Taragarh Fort

Taragarh Fort

The Taragarh fort is located at a distance of around 39 km from Kota. Taragarh Fort was the home of a major princely state at the height of the Rajput heydays. It is a massive fort built in the year 1354 and accessible by a steep pitched road leading to its main gateway. Rampant elephants top the gateway of the Taragarh Fort. It consists of huge reservoirs carved out of solid rock and the Bhim Burj, the largest of the battlements, on which is mounted a famous cannon. An excellent bird's view of the town from the fort is another attraction among tourists.

The main gateway of the fort has some meticulous carvings of elephants. Infact, there are three gateways to the fort. They are named Lakshmi Pol, Phuta Darwaza and Gagudi ki Phatak. Most parts of these impressive gateways are now in ruins. During its heydays, Taragarh fort was renowned for its tunnels crisscrossing the entire hillside. These tunnels allowed the king and his deputies to flee in case there was an imminent danger to their lives from enemies. Unfortunately, no maps of these tunnels are available in present times. From the Taragarh Fort, a spectacular view of Kota town is available.

The Water Reservoirs
The Taragarh fort has some huge water reservoirs. These reservoirs were built to store water and supply it to the residents during time of crisis. It is said that if released in full force, the water had the capacity to wash away people residing below. The reservoirs have been carved out of the rocky base of the fort.

Bhim Burj and Garbha Gunjan
There is a massive stone tower within the fort complex called Bhim Burj. The tower was built to house huge cannon named Garbha Gunjan. Garbha Gunjan is regarded as the second largest cannon in India. The cannon made such a thunderous sound that soldiers had to run immediately after firing it.

Rani Mahal
Rani Mahal is a small palace within the fort complex, built for the wives and concubines of rulers. The Mahal has, however lost most of its charm as the shine of its spectacular murals and stained glass windows have completely faded away.