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.
