The royal town of Bundi in Rajasthan is mainly popular for the many baoris or stepwells that the town houses. It is situated 36 km from the town of Kota and is spread with forts and palaces galore.
The enchanting town is filled with orange and guava orchards along with mango trees. Set against the backdrop of the majestic Aravalli Range, that is adorned with rivers, the folklife of Bundi will give you the very essence of Rajasthan.
History Of Bundi
It is believed that the beautiful town of Bundi was under the reign of Hada Chauhans, who belong to the royal Hadoti Empire. This dynasty was particularly known for its remarkable work of art and sculpture. Ever since Kota got divided into a separate entity in 1624, the Hadoti family saw their downfall.
PC: Juhijbljb
Similar to the buildings in Jodhpur, you can see that the structures in Bundi also have a bluish colour mixed with the beautiful buildings in order to keep the houses cool. Many relics of the Hadoti dynasty remain to remind us of the tales of their reign.
Here are the places that you can visit in Bundi.
Taragarh Fort
One of the most stunning relics of Bundi is the Taragarh Fort, which was built in 1354. Quite impressively the fort stands strong in spite of being centuries old. It is built on a hillside at a high elevation, from where a picturesque view of the town is visible.
Although in ruins, the fort has three gateways, namely, Gagudi ki Phatak, Lakshmi Pol and Phuta Darwaza. A shrine known as Miran Saheb ki Dargah was erected to honour the commander of the Taragarh Fort, Miran Saheb. A walk around the fort will take you back to a bygone era.
PC: Daniel Wabyick
Sukh Mahal
When Bundi was under the reign of Umed Singh, Sukh Mahal was constructed at the border of the beautiful lake Jait Sagar. A glorious looking umbrella or chattri makes for the most attractive part of the palace, which is found on the second floor.
The Sukh Sagar gained worldwide attention ever since Rudyard Kipling's book titled Kim was published, which highly praises the palace. Due to this, a scene from the movie, that was made on the book, was actually shot here.
Lake Nawal Sagar
Nawal Sagar is an artificial lake that is nestled in the heart of the town. It is surrounded by numerous beautiful stepwells and is now one of the most important attractions of Bundi. A temple is settled in the middle of the lake, which is dedicated to Lord Varuna.
PC: Piyush Tripathi
The lake used to be an important source of water to all the stepwells but now is maintained as a tourist attraction. A brilliant bird's-eye view of the lake is visible from the top of the Taragarh Fort.
84 Pillared Cenotaph
The 84 pillared Cenotaph is a striking structure, that was built by the once king of Bundi, Rao Anirudh. He built this as a dedication to his beloved wet nurse Deva. It's brilliant architecture with 84 separate pillars along with carvings of elephants, angels and deers make it a beautiful tourist attraction.
How To Reach Bundi
By Air: Located at a distance of 150 km from Bundi, the closest airbase is the Jaipur Airport. It is well connected to major cities of India like Delhi, Bangalore, Mumbai, etc.
PC: Zac Davies
By Rail: The closest railhead to Bundi is located in Kota, which is at a distance of about 35 km. Kota Railway Station is connected to cities like Jodhpur, Jaisalmer, Delhi, etc. From the station, many taxis are available that'll take you to Bundi.
By Road: State Government buses help connect the places of Rajasthan to Bundi. Buses are also connected to neighbouring states like Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, etc.
Privately run buses are also available in plenty to travel to Bundi. Apart from buses, you may drive through the NH 12 which is the connection from Jaipur to Bundi.