Kumbhalgarh – The Indian Great Wall

Kumbhalgarh Fort and the “Indian Great Wall”, Kumbhalgarh, Rajasthan, India

The huge fortress of Kumbhalgarh rests on a hilltop, 1.100 meters above sea level. Most remarkable indeed, but its 36 kilometer long wall makes it unique, the stand out among so many other stunning forts in Rajasthan. The walls of Kumbhalgarh don’t just encircle the fort, no they extends far into the hills. Very much like the Great Wall of China. There is one big difference though – we had the whole thing to ourselves! An Indian family and a couple of foreign tourists crossed our path, but otherwise our only companions in this maze of a castle were some groups of monkeys. We had first heard of this fort reading one of our favorite travel blogs by Darren Crawford, more than 18 months ago. And it stuck!

Kumbhalgarh Fort and the “Indian Great Wall”, Kumbhalgarh, Rajasthan, India

Kumbhalgarh Fort and the “Indian Great Wall”, Kumbhalgarh, Rajasthan, India

Kumbhalgarh Fort and the “Indian Great Wall”, Kumbhalgarh, Rajasthan, India

The two-hour drive from Udaipur (each way) on a windy road was pleasant and scenic. What a change! A green, clean, airy rural India without the crowds and noise of cities big or small, embraced us. This area is so fertile that local farmers bring in two harvests, corn (after the monsoon) and wheat (after the winter). Such green fields at this time of the year, we had not expected…

Traditional Irrigation System, on the way from Udaipur to Kumbhalgarh, Rajasthan, India

Traditional Irrigation System, on the way from Udaipur to Kumbhalgarh, Rajasthan, India

Having travelled so far, we extended the loop to Ranakpur to visit a piece of magic carved from white marble. This Jain Temple exhibits the most delicate carvings, both on its walls and on its 1.500 (!) columns. Here in Ranakpur, unlike over-quiet Kumbhalgarh, the whole wide world was milling around. What we considered a lot of visitors maybe very subjective. High season in the Udaipur area is between November and February… We wondered what that might feel like!

Ranakpur Jain Temple, Ranakpur, Rajasthan, India

Ranakpur Jain Temple, Ranakpur, Rajasthan, India

Ranakpur Jain Temple, Ranakpur, Rajasthan, India

Ranakpur Jain Temple, Ranakpur, Rajasthan, India