Bundi City
| Bundi with its magnificent forts and palaces symbolizes the power of Rajasthan yesteryears. It is located in southeast Ra-jasthan 206 kms from Jaipur and 36 km away from Kota enclosed by the Aravalli ranges on three sides. It was at the height of its glory under the dominion of the Chauhans in the 12th century. Its glory declined with the Mughal rule. In the past, it was inhabited by a tribe Meena under the chieftainship of Bunda from who it derived its name. The town is most vibrant during the eight-day long festival of Teej during which a huge procession begins from Nawal Sagar Lake till Azad Park ending on Janmashtami with cultural performances by folk artists. Tourist Attractions Taragarh Fort: This is one of the most striking forts of Rajasthan. The white fort stands atop a wooded hill with a huge gateway, a colossal battlement Burj and a large reservoir carved out of solid rock. It was built in 1354. From the fort, one can enjoy a bird's eye view of the town and a vista of the sunset. The Bundi Palace: Perched atop a hill adjoining the Taragarh Fort, the Palace is an ar-chitectural marvel with beautiful traditional murals. There is an art gallery or pavilion called Chitrashala that exhibits miniature colourful murals depicting scenes from the story of Radha-Krishna. Chhattar Mahal (Palace of Towers): This Palace is famous for its miniature style mu-rals. It also encloses many interesting structures such as the Hazari Pol (Gate of the Thousand), the Naubat Khana, Diwan-i- Aam and the Hathi Pol (Elephant gate) with an old Water Clock. Stepwells: Bundi was served by a network of waterways that are an engineer wonder till date. There are three tanks within the Fort that never runs dry. It is also famous for its stepwell reservoirs known as baoris such as Raniji-ki-Baoli, the largest well adorned with lovely carvings, the Nagar Sagar Dhabhai Kund and the Bhora-ji-ka-Kund.Kshar Bagh and Phool Sagar. They are 50 of them but only about 10 are in use today. Ratan Daulat: This structure encloses a stable for nine horses and a Hatia Pol raised by Rao Raja Ratan Singh. Sukh Mahal: Lying near Sukh Sagar Lake with a beautiful garden in front, this was a luxurious summer and an entertainment palace. It is particularly noted for its white mar-ble Chhatri (umbrella). |
