‘Early historians believe that the foundation of the Kumbhalgarh fort was laid long before Rana Kumbha was born, by King Samprati of Maura Age during the 6th century. However, it’s present day form and thereby its name are attributed to Rana Kumbha of the Sisodia clan who is also responsible for the construction of 32 other forts in the Mewar kingdom. 

It is said that the Kumbhalgarh fort separated the regions of Mewar (Chittorgarh and Udaipur) and Marwar (Jodhpur, Jaisalmer and Barmer).

Historically, the Kumbhalgarh fort is also famous as the birthplace of the legendary warrior Maharana Pratap, the 13th king of Mewar. It is also known as the haven that gave protection to young prince Udai Singh, who was brought here by his selfless maid Panna Dhai.

It took 15 years of meticulous planning and execution by teams of dedicated masons, architects, and labourers to build Kumbhalgarh. The almost impregnable fort wall took almost a century to be completed! The walls huge size and thickness made it nearly impossible for the enemy to scale. The wall served to protect, not only the people, but the fertile land and the 360 fort temples that it housed. Locals say that during the days of the kings, innumerable lamps in the walls used to be lit, enabling the local farmers to work in their fields in the day as well as night. 

A legend of the fort wall says that each time the wall was built, it would collapse. The king consulted a hermit who suggested that a human be sacrificed. Where his head falls, there be a temple and where his body would fall, the wall begin there. After attempts to find volunteers failed, the hermit offered himself and was decapitated. The construction proceeded smoothly after this, and true to his words, Rana Kumbha built a temple where the hermit’s head had fallen.