Bundi is a special destination in its own. An oasis in the desert state, a serene civilization far from the madding crowd & a well known tourist's destination. Attracted Sir Rudyard Kipling, Rabindra Nath Tagore, Virginia Fass, Satyajit Ray and many more. Thousands of tourists both domestic and foreign come here to see and discover this beautiful place. Bundi was named after a Meena Chieftain BUNDA.
Thanko Mhanki Bundi Mein Swagat Chhe (Welcome to Our Bundi)
Bundi is Rudyard Kipling's first destination, in Hadoti, that is accessible from Jaipur by road. Set in a narrow encircling gorge, the palaces and fortress of Bundi have a fairy tale like quality about them. Few other places in India have such a picturesque location. Isolated and independent, the entire township appears like a miniature painting, frozen in time for the traveler. At some point, the only movement felt seems to be the movement of the traveler.
The Bundi palace, built of locally quarried stone, presents one of the finest examples of Rajput architecture. Intricately carved brackets, pillars and balconies and sculpted elephants are used liberally. Of special interest here are the Diwan-I-Am, Hathi Pol and the Naubat Khana. Also located in the palace is the famous Chitra Shala which provides a colorful glimpse of history - the walls and ceiling of this palace are completely covered with paintings of the Bundi School. Hunting and court scenes, festivals, processions, animal and bird life and scenes from Lord Krishna's life are still in very good condition.
Bundi has other palaces and hunting lodges like the Phool Sagar Palace, Sukh Mahal and Shikar Burj. Each palace has its own historical importance Phool Sagar houses a collection of murals: done by the Italian prisoners of war who were held here; Sukh Niwas Palace evokes memories of Rudyard Kipling who not only stayed here but is believed to have found inspiration for his famous work Kim from the scenes that he saw here. Kshar Bagh, though not a palace, is interesting for its locations as well as the carvings on the 66 royal cenotaphs.
Bundi is also known for its Baories or step-wells. Unique to Rajasthan and Gujarat, the step-wells served as water reservoirs for the months of summer when there was a scarcity of drinking water.
At one time, there were over fifty such wells in Bundi but most of them have suffered the ravages of time. One very good example still to be found in the heart of the town is called Raniji-ki-Baori. It has exquisitely carved pillars and ornate archways - even the simple function of drawing water from the well became a special occasion for the womenfolk, they dressed up in their finery to visit these elaborate structures. On the road to Kota is a splendid 17th century monument - the 84 pillared chhatri still in extremely good condition and worth a visit.
The Bundi district of Rajasthan has been an important tourist destination for both the foreign and domestic tourists. The place offers a unique culture with baoris , palaces & forts , lakes and the beautiful natural surroundings.
How to Reach Bundi :
(a) Airport - 210 km Jaipur (Sanganer) and 250 km Udaipur (Dabok) from Bundi.
(b) Rail to Bundi - Bundi is connected by Rail with Kota, Chittorgarh, Udaipur, Nimach, Agra, Sawai Madhopur & Delhi etc.
(c) Rail Link via Kota - Bombay, Indore, Bhopal, Ujjain, Ajmer, Jaipur, Jodhpur, Ahmedabad, Goa, Varanasi etc.
(d) Buses - AC sleeper Bus, Non AC sleeper Buses from Jaipur, Kota, Chittorgarh, Udaipur, Ahmedabad, Jodhpur, Ajmer, Pushkar, Abu Road (Mount Abu), Ujjain, Indore etc.
