Assignment Hill Forts of Rajasthan - UNESCO World Heritage Centre

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25 Jan 2020
Introduction
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The present case study is based on a cultural heritage site located in the Asian region, India,
named Rajasthan hill forts. The forts located in Rajasthan are a source of rich cultural heritage.
The hill forts in Rajasthan primarily includes the Chittorgarh, Sawai, Jhalawar, Kumbhalgarh,
Jaisalmer, and Jaipur (Kaur, Singh and Kaur 2019). The architecture of these forts covers almost
20 km in circumference. These forts epitomize and provide evidence of the Rajput power that
was present from the 8th to the 18th century (Choudhary 2019). The enclosed and strong walls of
the fort represent the symbol of defensive barriers from any external attack. Inside these walls
there exists urban centers, trading centers, temples, and palaces. These structures signify the
cultural heritage of that period which supports arts, music, and learning (Choudhary and
Gangotia 2019). The forts use hills, dense forests, rivers, and deserts as a source of a natural
defensive tool against enemies in the past. Additionally, the Rajput kings of the 8th to 18th
century owing these forts have also designed water harvesting structures that are also in use in
the present time. In the present report, the discussion is concentrated on one of these forts,
Chittorgarh Fort, located in Udaipur, Rajasthan. This fort is placed in UNESCO as one of the
world heritage sites. It is protected as the Monuments of National Importance of India by the on-
center historical monuments (Parashar 2018). It is the largest fort in India and as compared to
other Indian forts, it is considered being exceptional due to its monumentality and scalability.
This used fort is situated under a high hill beside the Gambheri river of Chittorgarh. It was built
by the Maurya rulers of the 7th century and it expands to a distance of 3 kilometers in length and
13 kilometers in terms of peripheral length (Kumar 2016). In history, the fort has been attacked
by Mughal emperors in three major battles and each time it is saved by Rajput warriors and
hence is considered to be impregnable to destroy. The fort symbolizes the pride and chivalry of
Rajputs. It also signifies the glimpse of courage, sacrifice, and determination of the Rajput rulers
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who once lived here (Dubey 2017). This fort is a form of acknowledgment for the courage and
bravery of Rajput rulers who have sacrificed their lives in the war despite surrendering. This fort
comprises of magnificent and well-designed palaces, cenotaphs and big towers. In context to its
structure, Chittorgarh Fort has a colossal structure that is protected by several well-built
gateways. The fort comprises a nine-storeyed tower which includes 157 steps and it took almost
10 years for construction (Pandit, Hooja, and Jain 2016). The tower is under 122 feet in height
and this giant tower provides a perfect picture view of the entire city from its balconies
(Srivastava 2016). The fort depicts the architectural remains of the past, particularly from the 8th
to the 18th centuries, which is currently a tourist
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attraction.
Figure 1: Chittorgarh Fort, Chittorgarh, India
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