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Bundi- A Tour

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Nestled in a
fold of the Aravlli hills, Bundi bristles with medieval enchantment.
Its fortifications house palaces and apartments, artificial lakes and
waterside pavilions. Ruled by the Hada Rajputs, Bundi is renowned for
its Rasleela frescos.
Administrative
Setup:There are two
sub-divisions in the district viz., Bundi and Nainwa. These two
sub-divisions are further divided into four tehsils.
Languages :Rajasthani,
Hindi, English.
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Sights to
see
Taragarh
fort :The town's Rajput
legacy is well preserved in the shape of the massive Taragarh fort (
it is also known as Star Fort )which broods over the town in the
narrow valley below and the huge palace which stands beneath it.
This Fort was built in 1354. It is reached by a steep road leading
up the hill side to its enormous gateway, topped by rampant
elephants. Inside are huge reservoirs carved out of solid rock and
the Bhim Burj, the largest of the battlements, on which is mounted a
famous cannon. Views over the town and surrounding countryside are
excellent. The Palace is one of the finest examples of Rajput
architecture. It is massed across a rocky height , approached by a
road of stone steps and ramps meant for horsemen and chariots. Here,
the Chitra Mahal is an absolute delight. In a gallery built around a
sunken court open to the sky, there are beautiful murals done in the
Bundi style of miniature paintings. Above the palace, accessed
through the impressive Elephant Gate are the royal apartments,
murals, balconies, corbels, pavilions, fretted windows, domes.Sunset
dusts the memorial pavilions, or Chhatris, of the former rulers with
gold. This quiet place is set in a grove of old trees and the high
platforms of the memorials are decorated with horses and elephants.
Bundi has a couple of beautiful baoris (step wells) right
in the centre of town.
Trust:
Shri Digamabar jain Parsvanath atisay kshetra committee; Bijolia
Dist. Bhilwara;State - Rajasthan, India.
Garh Palace
:A complex of various palaces,
built by rulers of different times. Hugging the steep hillside,
the complex looks like a checkerboard when viewed from above. This
magnificent structure is a fine example of the Rajput architecture
housing some of the superb Bundi landscape including Chitrashala,
a fascinating pavilion and a gallery of miniature murals embellish
the palace.
Rani Ji Ki Baori
:Right in the centre of the
town are a couple of extremely awe-inspiring baoris or step
wells. The largest of its kind, is 46 mts deep and endowed with
intricate carvings. Built in 1699 by Rani Nathavatji, the steps
leading down to the water are framed with soaring pillars.
Panels, depicting images displaying animal-human evolution, have
been carved in the images of avatars.Largest of its kind, with
beautifully carved walls and pillars and the high arched gate is
this stepwell of the Bundi queen, who took baths here at
religious occasions.
Chaurasi Khambo ki Chhatri
:This 84-pillared cenotaph was
raised in the memory of Deva, the son of the wet nurse of Rao Raja
Anirudh Singh. Built on a high platform this unique double story
cenotaph has a large Shivlinga at the center, which makes it both
a temple as well as a cenotaph.
Chitrashala
:beautiful
pavilion and gallery of fascinating murals in the miniature style.
The walls areadorned with elaborate painting depicting scenes from
the Ragmala and Raslila, the RA adha-Krishna legends. The colour
scheme of all these paintings is blue, green, turquoise on white
with touches of terracotta or yellow. Bundi Wall paintings are
famous all over the world.
These palaces are part of Garh Palace.
CHATRAMAHAL, RATAN
DAULAT AND BADAL MAHAL:Dooms
and galleries full of murals of Bundi Miniature Paintings. The
colour schemes of these paintings are red, golden and blue.
Although these palaces are private property of the Maharaja and
are not open for public. But any body can visit these places
with the help of Maharaja's staff.
SUKH MAHAL ( PALACE OF
BLISS) :This summer palace where Rudyard Kipling stayed
when he visited Bundi in late 19th Century. This magnificent
summer palace was constructed during the reign of Rao Raja
Vishnu Singh. It is said that an underground tunnel runs from
Sukh Mahal to Taragarh Fort.
SHIKAR BURJ (HUNTING
LODGE):It was royal hunting lodge. Nestled in the woods
amidst lush greenery, it is a beautiful picnic spot.The
Rajputana of yore, set amidst the great Thar, the only desert
of the sub-continent, is known not only for the sizzling heat
and the dunes but also for the warmth in the hearts of the
people. Considered as the most colourful region of India ,
this exotic land of valiance and chivalry has an unusual
diversity in all its forms, people, customs, culture,
costumes, music, manners, dialects, and cuisine etc. It is the
land of superlatives, everything here is breathtakingly
beautiful, impressive and fascinating. Rajasthan is endowed
with invincible forts, magnificent palaces and havelis. We
will confine ourselves only with the southern Rajasthan - The
Hadoti region that is BUNDI, the least explored land of
Rajasthan. The Remote but fascinating town of Bundi
deserves more than a short visit. It is reputed among the
tourists for its palaces, step wells and water tanks.
Countless monuments spread the city reflects the peaks of the
architectural excellence
achieved during the days of yore. The
huge frescos depicting the glory of Rajput rulers are the
special attractions.
