Mehrangargh Fort

In the fort are magnificent palaces, courtyards and other buildings such as Moti Mahal (Pearl Palace), Phool Mahal (Flower Palace), Sheesh Mahal (Mirror Palace), Sileh Khana, Rani Bas, Top Khana, Vichala Mahal, Sringar Chauki and Daulat Khana. Carved panels and porches, maze of interlocking palace interiors, inner marble courtyards, audience halls, exquisite latticed zenana ( women's quarters) chambers, elaborately adorned walls and windows are worth seeing. The palaces in this fort have their own peculiar style, with narrow staircases, serving as the only means of access to the royal rooms within. The beauty and the grandeur of numerous palaces in the fort evoke the glorious past of the Rajput era.

The entrance is through a zigzag pathway up the west side originally fortified by seven gateways, each a short turn to the next, which provide a series of locks along the main access to the fort. Enroute to the fort is 'Jaswant Thada' the distinctive marble memorial of Jaswant Singh II. The main gate or the Fateh Gate is heavy, spiked and still has cannon ball hit marks. Then comes the smaller Gopal gate and the Bhairon Gate, with large guardrooms. The gates include  Jayapol, built by Maharaja Man Singh. The fourth, Toati Gate, is no more. Dodhkangra Gate stands over a sharp turn in the path. The Amarti Gate, has a long passageway with guardrooms on the sides. The Loha Gate or Iron Gate is the last gate at the final turn into the fort and there are 15  handprints of royal satis, the wives of Maharaja Man Singh who threw themselves upon his funeral pyre in 1843. They are usually covered in red powder. 

The ramp from the Loha gate leads up to the Suraj Pol, which opens onto the Shringar Choki Chowk (courtyard) which is the main entrance to the museum. The royal coronation ceremony of the crown prince was performed here, the only place in the fort constructed of white marble. The upper storeys around the courtyard were part of the zenana from where the royal ladies could look down on the activities in the courtyard. Jhanki Mahal (Glimpse palace) in the north has a long passage flanked by a further narrow gallery from which balconies (Jarokhas) with beautifully intricate jali screens and surmounted by the distinctive Bengali style eaves project over the courtyard. It houses a rich collection of royal cradles. The cradles are decorated with gilt mirrors and figures of fairies, elephant and birds. On the south of Shringar Chowk is a good collection of palanquins and elephant saddles made of pure silver. The Mahadole palanquin made of wood decorated with gold leaf was taken from Bahadur Shah, Begda of Malwa.

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