The Great Wall of India: The world's second greatest wall that you've (probably) never heard of.

Happy Friday folks,

Welcome to the highlight of your week: The House of Wisdom.

Today we look at The Great Wall of India. (But that’s not its actual name.) It is a marvel of medieval engineering, built entirely by hand, 500 years ago.

It’s more well known as Kumbhalgarh Wall — and its history is fascinating…

Sit Back. Relax. And grab your cup of tea. Let’s dive in:

It all began with the Mewar Kingdom — one of the most powerful states of Rajasthan.

Rana Kumbha was the King of Mewar at the time of building the Kumbhalgarh Wall. His reign marked its own Renaissance: culture and architecture thrived as they had never before.

He wasn’t only a fierce warrior but also a visionary builder and patron of the arts. Under his rule, Mewar saw him expand its territory significantly, defeating rivals like the Gujarat Sultanate and the Malwa Sultanate.

Kumbha was a great patron of the arts and literature. He commissioned the construction of over 32 forts, as well as temples and monuments that blended Hindu and Jain styles. His reign saw advancements like never before in music, painting, and religious thought.

His reign marked Mewar’s golden age.

In fact, during his time, the numerous forts, temples and palaces built across his kingdom, laid the foundation of many of the wonders of the Sisodia dynasty, which ruled over the Mewar Kingdom.

During the 15th century, the Indian subcontinent faced frequent invasions from neighboring empires. Rana decided to build a fort that would not only protect the himself and the royal family but also his valuable trade routes.

Hence, he decided to commission a formidable task at a scale like no-one had ever seen in India... and he succeeded…

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The construction of the wall was an extraordinary feat. The process began with laying a strong foundation, often reinforced with rubble and lime water to ensure stability. Skilled masons would then meticulously cut and shape stone blocks to fit precisely in a serpentine manner.

Notice how the wall hugged the edge of the mountainous terrain.

This was all part of Rana's military strategy in keeping his for impenetrable, making it virtually impossible for attackers to strike from a favorable position…and it actually worked.

In 1458, the Great Wall was finally complete. It now stretched for 22 miles (36km) and was strategically located at just over a kilometer in elevation. This was (literally) the greatest wall, the Indian subcontinent had ever seen.

But the most impressive part of the wall (apart from its length), was its width: it measured a staggering 5-8 meters (15-25 feet). In other words, enough space for eight horsemen to gallop within, side-by-side.

As if this wasn't enough, Kumbhalgarh Wall was divided by seven massive gateways, known as "pols". Each one served as a formidable barrier against invaders, guarding the most vulnerable points of the fort and making it just a bit more difficult to breach the next section.

But by now you are (probably) wondering: if there was a wall, what was it protecting?

Well, it was all about Kumbhalgarh Fort, constructed during the same 15-year period as the Great Wall — it’s hard to imagine how this could have all been built by hand in such a small period of time.

The fort was built for the same reasons as the wall: a safe, royal refuge from the neighboring invasions. But it was more than just a fortress, there were over 360 temples dotted around. As well as a fully-working water management system to accommodate its 5,000 inhabitants.

This was an architectural and engineering masterpiece — incomparable to anything you could have ever seen in 15th century India.

It was only 120 years later (in 1576) that The Great Wall of India and Kumbhalgarh fort fell into enemy hands. After numerous failed attempts, the Mughals finally captured the fort.

The Mughals had superior military technology, including cannons and gunpowder, which dealt significant damage to the fort’s massive walls. Rajput warriors, although known for their valor and skill in warfare, were at a disadvantage against the Mughal artillery and vast armies.

The final blow came as the fort was surrounded and held under siege, cutting off supplies and reinforcements, entirely. Kumbhalgarh fell.

But what is interesting is the fact that the fort was reclaimed by the Mewar Kingdom on multiple occasions throughout the next few wars — essentially, it was never in Mughal hands for too long.

But, the decline came in the 19th century as the colonial powers took control over India. The fort, no longer needed for defense, fell into disuse. Its significance was forgotten, or was it?

The fort (and of course its wall) would symbolize the valor, cultural and engineering achievements of the Kingdom of Mewar — it was the crown jewel of their own Renaissance.

And while The Great Wall of India may be 600 times smaller than its Chinese counterpart, its unique story may be just as interesting…

Until Next Time,

World Scholar