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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. |