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Ahar Cenotaphs

Coordinates: 24°35′16″N 73°43′10″E / 24.58778°N 73.71944°E / 24.58778; 73.71944
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Ahar Cenotaphs
LocationAhar, India
RegionUdaipur, Rajasthan
TypeMonument

The Ahar Cenotaphs are a group of cenotaphs located in Ahar, Udaipur, Rajasthan, India.

Description

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The site contains more than 250 elevated dome-shaped pavilions, or chhatris, of the royal house of Mewar, which were built over approximately 350 years.[1][2] It has approximately 19 cenotaphs of various Maharanas who were cremated here.[3][4] This group of cenotaphs is also known as Mahasati, or the "Great Place of Sati.".[5][6][7] It is also the place where, at times, the wives or concubines of the Maharana were either burned or committed sati with him.[8] Effigies are displayed to represent the number of women who perished alongside a Maharana.[8] For this reason, the place is also known as Mahasati (transl. Great Place of Sati).[5][6][7]

These cenotaphs are arranged side by side in a vast enclosure and vary in size, ranging from a small chhatri with four columns to a mahal.[9] Despite differences in layout and details, they all follow the same basic design.[9] Each structure features a dome supported by columns, forming a circular pavilion.[9] It is set on a raised terrace, accessed by a flight of steps.[9] The entire structure, including the terrace, stairs, columns, and domes, is made of white marble from Kankroli.[9] The most remarkable among these cenotaphs are those of Amar Singh and Sangram Singh II.[10] These cenotaphs are built in the Jain architectural style.[9]

Arvind Singh Mewar was cremated here on 17 March 2025.[11][12]

References

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  1. ^ "Ahar Cenotaphs: Where History Meets Elegance in Udaipur". Incredible India. Retrieved 20 March 2025.
  2. ^ "Ahar Cenotaphs In Udaipur: The Royal Tombs Of Mewar Kings". WanderOn. Retrieved 20 March 2025.
  3. ^ Government of India (1 January 2011). Udaipur District Rajasthan 2011 Census Handbook Part A Village and Town Directory. p. 31.
  4. ^ "Ahar- Ahar Cenotaphs, Cenotaphs in Ahar, Ahar Archeological Museum Rajasthan".
  5. ^ a b Cotton, James Sutherland; Burn, Sir Richard; Meyer, Sir William Stevenson; Meyer, William (1908). Imperial Gazetteer of India ... Clarendon Press. p. 93.
  6. ^ a b Sharma, Gopi Nath (1974). Glories of Mewar. Shiva Lal Agarwala & Company. p. 34.
  7. ^ a b Agarwal, B.D. (1960). Rajasthan District Gazetteers: Udaipur. Jaipur: Directorate of District Gazetteers. Retrieved 29 May 2019.
  8. ^ a b Mehta, Fateh Lal (1888). Handbook of Meywar and Guide to Its Principal Objects of Interest. Times of India Steam Press. pp. 28–29.
  9. ^ a b c d e f Rousselet, Louis (1876). India and Its Native Princes: Travels in Central India and in the Presidencies of Bombay and Bengal. Chapman and Hall. pp. 169–173.
  10. ^ Murray (Firm), John (1907). A Handbook for Travellers in India, Burma and Ceylon: Including the Provinces of Bengal, Bombay, Madras, the United Provinces of Agra and Lucknow, the Panjab, the North-west Frontier Province, Beluchistan, Assam, and the Central Provinces, and the Native States of Rajputana, Central India, Kashmir, Hyderabad, Mysore, Etc. ... J. Murray. p. 97.
  11. ^ "Final rites of Arvind Mewar held". firstindia.co.in. Retrieved 20 March 2025.
  12. ^ "Maharana Pratap descendant Arvind Singh Mewar cremated in Udaipur". The Week. Retrieved 20 March 2025.
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24°35′16″N 73°43′10″E / 24.58778°N 73.71944°E / 24.58778; 73.71944