Bundi is a peaceful town situated near Kota, Rajasthan. It is the administrative headquarters of Bundi District. The city of Bundi and Kota earlier constituted of a single state. The most captivating feature of this place is the beautiful architecture of the forts and palaces. The scenic mountains and peaceful atmosphere makes it an ideal destination for holiday makers who love the solace nature has to offer.
In 1193 A.D. when Prithviraj Chauhan was defeated by Sultan Mohammed Ghauri, some Chauhan nobles sought shelter in Mewar and became allies to the Rana while other young warriors moved 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.
The maximum temperature here is around 42 Degrees C and the minimum drops to 8 Degrees C. The best time to be here is between November and March.
The Indian Rupee (INR) is the acceptable form of currency here.Money changing and banking facilities are limited. There is a small money changer in town but it is advisable to change money at one of the larger town before coming to Bundi. ATM's are few and it is best to carry enough cash while travelling to Bundi.
A tourist visa applicable for the entire country (India) is sufficient.
By Road: Bundi lies on NH number 12, towards north of Kota. From Udaipur and Jaipur, there are regular buses that operate to Kota and Bundi By Rail: To get to Bundi, the nearest railway station is at Kota. Kota is a major railway station and many north bound trains halt here.
The nearest international airport is Jaipur [250 kms approx.]. Few International flights operate from Jaipur. Air Arabia operates between Jaipur and Sharjah. Indian Airlines operates to Bangkok, Dubai, Kuala Lumpur and Oman Air to Muscat.
The Taragarh Fort: This is the most impressive of the city's structures. The fort is a popular tourist view-point of the city below. The fort has three tanks that never dry up. The technique is a testament to the advanced methods of construction and engineering that were prevalent even in medieval India
The Bundi Palace: This beautiful palace is situated on the hillside. One can find some of the most delicate and intrinsic carvings on the walls and structures in this palace. The paintings depict the culture of the royal India.
The Nawal Sagar: This is a large square-shaped artificial lake in the centre of Bundi containing many small islets. A temple dedicated to Varuna, the Vedic god of water, is constructed here that is half-submerged in the middle of the artificial lake.
Ishwari Niwas Haveli of Bundi: This royal palace was recently converted into a luxurious heritage hotel. Ishwari Niwas Palace Heritage Hotel has beautiful rooms. The ambience is something that the tourists look for while visiting this palace cum hotel.
Sukh Mahal, Jait Sagar Lake, Phool sagar ,Kshar Bagh and Raniji Ki Baori are the other tourist attractions of Bundi.
One can stay in the guesthouses and luxurious heritage hotels here in Bundi. The guest houses in Bundi are excellent and they usually have good restaurants too that provide wholesome home cooked food.
The festival of Teej celebrating the marriage of Shiva and Parvati falls in the month of August. In the months of October/November the festivals Bundi Utsav and Kashavrai Patan are celebrated In Bundi.
Recommended if you likeforts and palaces. Bundi is a small place and it best best enjoyed when combined with a tour to nearby destinations in Rajasthan like Jaipur, Alwar and Kota.
