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IDAR -The invincible natural fort.

Idar is a classic example of a naturally protected hill fort, located at the southern edge of the Aravalli range. It was the capital of the Idar State under the rule of the Rathore Rajputs in the Mahi Kantha agency, at the time of British Raj.

Idar is an ancient fort, known as 'Ilva Durga' and finds mentioned in Mahabharat and in the travelogue of the Rathore Rajputs in the Mahi Kantha agency' at the time of British Raj.

Idar town is situated at the foothills and was once fortified with a high brick wall, which now likes in ruins. The places of interest can be classified in two parts- in the town and in the fort. The entry to Idar town is through a three storeyed clock tower cum entrance gate, with a huge arch and semi circular done at the top. The road, with a colourful bazaar on both the sides, leads to the tower and ends at the foothills of Idar fort.

At the foothill, one can see the ruins of an old palace, a fine specimen of architecture in stone with delicately carved balconies. The design and ornamentation of architectural elements like pillars, brackets, foliated arches and frescos remind one of the royal buildings at Jodhpur and Bikaner. On the side of this palace, there is a huge water tank, Rani Talav; fed by ruin water from the hill. An avenue of old trees at the edge of perfectly arranged stone steps and the reflection of the massive stones cape makes an interesting composition.

At the foothills, the other interesting buildings are Swami Narayan Temple (19 th century), Vallabhacharya Temple (19 th century) and Khokhanath Mahadev.

A flight of an about 700 steps leads to the fortress plateau, with the famous Dolat Niwas Castle was built by Maharaja Dolatsinhji (1922-1928 AD) and offers a commanding view of the picturesque Idar town. The palace is now an abandoned structure, but one can imagine its past grandeur. It is a seven-storeyed structure with a maze of staircases, terraces, balconies and courtyards. The cool breeze and commanding view make it the perfect resting place after a long journey to the top.

As one reaches the plateau, one can see at the highest point on the right, Rutheli Rani no Mahal and on the left Ranamal Chowli. There is a rectangular kund with a series of stone steps leading to the water. A dargah of Muslim saint and ancient Shiva temple are located nearby.

At the edge of the kund, there is a ruined structure- a pavilion with 3 beautifully carved arches- and a well with a water channel and an elephant statue. In the past, it might have been a beautiful royal pleasure garden- a miniature version of the Mughal royal gardens.

Further along the way are two Jain temples, Shantinath temple and Sambhavnath Temple. The most interesting elements of Shantitnath Temple are two huge carved marble panels, depicting the sacred geography of Girnar and Palitana- two important pilgrimage centers of Jains. The inlay work of coloured stone in the marble flooring is also noteworthy.

Shrimad Rajchandra Vihar, a memorial of guru of Gandhiji-Shrimad Rajchandra, is about 3 km from the town, on a hill. There are several temples of Shiva, besides a Maha Mandir. Laxmi Narayan Temple, 8 Jain temples and 4 mosques. Idar is famous for its handcrafted wooden toys- using simple forms, bright colours and lacquer finish.