India's five most magnificent forts

New Delhi: India is a land of magnificent monuments and beautiful forts. India is blessed with number of world heritage monuments showcasing the breathtaking architecture and intricate work. Behind each monument is an underlying sense of mystery, intrigue and romance. Visit the monuments of India, they are not only fairy tales carved out of stones, bricks, and mortar narrating the tales of valour and courage of Indian rulers. See grand forts with ingenious defensive structures and beautiful palaces with exquisite decorations. Here we list 5 most famous and incredible forts of India:1. Golconda Fort, Hyderabad Before the city of Hyderabad was founded the Deccan was ruled from Golconda fort. Founded originally by the Kakatiya's in the 13th century the existing structure was expanded by the Qutub Shahi kings into a massive fort with granite walls and ramparts extending some 5-km in circumference. The first three Qutub Shahi kings rebuilt Golconda, over a span of 62 years. Shepherd's Hill" or "Golla Konda", as it was popularly known in Telugu, has an interesting story behind it. One fine day, on the rocky hill called 'Mangalavaram', a shepherd boy came across an idol. This was conveyed to the Kakatiya king, who was ruling at that time. The king got a mud fort constructed around the holy spot. Over a period of time this lowly construction was expanded by the Qutub Shahi kings into a massive fort of granite, which has been a silent witness to many historic events. 2. Amber Fort, Jaipur Built by Maharaja Man Singh in the 16th century, Amber Fort represents a blend between Hindu and Muslim architectures. The construction of the fort began in 1592 by Man Singh I but was completed by his successor Jai Singh I. It was originally the old fort of the Kachhwala clan of Amber. Amber is the classic and romantic fort- palace with a magnificent aura. The interior wall of the palace depicts expressive painting scenes with carvings, precious stones and mirror settings.3. Chittorgarh Fort, Chittorgarh Believed to be built by Mauryan rulers in 7th century, Chittorgarh Fort is situated 175 km east of Udaipur and is named after Chitrangad Maurya. The fort stands on a 180 m high hill with the total area of 700 acres, the only fort in the region with seven gates namely Padan Pol, Bhairon Pol, Hanuman Pol, Ganesh Pol, Jorla Pol, Lakshman Pol, and Rampol to the main gate. There are many palaces, temples and reservoir located on the turf of Chittorgarh Fort but the main tourist attractions are two towers such as the 'Kirti Stambh' or Tower of Fame and the 'Vijay Stambh' or Tower of Victory. All these monuments and structures epitomizes the romance and bravery of the Rajput tradition. Legend has it that it was because of the beautiful Padmini that Chittaurgarh was sacked the first time. When Sultan Ala-ud-din Khilji, the ruler of Delhi, heard of Padmini's beauty, he requested Rana Rattan Singh (her husband) for a glimpse of the queen. However, the Sultan was permitted to see only the reflection of the queen from a water tank that overlooked the palace. Ala-ud-din is said to have been so carried away by Padmini's beauty that he attacked Chittor in order to possess her. This led to the first bitter and bloody siege of the Chittaurgarh fort and the subsequent mass suicide. 4. Kumbhalgarh Fort, Rajsamand The fort is self-contained and has within its amalgam almost everything to withstand a long siege. The fort fell only once that too to the combined armies of Mughal and of Amber for scarcity of drinking water. Many magnificent palaces an array of temples built by the Mauryas of which the most picturesque place is the Badal Mahal or the palace of the clouds. The fort also offers a superb birds view of the surroundings. The fort's thick wall stretches some 36 kms and is wide enough to take eight horses abreast. Maharana Fateh Singh renovated the fort in the 19th century. The fort's large compound has very interesting ruins and the walk around it can be very rewarding. The Kumbhalgarh Fort also has a great significance by being the birthplace of Maharana Pratap and as the finest examples of defensive fortification in Rajasthan. The most interesting part is that this fort has a fort within itself. Named Kartargarh, the inner fort has a palace built by Maharana Fateh Singh after he had pulled down the old palace built by Rana Kumbha. Some remains of the old palace are still there below the new one which includes the portion that had been occupied by Prithvi Raj. 5. Red Fort, Delhi Built by Emperor Shah Jahan, the construction of this massive Red fort in Delhi ended in 1648 and has been since then a place of tremendous historical importance. Built of red sandstone, this royal fort contains all the trapping s of the Mughul Government, private and public halls, arched marble palaces, grand beautifully made gardens, posh apartments and a mosque. During the British rule, a number of changes wee made when the red fort became their army headquarters. Later, during independence, it was here that Prime Minister Nehru hoisted the Indian flag of independence.