Bundi - A Tete a Tete with the City :

Earlier Known as : Bunda Ka Nal

Location : North western India, Southern Rajasthan

Founded in : 13th century by Rao Dewa.

Local Transport : Cycle rickshaws and tongas.

When to visit : October to March

Souvenir : The vegetable market, lot of street shops selling Souvenirs, medieval times charisma.

Important places of Interest : Badal Mahal, Bhoraji Ka Kund, Chaurasi Khambon Ki Chhatri, Chhatra Mahal, Garh Palace Hathi Pol, Moti Mahal, Phool Mahal, Shikari Burj, Step Wells, Sukh Mahal, Taragarh Fort, Indragarh

The Tale of the City :

Rao Deva Hara conquered this city in 1241 AD. As granted to the ruler’s son,Kota was part of Bundi. The Mughal Emperor separated Bundi from Kota. In 1193 AD Mohammed Gori, defeated Prithviraj Chauhan. So the Chauhan nobles sought shelter in Mewar. So they became the supporters of Prithviraj Chauhan. Some of the Chauhan nobles moved to the valley of Chambal. Here they defeated the Meena and Bhil tribes. The kingdom of Hadoti was established by the Chauhan nobles. The separate kingdoms of Bundi and Kota was formed by Hadas. This kingdom was located on the banks of the river Chambal. Bundi retained its glory and independence till India became independent.

Bundi - Down The Ages :

Bundi was a strong kingdom till its importance reduced by a considerable way over so many years. In the 15th century, Bundi was not given much importance and wasn’t given a large area either. This area that it was not given became the Kota state later. In the 18th century in 1838, the other alienated region became the State of Jhalwar. Till this time, Bundi was an independent state. When India became independent in 1947, Bundi became to be a part of the dominion of India.

Travel  Kitty :

As we enter Bundi we would be ensured of a timeless experience. It is as if we relive the entire history of the past. The wonderful town with its picturesque ambience gives the city its charm and beauty. The tourists do not visit this place much so much of the beauty and tranquility is intact. Tourists are now catching on to the idea of visiting this place in southern Rajasthan. Thus Bundi, the elegant beauty welcomes us into the market place where we see a lot of souvernirs and mementos to be taken home. The travel kitty fills with memories of seeing the medieval time life here and the immensely popular Kaali Teej where the Indian Goddess Teej is taken around Bundi in a palanquin.

Bundi - Joie de Vivre in the City :

Bundi is a historical place with lot of tales to related. The magic of the town has remained unparalleled and people have started frequenting the place now. The place is very famous for its paintings and its exquisite murals. Embalmed between the Aravalli ranges on all three sides, the city has four gateways with a strong wall running around it. The joie de vivre in the city is to witness the beauty of medieval India, and the living proof of the Rajput charisma. One could see the following things here :

Palaces :

Badal Mahal : This palace is found in the Taragarh fort. It is famous for its exquisite murals and beautiful paintings. These paintings are world famous as they depict the Chinese culture in a little tiny town. The paintings represent the source of wealth in the city. They also show the poppy seeds that were cultivated traditionally to carry out opium trade with China.

The Garh Palace : This is a big palace with innumerable small palaces surrounding it. It is mostly in ruins but the splendor and valor of yore is seen to be believed. There is a wall surrounding the palaces. So this palace more looks like a fort. It was commissioned by Rao Balwant Singh. This palace speaks of a story where Hada Rani , a queen once handed over her chopped head to the ruler when he entered the palace. It is a must see for tourists.

The palace has many tales attached to it. Hada Rani was a queen of one of the rulers who ran away from the battlefield. She was so filled with disgust that she chopped off her head and presented it to him upon his entry into the palace.

Marquee :

Chaurasi Khambon ki Chhatri : This is a marquee. It is supported by 84 pillars. It was built in 1683 by Anirudh Singh in memory of the services of Deva who was a nurse. This is a tall podium and has two storeys. It is also a place of worship. The second storey has a flat roof. There is a large round curved roof in the middle which is surrounded by four small domes on each corner of the roof. The base of this structure is decorative with animals engraved on them. The pillars have images of the Rajput life style in the 17th century.

Chatar Mahal : This is one of the best palaces in Bundi. Built in the year 1660, by Chatar Sal, it stands as proof to the independence that the Rajput rulers had. The Rajputs had got lot of powers from the Mughal power. Chatar Sal, the Rajput proved his loyalty to the MUghal emperor Shah Jahan. The palace has been built by bringing stones from the quarries in Bundi.

Sukh Mahal : This is a palace found on the edge of the lake Jait Sagar. This was built in the regime of Umed Singh. It is said that Rudyard Kipling once stayed here. It has now been converted into an irrigation Rest House. It has greenery all over and is the favourite of nature lovers. There is a belief that the old palace and Sukh Mahal are connected by an underground tunnel. There is a white umbrella here made out of marble. This is found in the second storey of the Sukh Mahal. This palace was constructed for princes to pursue their nefarious activities.

Step Wells :

Bhoraji ka Kund : This is one of the famous step wells. These are found near Bundi. Kund means tank and they were constructed in the medieval times when Bundi was facing a lot of drought. It was built in the 16th century. Lot of birds like the kingfisher and the humming bird  get attracted and visit Bundi after monsoon. One has to see this place as its sheer beauty is mesmerizing.

Nagar Sagar Kund : This is an artificial lake that is found in the centre of Bundi, the stepwell land. It is a pair of identical step wells. It is situated near Raniji ki Baori. It is square in shape and is visible from the Taragarh fort.

Lakes :

Nawal Sagar Lake : Taragarh Fort has a lot of islands and  is located in the centre of the city. So the reflection of the city is seen in this lake. It has a temple in the centre. This is dedicated to the Indian God Varuna. A boat ride here is enjoyable. The beauty of this temple is that it is half submerged in water. One can see a lot of wells surrounding this lake. Famous baoris or step wells are Raniji ki baori, Nagar Sagar Kund and Nawal Sagar. Raniji ki Baori, Nagar Sagar Kund and Nawal Sagar are worth seeing.

Forts :

The Taragarh Fort : The Taragarh Fort was built in 1354 AD on a sharp hillside. A large cannon called Garbh Gunjam was mounted on this fort. Bhim Burj is the largest fortification here. Tourists like this fort as it gives a full view of the city from the top. There are three tanks in the fort. These tanks are living proof of the amount of expertise that medieval India had in the methods of construction and engineering. There is a huge reservoir here carved out of a single rock.

Entertainment  Factor :

Bundi, the land of Teej, Bundi, the land of history, Bundi is a place that tourists would love to visit. Though not really frequented much by tourists, Bundi is fast gaining momentum in visits and people are now visiting this a must see spot. The entertainment factor in Bundi is the Kaali Teej. Teej festival celebrated on the third day of the Indian Shravan month in Bundi. There is a procession of Goddess Teej in a palanquin decorated exquisitely. The procession starts from Nawal Sagar. It has decorated elephants, camels, artists and vibrantly dressed people.

Thus the overall experience in Bundi is one to take as a souvenir. As we leave we think “ To Bundi or not Bundi shouldn’t be a question.”