Rajasthan Forts: Complete Notes on Builders, Construction Period, Ancient Names, and Popular Names

English Medium Detailed Table

No. Fort Name (District) Built By Construction Period (Approx.) Ancient / Historical Name Present / Other Popular Names
1 Chittorgarh Fort Chitrangad Maurya 7th century Chitrakoot Crown of forts, Pride of Rajasthan, Gateway of Malwa
2 Kumbhalgarh Fort (Rajsamand) Rana Kumbha 1458 CE Kumbhalpur / Machhindrapur Kumbhalmer, Great Wall of India
3 Katargarh (Rajsamand) Rana Kumbha 1458 CE - Eye of Mewar; inner fort of Kumbhalgarh
4 Mehrangarh Fort (Jodhpur) Rao Jodha 1459 CE Chidiyatook (name of the hill) Mayurdhwajgarh, Garh Chintamani, Suryagarh
5 Jaisalmer Fort Rawal Jaisal 1156 CE Trikutgarh Sonar Quila, Swarnagiri, Rose of the Desert, Sentinel of the West
6 Amer Fort (Jaipur) Raja Man Singh I (expanded); originally associated with the Meenas 1592 CE (present form) Ambarishpur / Ambikapur Ambavati, Mominabad
7 Gagron Fort (Jhalawar) Raja Bijaldev Dod (Paramara) 12th century Gargaratpur Dhoolargarh, Dodgarh, Mustafabad, Water Fort
8 Ranthambore Fort (Sawai Madhopur) Raja Ranthambhan Dev (Chauhan) 944 CE Rantahpur Armoured fort, Durgadhiraj, Younger brother of Chittorgarh
9 Junagarh Fort (Bikaner) Raja Rai Singh 1589-1594 CE Chintamani Garh Jewel of the ground, Fort of Rati Ghati
10 Taragarh Fort (Ajmer) Raja Ajaypal Chauhan 1113 CE Ajaymeru / Garh Beethli Gibraltar of the East, Key of Rajputana
11 Taragarh Fort (Bundi) Raja Barsingh Hada 1354 CE - Tilismi Fort, Buland Darwaza Fort
12 Jalore Fort Paramara rulers (original); Kanhaddev Chauhan (reconstruction) 10th-13th century Jabalipur / Suvarnagiri Sonalgarh, Kanchangiri, Jalalabad
13 Siwana Fort (Balotra) Raja Veer Narayan (Paramara) 10th century Kumatgarh / Kumbhana Ankhila Fort, Shelter of Marwar, Key of Jalore
14 Jaigarh Fort (Jaipur) Sawai Jai Singh II 1726 CE Cheel ka Teela Vijay Garh, Mysterious Fort, Sankatmochan Fort
15 Nahargarh Fort (Jaipur) Sawai Jai Singh II 1734 CE Sudarshangarh Fort of Nine Palaces, Crown of Jaipur, Tiger Fort
16 Bhatner Fort (Hanumangarh) Raja Bhupat (Bhati Rajput) 295 CE Bhatner Hanumangarh, Sentinel of the North, Strong mud fort
17 Lohagarh Fort (Bharatpur) Maharaja Suraj Mal 1733 CE Bharatpur Fort Ajay Durg, Eastern border sentinel, Mud fort
18 Akbar Fort (Ajmer) Emperor Akbar 1570 CE Magazine Fort Akbar's Daulatkhana, Armoury
19 Bayana Fort (Bharatpur) Raja Vijaypal (Yaduvanshi) 1040 CE Shripur / Shonitpur Vijaymandir Garh, Badshah Fort, Banasur Fort
20 Bala Quila (Alwar) Hasan Khan Mewati (original); Raja Jai Singh (expanded) Around 1550 CE Alwar Fort Kunwara Fort, Beloved of Bawangarh
21 Bhangarh Fort (Alwar) Raja Bhagwant Das; linked with Madho Singh I 1573 CE - Haunted Bhangarh, City of ruins
22 Shergarh Fort (Baran) Sher Shah Suri (named after conquest) Around 1545 CE Koshvardhan Fort Shelter of snakes
23 Shergarh Fort (Dholpur) Raja Sher Singh 16th century - Gateway of the Deccan
24 Nagaur Fort Rao Kumbha (expanded); ancient origin 12th century Ahichhatrapur Nagdurg, Nagana Fort
25 Chomu Fort (Jaipur Rural) Raja Mohan Singh 18th century Raghunathgarh Dharadhargarh, Chomuhagarh
26 Kuchaman Fort (Didwana) Rao Devraj (Shekhawat) 18th century - Crown of jagiri forts
27 Dausa Fort Raja Dausa (Badgujar) 10th century - Fort shaped like a winnowing tray
28 Bhainsrorgarh (Chittorgarh) Traders / Mahajans 18th century - Vellore of Rajasthan
29 Churu Fort Thakur Kushal Singh 1694 CE - Fort that fired silver cannonballs
30 Mandalgarh Fort (Bhilwara) Rana Kumbha (reconstruction) 15th century - Manakriti, bowl-shaped fort
31 Sajjangarh Fort (Udaipur) Maharana Sajjan Singh 1884 CE - Monsoon Palace, Crown jewel of Udaipur
32 Achalgarh / Abu Fort (Sirohi) Paramara dynasty 1452 CE (rebuilt by Rana Kumbha) - Fort of the Paramaras
33 Timangarh Fort (Karauli) Raja Timanpal (Yaduvanshi) 1100 CE Tribhuvangiri / Tavangarh Islamabad
34 Kankwadi Fort (Alwar) Unknown (Mughal period) 17th century - Prison place of Dara Shikoh
35 Khandar Fort (Sawai Madhopur) Raja Khandariya 12th century - Supporting fort of Ranthambore / Peeth Mard Fort
36 Neemrana Fort (Kotputli) Raja Neem Singh (Chauhan) 16th century - Panchmahal Fort
37 Barmer Fort Rao Bahad (Rathore) 1552 CE - Kilonagarh Fort
38 Mandore Fort (Jodhpur) Rao Jodha (reconstruction); ancient origin 6th century Mandavyapur Fort Ancient capital of Marwar
39 Machadi Fort (Alwar / Khairthal) Raja Machh 15th century - Nahargarh (local name)
40 Merta Fort (Nagaur) Rao Maldev (expanded) 16th century Medantakpur Fort Malkot Fort
41 Vallabhgarh Fort (Udaipur) Raja Vallabh Singh 17th century - Untala Fort

