Are you planning to invade the undiscovered splendour of the royal town of Bundi? Rajasthan with its breathtaking beauty creates an allure on you greater than that a charmer does on a snake in a basket. Rajasthan is an addiction in itself. It engulfs you in an aura of madness, and churns up the urge of a tireless traveller in you. When the golden hue of the rising sun falls diagonally on the mystic bricks of the historical fortresses, you just want to keep staring. Bundi district has been truly termed the Queen of Hadoti. Industrially and agriculturally advanced than most of Rajasthan, this place is a breather in an otherwise arid land. The main industries that thrive here are cement, edible oil and soya. People from many neighbouring districts migrate to Bundi for employment in the industries and they earn a decent livelihood. The cement is exported to the entire north and north western India for construction purposes.

Location of Bundi

Bundi stands as the capital of the district by the same name in the Hadoti region in south east Rajasthan. Bundi is a small picturesque town that will leave you beguiled by its ‘blue blood’ charm. Everything is uniquely royal about Rajasthan and that is still visible in the stone carvings and majestic lamp shades. The city is walled by the Aravalli Range on three sides and a narrow canyon is situated just beside the fourth side.

How to Reach Bundi

If you are driving to Bundi from the national capital then it is on the 474th milestone. If you are travelling to the place from inside Rajasthan then it is 192 kilometres from the state capital Jaipur, 233 kilometres from Udaipur, 341 kilometres from Jodhpur, 159 kilometres from Chittaurgarh, and 36 kilometres from Kota. You can reach Bundi by bus from Delhi and that is going to cost you an overnight travel. You will also get ample of tourists cars and cabs on hourly rental basis with a driver equally good as a local guide. The conveyances are available at affordable rates and it won’t cost you a high pocket pinch for travelling few hundred kilometres.

History of Bundi

History says that from amongst all the tribes who rules Bundi, the Parihar Meenas were the most significant clan.  It is said that the name Bundi has been named after the Meena king Bunda Meena. The town was called Bunda ka Nal, the meaning of Nal being ‘narrow way’. This was because of the narrow gorge adjacent to the Bundi town. The Hada Chauhans are still remembered as the most popular rulers. In 1342, Bundi was conquered from Jaita Meena by Rao Deva Hada. The town of Bundi was kept intact and the surrounding area was renamed Haravati that over years got modified to Hadoti.

The Hathia Pol, Deewan-e-aam and the Naubat Khana are the most visited historical places.

If you are a traveller on ‘Mission Explore’ in Bundi

Tourist attractions in Rajasthan are a treat to the eye with their grandiose structures, regal architecture of the metaphorical forts and the immortal might of the kings. Rajasthan is a place where you can never finish counting what to see. Here is an unequivocal detail about the tourist attractions. Rajasthan is a land of forts and step-wells and each of them holds a mysticism your adventurous mind would love to decode.

Taragarh Fort

The star shaped fort is the most popular sight-seeing in the entire Bundi town. It was constructed in 1354. The 16th century bastion named Bhim Burj on which the huge cannon Garbh Gunjam is mounted.  The name of Garbh Gunjam is ‘Thunder from the womb’.

Bundi Palace

This palace is situated beside the Taragarh Fort and is very famous amongst tourist for its marvellous frescoes and carved architecture. The Chitrashala picture gallery attracts millions of tourists every month to this historical citadel.

The Baoris of Bundi

Rajasthan is famous for its step-wells that are called ‘baori’. The most famous amongst them all in Bundi is the Raniji ki Baori that means the step-well constructed by the queen. It is a 46 metre deep well built by Rani Nathavatji.

Nagar Sagar Twin Step-well

This is a major tourist attraction. These are two identical wells that were constructed for the purpose of supplying water to the entire town.

Nawal Sagar Lake

This is a square shaped lake that is situated in the central position of the town and it has many islets in it. There is a temple dedicated to Lord Varuna which is in the middle of the lake and it is half-submerged in water.

Dabhai Kund

This is the largest water ‘kund’ in the town of Bundi.

Chaurasi Khambon ki Chhatri

This cenotaph is an amazing architecture with 84 pillars constructed at equal gaps. This was constructed in 1740 by the Maharaja of Bundi Raja Anirudh Rao as a tribute to his father Deva Rao. This is a temple where the Shiva Linga is worshipped and it is said by local guides that till today no one could count the 84 pillars exactly. The name Chhatri is used because the roof is in the shape of an umbrella.

Bundi’s Kipling Connection

A significant chapter in history is that Rudyard Kipling drew his inspiration to write ‘Kim’ while he was in Bundi. He was fascinated by the rugged charm of the dessert and the palaces and that’s how he began writing the book.