Chanderi Fort or Qila Kothi

Situated atop a large hill, Chanderi Fort also known by the name Kirti Durg, is a landmark site at Chanderi. Starting your trip with this fort will give you a fair idea of the topography as the view from the top is quite picturesque. You can decide about which location you would like to visit first. In order to get to the fort, one has to go through the narrow gates of ‘Khooni Darwaza’. It is said that when Rajputs battled their enemies at this spot, there was a lot of bloodshed and the blood stains did not fade for a long time, hence the name. At the fort complex, you will also find carvings that depict Rajput bravery during the war and the untoward ‘sati’ custom post the Babur attack, where the prideful Rajput princesses and women folk offered themselves to the pyre of their martyred husbands. It is known that over 600 women committed sati or suicide post the death of their husbands. Along with the subsequent attacks and many rulers, the fort has been torn down and rebuilt several times. Beside the Qila (fort), one can also find the Kothi (mansion), which has now been converted into a guest house. Though the inner chambers of the fort hold no secrets or treasured sights but it would be best to visit the top-most floor of the fort to get a scenic view of the old town.