Chittorgarh : An Overview
The pride of Rajasthan, Chittorgarh still reverberates with the tales of its glorious but turbulent past. It is a land where the ideals of chivalry, sacrifice and honor were always worshipped. Today, all that remains of those glorious times are the ruins of forts, palaces and temples that have nevertheless managed to retain their old grandeur. Every time Chittorgarh was attacked, its brave populace left no stone unturned to defend their honor to the last breath. As the men rode out to meet their adversaries on the battlefield, the women and children would light a huge pyre and immolate themselves in order to escape the marauding enemy. Today, Chittorgarh is synonymous with the tragic tale of Queen Padmini who chose death over dishonor by committing ‘Jauhar’ or self-immolation with other women. It happened that Alauddin Khilji was so overwhelmed by her beauty that he attacked Chittorgarh with the sole motive of possessing her. However, queen Padmini foiled his plans by taking the brave decision of facing death before giving him any chance to fulfill his aim.