumbhalgarh: architect Mandan, wall about 36 km long; Gagron: water fort at the Ahu-Kali Sindh confluence.
- Jaisalmer's Sonar Qila: Rawal Jaisal, 1156, Trikuta hill, a living fort with 99 bastions.
- Jaipur: founded 1727 by Sawai Jai Singh II, planned by Vidyadhar Bhattacharya, painted pink in 1876, UNESCO World Heritage city 2019.
- Jantar Mantar, Jaipur: UNESCO 2010, Samrat Yantra is the largest stone sundial; Hawa Mahal: 1799, Lal Chand Ustad, 953 windows.
- Mehrangarh: Rao Jodha, 1459, Chidiyatunk hill; Junagarh: Rai Singh and Karmachand, 1589-1594; Lohagarh: Suraj Mal, withstood Lake in 1805.
- Dilwara: Vimal Vasahi 1031 (Vimal Shah), Luna Vasahi 1230 (Vastupal-Tejpal); Ranakpur: 1439, Dharna Shah, 1,444 pillars.
- Ajmer Sharif: dargah of Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti; Kiradu temples near Barmer: the Khajuraho of Rajasthan.
- Ganga Singh: Ganga Canal 1927, first Chancellor of the Chamber of Princes; Hiralal Shastri: Vanasthali 1935; Kalibai of Rastapal, 1947.
Quick revision
Six hill forts UNESCO 2013 (Chittorgarh, Kumbhalgarh, Ranthambore, Gagron, Amber, Jaisalmer); Gagron water fort; Kumbhalgarh wall 36 km; Sonar Qila 1156; Jaipur 1727, pink 1876, UNESCO 2019; Jantar Mantar UNESCO 2010; Hawa Mahal 1799, 953 windows; Mehrangarh 1459; Junagarh 1589-94; Lohagarh 1805; Dilwara 1031 and 1230; Ranakpur 1439, 1,444 pillars; Ajmer dargah; Ganga Singh; Hiralal Shastri; Kalibai.