Vijay Sthambh Chittorgarh is an iconic monument located in the historic Chittorgarh Fort of Rajasthan.  India has more than a thousand forts strewn across its length and breadth. The state of Rajasthan itself is home to many forts that resonate with stories of valour, chivalry, and love.

The amazing forts of Chittorgarh, Kumbhalgarh, Amer  Fort in Jaipur, Jaisalmer Fort, and Gagron Fort, are grouped together as a UNESCO World Heritage Site jointly known as the Hill Forts of Rajasthan.

Chittorgarh is almost like a living museum with heritage monuments scattered around its massive area spanning 700 acres. Vijay Sthambh rises to the skies as a glorious monument that symbolizes the ethos of Chittorgarh and its pages of fascinating history.

Vijay Stambh Chittorgarh – A Celebration of Victory

The Vijay Stambh also referred to as Vijaya Sthambha dominates the skyline of Chittorgarh. It towers over many of the other monuments and places to visit in Chittorgarh including the Kirti Sthambh, the palaces, and the temples including the Meera temple, and the Samadhishwara temple. Read on to know more about the towering Vijay Stambha of Chittorgarh, its history, and architecture.

Vijay Stambh Chittorgarh Quick Facts

Location Inside the Chittor Fort.
Timings 10 AM to 5 PM.
Entry Fee There is no entry fee for Vijaya Stambha, however, there is an entry ticket for Chittorgarh Fort which covers the individual attractions within the fort.
Time To Visit 2 to 2.5 hours.
Photography Allowed.

History of Vijay Stambh Chittorgarh

As you walk within the sprawling campus of the Chittor Fort, hundreds of stories from history tug at your heart. If the legendary devotion of Mirabai comes alive in one corner, the fearless pride of Padmini touches your very core in another corner. Standing tall as a silent sentinel, surveying the entire expanse of the fort is the Vijay Stambh – Tower Of Victory In Rajasthan.

The Vijaya Stambha at Chittorgarh is a celebration of a military victory by one of the famous kings of Mewar, Rana Kumbha. Rana Kumbha is known to have been a patron of arts and architecture and was the one who gave land for the building of the famous Ranakpur Jain Temple.

Rana Kumbha was constantly at war with the rulers of the Malwa Sultanate. His battles with Mahmud Khalji, the then Sultan of the Malwa Sultanate are legendary. One such battle is famous as the battle of Mandavgad or the battle of Sarangpur. One of the assassins of Rana Mokal Singh who was Rana Kumbha’s father was given sanctuary by Mahmud Khalji.

Rana Kumbha asked for the assassin to be handed over, but was refused by the Sultan. This led to a fierce battle in which the forces of the Sultan were defeated. Mahmud Khhalji faced the ignominy of defeat and was himself captured by Rana Kumbha and imprisoned, to be set free later.

Though there is no agreement among historians as to exactly when the Vijay Stambha, Chittorgarh was built. It is estimated that the victory monument was built between 1458 to 1468, however, some historians opine that the fort was built in 1448.

Whatever may be the case, the truth is that the Vijay Stambha, Chittorgarh, was built in commemoration of the victory of Rana Kumbha over the combined forces of Mahmud Khalji and the Gujarat Sultanate.

Vijay Stambh Built By Rana Kumbha stands today as a proud reminder of the valour of the king and his patronage of art and architecture in Mewar.

Vijay Stambh Architecture

Victory monuments that commemorate triumphs in war can be seen all over the world, be it Rome, London, or Delhi. Some of the famous victory monuments in India are the Qutub Minar in Delhi, the Badal Mahal in Chanderi, Madhya Pradesh, and the Tyagada Brahmadeva Pillar in Shravanabelagola, Karnataka. However the most beautiful and elegant of all the victory monuments is the Vijaya Stambha of Chittorgarh.