High-Frequency Exam Facts

  1. Oldest fort: Bhatner Fort (Hanumangarh) - 295 CE, built by Raja Bhupat.
  2. Newest fort in this list: Sajjangarh / Monsoon Palace (Udaipur) - 1884 CE, built by Maharana Sajjan Singh.
  3. Foundation of Mehrangarh: laid by Rao Jodha in 1459 CE. He also founded Jodhpur.
  4. Kumbhalgarh: built by Rana Kumbha in 1458 CE. He is associated with the construction or renovation of many major forts.
  5. Jaigarh and Nahargarh: both are associated with Sawai Jai Singh II; Jaigarh was built in 1726 CE and Nahargarh in 1734 CE.
  6. Lohagarh Fort (Bharatpur): built by Maharaja Suraj Mal in 1733 CE. It is famous as a strong mud fort.
  7. Junagarh Fort (Bikaner): built by Raja Rai Singh from 1589 to 1594 CE. It is located on plain land rather than a hill.
  8. Chittorgarh Fort: built by Chitrangad Maurya in the 7th century and later became a major centre of Mewar.
  9. Ranthambore Fort: built by Chauhan ruler Ranthambhan Dev in 944 CE.
  10. Taragarh Fort (Ajmer): built by Ajaypal Chauhan in 1113 CE; Ajmer was historically known as Ajaymeru.

Bonus Notes for Revision

  • Rana Kumbha is often remembered as a great builder of forts because of his association with Kumbhalgarh, Achalgarh, Mandalgarh, and Katargarh.
  • Siwana Fort is also called Ankhila Fort, a name linked with the idea of being difficult to shake or defeat.
  • Bala Quila (Alwar) is popularly known as Kunwara Fort because it is traditionally remembered as a fort that enemies could not capture.