Rajasthan Villages - kumbhalgarh
Its location had always been Kumbhalgarh's greatest advantage. Because it was virtually inaccessible in the 15th century, Rana Kumbha of Mewar built this great defensive fortress on a 3,500 feet (1,100 meters) high hill overlooking the approaches from Ajmer and Marwar. Today, precisely because it is within easy reach of Udaipur, Jodhpur, Ajmer, and Pushkar-yet off the well trodden tourist routes-Kumbhalgarh is an attractive destination.
In Kumbha's time the kingdom of Mewar spread from Ranthambore to Gwalior, including vast tracts of present-day Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh. Mewar's rulers became patrons of all that was best in Indian martial and fine arts, architecture, and learning. Of the 84 fortresses defending Mewar, 32 were designed and built by Rana Kumbha. Of these, Kumbhalgarh with its 36-kilometer long wall and soaring towers is the most impressive. Kumbhalgarh stands on the site of an ancient citadel dating back to the second century AD belonging to a Jain descendant of India's Mauryan emperors. It defined the boundaries between Mewar and Marwar and became a refuge for Mewar's rulers in times of strife. Its steel gray ramparts encircle the fertile Shero Mallah Valley, with ancient monuments cenotaphs, ponds and flourishing farms. Kumbhalgarh fell only once in its history, to the combined forces of Emperor Akbar, Raja Man Singh of Amber, and Raja Udai Singh of Amber, and Raja Udai Singh of Marwar.
Ranakpur Jain Temples
The famous Ranakpur temples are just 50 kilometers from Kumbhalgarh by the scenic route through Vanpura and Saira.
Begun in 1438 by Rana Kumbha, Ranakpur became a strangely tranquil meditation center in a frequently war ravaged land. It also became a magnificent sculpture museum to which wealthy Jain merchants and ministers kept adding shrines and statues. The central Chaumukha Temple is dedicated to the venerated Tirthankara Adinath. With its 29 halls and 1,444 distinctly different carved pillars, this is an astounding monument. Two temples dedicated to the Jain saints, Parasnath and Neminath have beautiful erotic carvings very similar to those which have made Khajuraho famous. And truly worth visiting is the much earlier, probably 6th century, Sun Temple close by, which has polygonal walls richly embellished with warriors, horses, and booted solar deities driving splendid chariots.
Ghanerao
Ghanerao is the place where Thakur Sajjan Singhji and his gracious wife have recreated a charming old-world ambience by opening this castle constructed in 1603 to paying guests. The genuine warmth of his greeting as he strode across the courtyard towards us, the bright wall frescoes, hunting trophies, turbaned retainers, peeing maids, carved jharokhas, drawing rooms full of colored windows and chandeliers, Rajput miniatures, ostrich eggs hand printed by the owner in Mayo College, all those old photographs.
