Kumbhalgarh, the Great Wall of India

This Mewar fortress on the westerly range of the Aravalli Hills is one of the best-kept secrets in India, writes Sanjay A Pai

Three hundred and sixty temples in one complex is a fairly large amount, don't you think... even in India, a nation full of temples. On a gorgeous, crisp December morning, we were travelling on a pothole-free and smooth-as-butter road amidst the Aravalli Range in Rajasthan. This site was also the birthplace of the Rajput hero, Maharana Pratap and, best of all, possesses the record of having the second-longest contiguous wall in the world! This is a UNESCO World Heritage site, not for nothing. Those who are familiar with the area would know that I'm talking about the 3,600-feet above-sea-level Kumbhalgarh Fort in Rajasthan.

Situated 84 km away from Udaipur, the fort and its encircling wall were constructed over 15 years, from 1443 to 1458. Rana Kumbh of the Mewar empire was the inspiration behind the fort's design, which architect Mandan created. While we're talking about it, keep in mind that Mewar is not to be confused with Marwar, the nearby district and former kingdom. When we committed this simple error, our cabbie gently pointed out to us that the distinction was that Mewar had never been subjugated by anyone else.

Seven gates, or pols, make up Kumbhalgarh Fort. The primary entry point to the fort is Ram Pol, where tickets can be purchased for Rs 40 apiece. Ram Pol is an enormous and unusual-looking structure that resembles an elephant's foot. The uneven ascent to the summit of the fort is quite similar to how Goldilocks would have preferred it — not too difficult, not too easy. If I had to choose one side, I suppose I would say that it is simple for people who are generally fit and in good shape. 

Of course, the frabjous winter sun made our climb easier; I doubt I would say the same on a sweltering summer’s day. It took us about one and a half hours to climb from the first gate to the very top and then to retrace our steps. We did not see wheelchair access and certainly, the climb may be out of reach for many senior citizens. While ascending, we observed the construction of a memorial honouring Maharana Pratap's birthplace (although the text read "birth palace," not "place"; hopefully, this will be rectified soon). To reach the Badal Mahal, you would need to complete a last flight of stairs. From there, you can take in the breathtaking 360-degree vistas of the Aravallis.

If you are an ardent temple enthusiast, you may easily dedicate the majority of the day to touring a few of the 360 surviving Hindu and Jain temples. For example, the first pol is not far from the Ram temple. For our part, though, we were content to see just the Bhairav temple, or Bhairav Mandir, in the Badal Mahal courtyard.

However, this fort's wall is what has made it famous. When you consider that this wall is only 36 km long — the second longest in the world, behind the Great Wall of China, which is over 21,000 km long — you can see just how tough it must be to build fortress walls!

The wall appears as a serpentine construction that stretches far ahead and vanishes in spots where the land's rolling topography obscures the view. A wall must, of course, defend, but it must also provide an opening for an attack when the time is right. For this reason, the wall features gaps at regular intervals to allow the army to unleash their choice of weapon, most likely arrows.

We didn't stay for the light and sound performance because it would have required us to spend the entire day at the fort and then drive home in the dark on the winding, pitch-black roads, which makes me uneasy in general.

But to make up for it, we had the good fortune to see a nearby event. A safa (turban) tying competition took place after some people performed traditional Rajasthani dances. Participants included a wide range of foreign guests who were here for a few days' vacation from their work as auditors for a government agency in New Delhi. When the master of ceremonies said that the guests, not the competing Indians, were wearing the best safas, nobody objected! This, after all, was a perfect fit for the warmth and tradition of Padharo mhare desh (welcome to my land) which is characteristic of Rajasthan!