Secret tunnels inside Chittorgarh Fort

Chittorgarh fort, one of India’s biggest and maximum ambitious forts, isn’t always just a symbol of Rajput valor however also a marvel of medieval engineering. Among its many mysteries are the secret tunnels that weave below its big shape—passages designed for escape, stealthy motion, and survival at some stage in sieges.

Those underground pathways performed a critical function in the citadel’s dramatic records, permitting royal families, warriors, and spies to keep away from capture while defeat changed into drawing close. Even as a few tunnels were found, others continue to be lost to time, shrouded in legend and hypothesis.

Chittorgarh fort witnessed 3 fundamental sieges—by way of Alauddin Khilji (1303), Bahadur Shah of Gujarat (1535), and Akbar (1567)—each ending in tragic Jauhar (mass self-immolation). However, before the final fall, the tunnels served as:

• Get away routes for royals: whilst defeat changed into sure, queens, princes, and key warriors used hidden passages to flee.
• Guerrilla conflict: warriors launched wonder assaults on enemies by moving undetected.
• Deliver traces: at some point of prolonged sieges, meals and guns have been smuggled in through those tunnels.

A. The tunnel to Kumbhalgarh fort (84 km lengthy?)
The maximum famous legend speaks of a secret underground passage connecting chittorgarh to Kumbhalgarh Castle, almost 84 km away. At the same time as historians debate its existence, locals claim:

• It become extensive enough for horsemen to pass.
• It had multiple exits to misinform pursuers.
• Handiest the royal family and depended on generals knew its full path.
• Truth test: no archaeological proof confirms this tunnel’s full length, however shorter escape routes within the castle had been observed.

B. The rani padmini tunnel (khohar tunnel)
Related to rani padmini’s legend, this tunnel supposedly allowed girls to escape before jauhar. A few agree with alauddin khilji used it to go into the palace, even as others say it become an emergency go out.

C. The bhimlat tunnel (close to Bhimtal Kund)
A narrow, water-filled passage close to Bhimtal Kund is stated to had been utilized by warriors to slip out during Akbar’s siege. Divers have explored components of it, but its full route stays unclear.

The tunnels show off superior Rajput army architecture:

• Hidden entrances: disguised as wells, rock crevices, or temple basements.
• Ventilation shafts: small air holes avoided suffocation.
• False paths: useless ends and traps confused enemy pursuers.

• In 2019, ASI (Archaeological Survey of India) exposed a 300-meter tunnel close to Rana Kumbha Palace, probably used for secret communication.
• Floor-penetrating radar (GPR) surveys suggest more undiscovered networks below the citadel.
• Nearby legends speak of treasure chambers inner those tunnels, but none had been found.

• After Akbar’s conquest, Mughals sealed many passages to save you rebellions.
• Earthquakes and erosion collapsed parts of the tunnels over the years.
• Information of their locations become misplaced as generations passed.

The name of the game tunnels of Chittorgarh are extra than just architectural wonders—they are testaments to Rajput resilience. While some passages can be mythical, their existence in folklore and partial discoveries show their strategic significance. Even these days, these underground labyrinths ignite curiosity, reminding the United States of America time whilst survival relied on stealth, courage, and hidden pathways underneath the earth.