About Vijay Stambha, Architecture, History, Timings, Entry Fee, Attractions, Best Time to Visit, Accommodation, How To Reach, Intricate Carvings on Vijay Stambh.
About Vijay Stambha
Vijay Stambha, also known as victory tower, is a piece of resistance of Chittorgarh. It was constructed by the king of Mewar, Rana Kumbha to celebrate his triumph over the combined forces of Malwa and Gujarat led by Mahmud Khilji, in 1448. The mighty tower was constructed between the period of 1458 and 1488 and is so tall and massive that it is visible from any part of the city. Hence, the entire town can be viewed from here.
Vijay Stambh is a dedication to Lord Vishnu and has intricate carvings and sculptures of Hindu Gods and Goddesses. The internal part of the tower has carvings of weapons, musical instruments, and other tools used in that period. It is an excellent example of religious pluralism practised by the Rajputs. The highest storey consists of an image of the Jain Goddess, Padmavati. Also, the word Allah is carved nine times on the third storey and eight times on the eighth storey, all in Arabic. The magnificent tower is a piece of architecture that is frequented by tourists visiting the city and makes them feel proud of the vibrant history of the country.
Architecture
The tower is adorned memorably with Hindu God and Goddess. It is dedicated to Lord Vishnu. Vijay Stambh is a 9 story tower with a height of 37.19 mtr. Made with red sand stone and white marble, this tower has a balcony in each stories. Filled with inscriptions, images of wepons, musical instruments etc, this tower also has the portrait of Jaita, architect of this tower with his 3 sons – Napa, Puja and Poma. Tower is one of the most attractive part in Chittorgarh Fort.
Constructed of red sandstone and white marble, Vijay Stambh has a balcony on every storey. The tower is nine storeys tall with a height of 37.19 meters and a base height of 3.0 meters. One has to climb 157 steps to reach the top of the tower. Therefore, the top has a mesmerising view of the entire city.
The interior and exterior are delicately carved showing Hindu deities of mythological characters with names. The inscribed slabs in the uppermost story contains genealogy of the rulers of Chittaur from Hamir to Rana Kumbha. The entire tower is covered with architectural ornaments and inscribed images of gods and goddesses, seasons, weapons, musical instruments, etc. Its inscribed sculpture are a veritable text-book of Hindu iconography. The portraits of the architect of this tower Jaita and his 3 sons, Napa, Puja, and Poma are carved on the fifth floor of the tower.
The Tower has nine storey, each of the nine storey are distinctly marked with openings and balconies at every face of each storey. The 157 circular and narrow steps which leads to the terrace is also a noticeable feature of the architecture. After reaching at the top of tower, anyone can see a great and unique view of the whole city. The uppermost floor has been sealed off and is no longer accessible to visitors.
विजय स्तम्भ
विजय स्तम्भ (1440-48) राजस्थान के चित्तौड़गढ़ में स्थित एक स्तम्भ है। इसका निर्माण 1437 में मेवाड़ नरेश राणा कुम्भा ने महमूद खिलजी के नेतृत्व वाली मालवा और गुजरात की सेनाओं पर सारंगपुर युद्ध विजय के स्मारक के रूप में बनवाया था।इसका वास्तुकार राव जैता था।
122 फीट ऊंचा, 9 मंजिला विजय स्तंभ भारतीय स्थापत्य कला की बारीक एवं सुन्दर कारीगरी का नायाब नमूना है, जो नीचे से चौड़ा, बीच में संकरा एवं ऊपर से पुनः चौड़ा डमरू के आकार का है। इसमें ऊपर तक जाने के लिए 157 सीढ़ियाँ बनी हुई हैं। स्तम्भ का निर्माण महाराणा कुम्भा ने अपने समय के महान वास्तुशिल्पी मंडन के मार्गदर्शन में उनके बनाये नक़्शे के आधार पर करवाया था। इस स्तम्भ के आन्तरिक तथा बाह्य भागों पर भारतीय देवी-देवताओं, अर्द्धनारीश्वर, उमा-महेश्वर, लक्ष्मीनारायण, ब्रह्मा, सावित्री, हरिहर, पितामह विष्णु के विभिन्न अवतारों तथा रामायण एवं महाभारत के पात्रों की सेंकड़ों मूर्तियां उत्कीर्ण हैं।इसके साथ ही देवी मात्रिकाओं,प्रतिमाओं,ऋतुओं,नदियों और जन-जीवन की झांकियों का सुन्दर अंकन किया है।
Intricate Carvings on Vijay Stambh
Vijay Stambh has inscribed slabs in the uppermost storey; which contain a brief genealogy of the rulers of Chittaur and their brave deeds. This wonderful task was done by Rana Kumbha, the court scholar and Atri and his son, Mahesh. On the fifth storey, the names of the architects are carved; namely, Sutradhar Jaita and his three sons, Napa, Puja, and Poma.+
Timings
8.00 AM to 6.00 PM
Entry Fee
Free
Other Attractions
The area around the Vijay Stambh is littered with an impressive number of further remains, including a pair of monumental gateways and a number of florid temples, including the superbly decorated Samiddhesvara Temple, whose shrine houses an image of the trimurti, a composite, three-headed image of Shiva, Brahma and Vishnu. Several temples line the route, but the most impressive monument is Kirti Stambh. The inspiration for the tower of victory, this smaller Tower of Fame is 22 metre high and was built by a Jain merchant Jeeja Bhagerwala during the reign of Rawal Kumar Singh (1179-1191) for the glory of Jainism.
Best Time to Visit
The best time to visit the fort is from February to April and October to December as the climate is pleasant in these months. The weather is neither too hot nor too cold. The other months are either very cold or very hot.
Accommodation
There are around 68 hotels in Chittorgarh which include inexpensive budget hotels to expensive four-star hotels. Tourists can stay in resorts and guest houses at cheap rates. People can get also stay in hotels nearby railway station and the fort.
How to Reach
By Air
Chittorgarh does not have its airport but Dabok airport in Udaipur and Sanganer airport in Jaipur are nearest to Chittorgarh. Dabok airport is 70km away from Chittorgarh which is connected to Delhi, Jaipur, Jodhpur, Ahmedabad, and Mumbai. Sanganer airport is 300km away from Chittorgarh and is connected with many national and international cities.
By Rail
Chittorgarh is connected to major cities in India through rail which include Udaipur, Jaipur, Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Hyderabad, and others. Tourists can get direct trains to these places. There are no direct trains to cities like Lucknow but tourists can change trains from other stations that are connected with both Chittorgarh and Lucknow.
By Road
Chittorgarh is connected to various cities though highways. Tourists can catch private and government buses in order to reach their destination. The bus stand is located in the middle of old and new city.
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