Meherangarh Fort

The next morning we piled our increasingly heavy bags into the trunk of our taxi and then drove up long, winding road to the Meherangarh Fort. As we neared the fort, its height became apparent; battlements were up to 36 m (118 ft) high. Chiseled from the rock on which the fort stood, it appeared to rise right from the rock. Different colors and slightly differing styles revealed the constant additions. Having paid the local entry fee (only a fraction of the foreign price), we put on the audio tour headphones and headed to point number one. Past the protruding canons was a sea of blue buildings. Traditionally the blue color signified that the house was that of a Brahmin, but now others have also adopted the periwinkle blue. We then paused to listen to a young man with a slight mustache playing the rather humble-looking Rawanhathha instrument. Bowing a traditional melody back and forth over the two strings, the young man sung passionately.

We then continued our ascent up the steep ramp which then took a steep turn at the top. According to the audio guide, explained that this design prevented enemies approaching on elephants to continue their forward momentum. Past the Lahopol (Iron Gate) were 15 small handprints arranged in stairstep rows and painted in a deep terra-cotta color. These mark the sati (self-immolation) of Marajaha Man Sing’s widows, who threw themselves on his funeral pyre in 1843. Small flags in yellow, green, red and white stripes fluttered in the breeze over the pathway to the first buildings. We walked through the fort following the carefully laid-out path, admiring the lavish interiors as well as the well-preserved exterior. One of the more curious rooms was the Thakhat Vilas, the private chamber of Maharaja Thakhat Singh, with its wooden ceiling adorned with large Christmas ornaments. We also walked past large collections of palanquins, elephant howdahs (seats for carrying people on top of an elephant), and royal cradles. Another room housed an excellent collection of miniature paintings. The entire splendid place revealed the lavish spending of the marajahas while the commoners likely languished in poverty.

See more photos of Meherangarh Fort on Flickr

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