Rana Kumbha like his predecessors was a great patron of art and architecture. It is believed that of the 84 fortresses that secured Mewar from invaders, 34 were built by Rana Kumbha, himself. He also built numerous temples and other monuments, including the Vijay Stambha Chittorgarh.

The Vijay Stambh in Chittor towers to a height of 37 metres and is made up of 9 storeys. The tower is richly ornamented with sculptures of Gods and Goddesses from the Hindu pantheon. There is an image of Padmavati, the guardian deity of Parswanath, the 23rd Tirthankar of Jainism on the 5th floor of the Vijaya Stambha.

This is a beautiful example of the religious pluralism of the Mewar kings who though Hindus also patronized Jainism and helped in the construction of Jain temples including the Ranakpur Jain temple.

The nine storeys of the Vijay Stambh consist of balconies and every inch of the exterior wall is covered with exquisite carvings and sculptures.

Various inscriptions can be found inside the different floors of the Vijaya Stambha, that give details of the Mewar rulers including Rana Kumbha. These inscriptions are attributed to Rana Kumbha’s court scholar Atri and his son Mahesh.

You can also find the inscriptions that give the name of the architect. According to the inscriptions, the architect who designed and built the Vijay Stambh was Sutradhar Jatta, and he was assisted by his three sons, namely, Napa, Puja, and Poma.

There are many inscriptions that eulogize Rana Kumbha and enumerate his deeds. One inscription compares him to the mythical mountain Sumeru that was used for the churning of the ocean according to Hindy mythology. It goes on to say that Rana Kumbha humbled the King Muhammad of Malwa.

Vijay Stambha, Chittorgarh | Vijay Stambh Images

How To Get to Vijay Stambh Chittorgarh, Rajasthan

• Vijaya Stambha or Vijay Stambh is located within the Chittor Fort in the state of Rajasthan in India
• Chittorgarh is located about 110 kilometres from the city of lakes, Udaipur
• Chittorgarh lies about 316 kilometres from the capital of Rajasthan, Jaipur
• The distance of Chittorgarh from Delhi is about 581 kilometres

By Air

• The airport closest to Chittorgarh is the Maharana Pratap Airport in Udaipur at a distance of 92 kilometres
• You can fly to Udaipur and travel by road to Chittorgarh
• Udaipur is well connected by air to major cities of India

By Rail

• There is a railway station about 8 kilometres from Chittor Fort
• Trains from places including Bhopal, Indore, Mumbai, Mysore, Hyderabad, Bangalore, and others are available at Chittorgarh railway station
• For more details about trains to and from Chittorgarh and booking check the IRCTC site.

By Road

• Chittorgarh is well connected by a robust road network
• Rajasthan makes for amazing road trips and you can do a road trip to Chittorgarh from Jaipur or Udaipur or from any other place

If you are planning a trip to Chittorgarh in Rajasthan, India then you can book a cheap flight through TripAdvisor or CheapAir or Cleartrip or Makemytrip or Priceline right here.

You can also exercise the option of flying to Udaipur or Jaipur and then from there you can travel to Chittorgarh by road. Road trips in Rajasthan are always a great way to travel, the options to reach Chittorgarh could be by self-drive car or cab or bus.

Where To Stay In Chittorgarh

Chittorgarh has many options for accommodation, though you will not find many premium or luxury hotels here. One can stay at the hotels in Chittorgarh or also visit Chittorgarh as a day trip from Udaipur. One of the good hotels to stay in Chittorgarh is the Kukda  Resort.

You can book this hotel or any other hotel in Chittorgarh or anywhere in Rajasthan or India, right here. through TripAdvisor or Cleartrip or Makemytrip or Priceline and save a lot by getting the best savings on booking your stay.

The Vijay Stambh of Chittorgarh is a beautiful icon of the chivalry, romance, and love for art and architecture of the kings of Mewar. Visiting Chittorgarh is like travelling back in time and living the pages of history. We hope you liked reading our Vijay Stambh travel blog, and hope it provides interesting and useful information.

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