36 km from Kota is a tiny Picturesque town, Bundi. One of the unexplored cities with a rich historical wealth. Once a part of Kota, it was ruled by the Had Chauhans- an offshoots of the famous Chauhan clan who ruled Delhi and Ajmer.

In 1193 A.D. when Prithviraj Chauhan was defeated by Sultan Mohammed Ghauri, some Chauhan nobles seeked shelter in Mewar and became allies to the Rana while other young warriors move towards the Chambal valley and overpowered the Meena and Bhil tribals-thus establishing their own kingdom of Hadoti. Later, two branches of Hadas formed two separates states of Kota and Bundi, on either side of the river Chambal.
Bundi is surrounded by the Aravalli hills on the three sides and is circumscribed by a massive wall with four gateways.
Interesting monuments including impressive medieval forts, palaces, havelis, temples with beautiful stone idols and chattris with carved pillars, along with a picturesque lake in the heart of the town, add to its charm. Bundi is very famous for its intricate carvings and murals.
 

Bundi continues to be a place where life is largely untouched by the outside world. In fact, even today, Bundi is one place in Rajasthan that has a delightfully medieval flavour - we felt as if we had stepped into some kind of a time warp!

The town nestles at the foot of a large rocky hills, dominated by Taragarh Fort and Garh Palace, lavishly decorated with the finest murals in the history of Rajput Art. Painted in the Hara style of the Kota-Bundi school of miniatures in characteristic shades of blue, green and maroon, they reflect the verdant greenery of the region. An art connoisseur can spend days in Bundi for these paintings alone.

Bundi is a town of numerous ornate baoris(step-wells) dating back to the 17th century. Raniji ki Baori with its exquisite toran archway is one of the loveliest.

PRIME SITES:

• Taragarh or The Star Fort:

  Built in 1354 A.D., the fort is one of the most impressive forts of Rajasthan. Perched on a thickly wooded hill is a marvelloous white fort with a huge reservoir which once supplied water to the palace.
   

• The Palace:

  This magnificient edifice is a fine example of the Rajput architecture, housing some of the superb Bundi murals.
   

• Chhattar Mahal or Palace or Towers:

  A steep, paved carafe-way is the only way to reach the monument. Of special interest in the palace is the Hazari Pol or Gate of the thousand, the Naubat Khana, the Hathi Pol with its old water clock and the Diwann-e- Aam.
   

• Ratan Daulat:

  Built by Rao Raja Ratan Singh,, it is a very interesting structure forming a stable for nine horses and a Hatia Pol. (Prior permission required for visit.)
   

• Chitrashala:

  A fascinating pavilion and a gallery of minature murals embellish the palace. Elaborate colourful paintings on the walls depict scenes from the ‘Ragmala’ and ‘Raaslila’-the Radha-Krishna story.
   

• Nawal Sagar:

  Visible from the fort is the square artificial lake of Nawal Sagar,broken up by islets. A temple dedicated to Varuna, the Aryan god of water,stands half submerged in the centre of the lake. The reflection of the entire city and its palaces can be seen in the lake -making it a unique attraction of Bundi.
   

• Raniji-ki-Baori:

  It is 46 m. deep stepped dwell with some superb carvings on its pillars and a high arched gate built in 1699 A.D. by Rani Nathavatji. This well is one of the largest of its kind.
   

• Sukh Mahal:

  A magnificient summer palace on the Sukh Mahal Lake amid the lush surroundings of a beautiful garden. An underground tunnel is believed to run from the Sukh Mahal to the old palace.
   

• Phool Sagar:

  The 20^th century palace with an artificial tank and picturesque gardens. Presently, it is the residence of the former ruler (Prior permission of Secretary is required for a visit.)
   

• Shikar Burj:

  The royal hunting lodge set amidst thel lush surroundings. It is a favorite picnic spot.
   

• Eighty Four Pillared Cenotaph:

  An amazingly magnificent memorial with 84 pillars in a single cenotaph along with a Shiva lingam. It was erected by Rao Anirudh.
   

• Kshar Bagh:

  An ancient garden near the Shika Burj with beautiful chhatris of the Bundi rulers and their queens all examples of the town’s rich architecture. (Prior permission required for visit.)

Other Sight Seeing Places

• Jait Sagar Lake(3 km):

  A picturesque lake cradled in the hills, built by Jaita Meena. The swirling fountain at night a visual delight.
   

• Rameshwaram (20 km):

  The cave temple of Lord Shiva surrounded by the Aravalli ranges. An ideal picnic spot as well.
   

• Keshavraipatan (45 km):

  It is an ancient city famous for the temple of Keshavraiji(Vishnu). The architecture and sculpture at this temple is unique.
  It was constructed in the year 1601 A.D. by Maharaja Shartusal of Bundi. A famous Jain Temple is also there.
   

• Ramgarh (45 km):

  The Ramgarh Sanctuary is located on the Nainwa road. One needs to take permission of the State Forest Department prior to a visit to the sanctuary.
   

• Bijolia (50 km):

  An ancient fort and the city of Bijolia is situated on the Bundi- Chittaurgarh road. A high paved courtyard on the side of the fort has a large temple of Lord Shiva in its centre with a fine image of Lord Ganesha standing as a guardian at the entrance. A carved archway leads to the temple.
   

• Menal (70 km):

  The menal River runs over a bed of granite slabs and plunges into a cavernous 122 metres deep gorge.
   

• Talwas (53 km):

  A magnificent fort built by the ruler Ajit Singh. A temple of Dhooleshwar Mahadev and a picturesque waterfall adjoining the fort are worth a visit. The beautiful Ratna Sagar Lake is haven for bear and deer during the monsoon.
   

• Dugari (65 km):

  Remnants of ancient wall paintings can be seen in the Ram Mandir within the imposing fort of Dugari.
   

• Indragarh (77 km):

  The Indragarh Fort and the nearby palaces are famous for the temples of Mother Goddess Kali and Kameleshwar. The Palace is also famous for wall paintings.

FESTIVEL FUN

• Kajli Teej (July/Aug):

  The celebrations of the festival are different than the usual Teej festivities. Unlike Teej, which is celebrated on the third day of the month of Shravana, Kajli Teej is celebrated on the third day of the month of Bhadra.
  An exeberant procession of Teej in a decorated planquin, starts from the beautiful Naval Sagar and culminates at the Azad Park.
  Cultural performances by the local artistes as well as by artistes from Hadoti region are part of the celebrations. Though the Teej procession is carried our for only two days, the festivities continue till the eighth day, finally ending on Janmashtami, the birth anniversary of Lord Krishna.