Rani Padmini Palace / Padmini Mahal

Rani Padmini Palace or Padmini Mahal was the palace of the famous and beautiful Queen of Chittor called Rani Padmini. The Mahal or Palace is situated inside the boundaries on the southern part of the Chittorgarh Fort. The famous legend of Rani Padmini of Chittor almost reminds us of Cleopatra’s story. Rani Padmini or Padmaavati, was the beautiful and exquisite queen of King Rawal Ratan Singh of Chittorgarh. History and mythology have almost always been a witness to wars being waged on account of beautiful women and the mad quest to win over them. The myth surrounding the Helen of Troy is almost always a significant one, when talking about the phenomena of war. Rani Padmini’s beauty was apparently of a similar kind that waged a great war, only to be reiterated in the form of poems, plays and films. Tourists are almost always attracted to this palace, only to get a glimpse of the place where the most beautiful queen of Chittorgarh may have once resided. The tour plan of this place is available in various CHITTORGARH TOURISM PACKAGES. 

History and Legends:

The story of Rani Padmavati never fails to amaze its audience. Rani Padmavati was a daughter of a Sinhala (presently Sri Lanka) ruler called Gandharvasen. Apparently the emperor of the Delhi sultanate , Ala-ud-din Khilji who is responsible for the siege on the city of Chittor in 1303 AD, did it so that he could make the most beautiful Queen his own. The Rani Padmini Palace is the very legendary palace , where Ala-ud-din Khilji on peaceful request was allowed to get a glimpse of the exquisite queen, indirectly, through the reflection of mirrors. After this a fierce war followed, that destroyed Chittor and the King. Rani Padmini however, to protect her honour chose to perform a “Jauhar” or a self-immolation practice. It is said that Nagmati and Padmavati , the two queens of Rawal Ratan Singh, along with other women and kids of the Chittorgarh Fort, performed the famous Jauhar before Ala-ud-din Khilji reached them. This incident was first properly penned down by Malik Muhammad Jayasi in the year 1540 CE, through an epic poem called ‘Padmavati’ and has since been adopted and reiterated through various other forms of art. The very recent one being Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s adaptation of the myth, as a film called “Padmaavat” starring Deepika Padukone, Ranveer Singh and Shahid Kapoor.

The Palace interior:

The Rani Padmini Palace is a three storeyed white building that overlooks a lotus pond. The name “Padmini” actually iterates the symbol of the lotus flower, which is why this place may have been chosen as a suitable location for the Mahal. The palace is surrounded by water and has many pavilions. The bronze gates of this Palace were apparently carried away by Akbar and can be now spotted in the Agra Fort. Inside the palace, the same room that allowed Ala-ud-din Khilji to see Rani Padmini can also be seen with the same placement of the mirrors. Thus, this Palace that houses the mystical aura of Rani Padmini should definitely be on your list of places to visit Chittorgarh.