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Bundi Information
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Bundi
About Bundi | Tourist Attractions in Bundi | How To Reach Bundi |
Where To Stay in Bundi | Where To
Shop in Bundi
About Bundi
Bundi has one of the most magnificent histories that a region can have, and many
wars and battles were fought here for over 600 years between Rajput clans, the Marathas
and the British.
Bundi was a strategically important place since it was surrounded by the Aravalli
hills on three sides and could be entered through four huge gateways set in a massive
wall that surrounds the town.
Bundi is small but exceptionally unique town of Rajasthan. It's famous for its magnificent
fort, beautiful palaces, havelis (mansions), chattris (cenotaphs) with carved pillars,
and amazing baoris (step-wells). Bundi is also world-renowned for its miniature
paintings.
Tourist Attractions in Bundi
Taragarh Fort | Bundi Palace | Baoris
& Tanks | Sukh Mahal
| 84 Pillared Cenotaphs |
Nawal Sagar Lake | Raniji-ki-Baori
Taragarh Fort:
Taragarh fort was Built in the 14th century, the Taragarh Fort is the star attraction
in Bundi, and is great palace to ramble around at leisure. Set within the horse-shoe
shaped fold of the hills, and with the lakes and water reservoirs below, the fort
straddles the crest and offers invincible battlements that must have proved difficult
to scale.
Taragarh is reached by a steep road leading up the hillside to its enormous gateway.
Inside the instant eye-catchers include the Bhim Burj, a large battlement with a
cannon placed on it and a large reservoir carved out of single piece of rock.
The views over the town and surrounding countryside from the top are magical, especially
at sunset. The huge reservoirs within the fort were carved out of solid rock and
the Bhim Burj, the largest of the battlements, on which there is mounted a famous
cannon.
Bundi Palace:
The palace is reached from the north - western end of the bazaar, through a huge
wooden gateway and up a steep cobbled ramp. Only one part of the outer perimeter
of the palace, known as the Chittra Shala, is officially open to public.
It is a fascinating pavilion and has a gallery of miniature murals that embellish
the palace. Elaborate colourful paintings on the walls depict scenes from the 'Raga
mala' 'Raslila' -- the Radha-Krishna story. You can see the renowned Bundi murals
at the Chattar Mahal and Badal Mahal within the palace complex.
Chattar Mahal is 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. Flash
photography is officially prohibited. The palace looks beautiful, from a distance
and when illuminated at night.
Baoris & Tanks:
Bundi is renowned for its baoris or stepwells. There are 50 step wells in Bundi.
Most prominent among these are the Raniji ki Baori, Nagar Sagar Kund and Nawal Sagar.
The first one was built by Rani Nathavatji and is known for its exquisite carvings.
The step well was built in the year 1699 and is 46 meter deep. The second one is
a pair of identical step wells close to the Queen's step well while the Nawal Sagar
is close to the palace containing many small islets.
There is also a temple dedicated to Lord Varuna, half submerged in the water of
the lake. This temple can be reached only by a boat.
Sukh Mahal:
The palace was constructed during the reigns of Umed Singh on the banks of Sukh
Sagar or the Jait Sagar.
The palace was meant for providing the princes a free hand to do what they liked
away from the supervision of the Rao. The highlight of the palace is the white marble
chhatri that stands in the centre of the roof of the second storey.
The palace that serves as the Irrigation Rest House today holds the honour of playing
host to the famous writer, Rudyard Kipling.
84 Pillared Cenotaphs:
The stunning 84 pillared cenotaph (Chaurasi Khambhon-ki-Chatri), set among the well
maintained gardens, is a treat to watch when it is lit up at night.
The pavilion was constructed in the year 1683 by Rao Anirudh Singh to honour the
services of Deva, his wet nurse.
The two storeyed structures serve as a cenotaph as well as a temple though the importance
of the cenotaph seems to have deteriorated with the passage of time. On the other
hand the temple with Shiva Linga still commands respect from the devotees. The ceilings
on both the floors are decorated with paintings of Rajput battles and fish symbols.
Nawal Sagar Lake:
Nawal Sagar is a beautiful and square shaped artificial lake located in the heart
of Bundi. It can be visible from the Taragarh fort in Bundi. The lake has a half
submerged shrine dedicated to Lord Varuna, the Aryan god of water.
The Lake offers a breathtaking reflection of the town and the palace in the evening,
indeed an unforgettable experience for viewers.
Raniji-ki-Baori:
The very impressive Rani Ji-Ki-Baori is 46m deep and has some superb carving. One
of the largest of its kind; it was built in 1699 by Rani Nathavatji.
The entrance is through a narrow gateway of four pillars, joined at the top by slender
arches just under the roof. Stone elephants facing each other stand in small niches
in the pillars at the top.
Beyond the entrance are broad steps leading down into the well, again through archways.
Ogee (S-shaped) brackets play an important role in Raniji ki Baoli, and all arches
are decorated with intricately carved stone brackets.
How To Reach Bundi
Fly Away: The Sanganer Airport at Jaipur is the nearest one from Bundi with
a distance of 206 km separating them. Jaipur in turn is connected to all the major
destinations of India.
On Tracks: Bundi is connected by rail to Agra, Chittor and Kota. Kota, at
a distance of 38 km is a more convenient railhead which is connected to both Delhi
and Mumbai by August Kranti, Mumbai and Trivandrum Rajdhani. It is connected to
Jaipur by Jaipur Kota Fast Passenger and Jaipur Bombay Central Superfast Train.
On Wheels: Bundi is connected to other destinations in Rajasthan by Express
Buses. Some of the destinations connected by road are Ajmer (five hours), Kota (50
minutes), Sawai Madhopur (4 1/2 hours), Udaipur (8 1/2 hours) and Jaipur (five hours).
It is on National Highway no - 12 that connects Jaipur to it via Sanganer, Chatsu,
Tonk, Mendwas and Devli.
Where To Stay in Bundi
Please visit our exclusive section on Hotels in Bundi
to find the best accommodation in Bundi.
Where To Shop in Bundi
Bundi bazaars are narrow and crowded lanes where not much is available, but it certainly
is a good place to pick up a memento anything from brightly coloured odhnis (long
scarf) to hand painted wood and metal wares, murals and jewellery.
Silver jewellery is readily available, and prices here are much lower than any of
the major towns. Sadar bazaar and Chaumaukh bazaar are the main shopping areas.
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