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. |