Menal
:In the
middle of beautifully wooded revives is a gorge of the Menal
river and the ruins of what used to be the mountain retreat
of thegreat Raja Prithviraj Chauhan. On the banks of river
are the ruins of an ancient palace and a complex of
beautiful temples dating 12th century. The waterfalls here
are in stark contrast of the image one usually holds of
Rajasthan
Haveli Braj Bhushanjee invites you to explore the rich
heritage and culture of BUNDI. Your every moment will be
caught and held in its history. Bundi is a dream
remembered. Nestling at the footsteps of a large
craggy hill, Bundi, named after Bunda Meena, was
established by Rao Deva in 1241 A.D. The large dominating
complex of fort and palaces, hugging the steep
hillside, is mainly made of two- Garh-Palace and Taragarh-Fort.
Jait Sagar Lake
(3 km):A picturesque lake cradled in the hills,
built by Jaita Meena. The swirling fountain at night is a
visual delight.
Rameshwaram
(20 km):The cave temple of Lord Shiva surrounded by the
Aravalli ranges. An ideal picnic spot as well.
Keshavraipatan
(45 km.):
It is an ancient city famous for the temple of
Keshavraiji (Vishnu). The architecture and sculpture at
this temple is unique. It was constructed in the year 1601
A.D. by Maharaja Shatrusal of Bundi. A famous Jain temple
is also there.
Ramgarh
(45 km):The Ramgarh Sanctuary is located on the Nainwa road.
One needs to take permission for the State Forest
Department prior to a visit to the sanctuary.An ancient fort and the city of Bijolia is situated on
the Bundi Chittaurgarh road. On the side of the fort is a
large temple of Lord Shiva in its center with a fine image
of Lord Ganesha standing as a guardian at the entrance. A
carved archway leads to the temple.
Nawal Sagar: Visible
from the fort is the square artificial lake of Nawal
Sagar, broken up by islets. A temple dedicated to Varuna,
the Aryan god of water, stands half submerged in the
center of the lake. The reflection of the entire city and
its palaces can be seen in the lake – making it a unique
attraction of Bundi
Talwas (53
km):A magnificent fort built by the ruler Ajit Singh. A
temple of Dhooleshwar Mahadev and a picturesque water
adjoining the fort are worth a visit. The beautiful Ratna
Sagar Lake is close by and it’s a haven for fauna like
bear and deer during the monsoon.
Dugari (65
km):
Remnants of ancient wall paintings can be seen in the Ram
Mandir within the imposing fort of Dugari.
Indragarh (77
km):The Indragarh Fort and the nearby palaces are famous for
the temples of Mother Goddess Kali and Kamleshwar. The
palace is also famous for wall paintings.
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Economy
Major Crops and Their
Production:Production:
1999-00) (Tonnes), Paddy 76,293, Jowar 5,394, Maize 28,828, Pulses
13,202, Sesamum 315, Groundnut 1,036, Sugarcane 2,39,301, Red chillies
201, Wheat 2,69,295, Barley 1,889, Gram 7,626, Rapeseed and Mustard
1,11,692 .
Minerals:The major minerals found in the district are limestone
and silica sand. The minor minerals quarried are sandstone, marble,
bajri, masonary stone, marrum and China clay.
Production: 1999-00 (Tonnes), Lime Stone 4,36,000, Masonary Stone
1,33,980, Silica Sand 14,981, Sand Stone 11,96,926, Marble 1,859,
Granite 27 .
Infrastructure:
Electricity: In Bundi
district, the distribution of power is controlled through 2 big 132 KV
sub-centers. These sub-centers are located in Bundi and Lakheri. To
strengthen and make regular power supply, a new sub-centre is being
constructed at village Namana, panchayat samiti Talera. As of 31 March
2000, 820 villages were electrified.
Water: There has been a
gradual increase in the canal irrigated area over the years. The two
tehsils – Bundi and Keshoraipatan are in the Chambal compound area.
The major sources of irrigation in Bundi and Keshoraipatan are canals,
while in tehsils of Hindoli and Nainwa the major source of irrigation
is wells.
Educational
Facilities/Institutions:(No.)
Primary Schools 933, Middle Schools 341, Higher Secondary and
Secondary Schools 89, Degree Colleges 2, Special Commercial Schools 3,
ITI 3 .
Industrial Scenario: No.
of Large and Medium Scale Units: 5, No. of Small Scale Units: 2,211,
No of Industrial Areas: 5, Bswari-Govindpur, Bundi By-pass,
Bundi-Nainwa Road, Bundi Chittorgarh, Indergarh.
Main Existing Industries:General
engineering, Oil mill, Oil refinery, Paper, Poha making, Portland
cement, Rice milling, Stone cutting, Polishing, Sugar
Export Items:Cement,
Rice .
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Transportation
and Communication
Road Transport: The
National Highway No.12 (Jaipur-Jabalpur) passes through Hindoli
tehsil in the north and Bundi tehsil in the south. The total road
length of this road in the district is 64 kms and total road length
in the district is 1,526 kms.
Rail Transport: The
nearest railway station to Bundi city is Bundi road. The two rail
routes passing through the district are Delhi-Bombay and
Kota-Chittorgarh route on broad gauge. The total railway line in the
district is 126 kms.
Air Transport: The
nearest airport is Jaipur (202 kms) .
Communication Facilities:
(No.) Post offices and Telegraph offices 207, Telephone
exchanges 37, Public call offices 512 .
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Fairs
Fairs
& Festivals:
Festival
of Kajli Teej (July/August): This is celebrated on the third day of
the month of Bhadra, unlike Teej, which is celebrated on the third
day of the month of Shravana. A procession takes place for two days
from the Nawal Sagar to the nearby Azad park. Cultural performances
by the local artists as well as artists from the Hadoti region are
part of the celebrations. The festivities continue till the eighth
day, finally ending on Janmashtami, the birth anniversary of Lord
Krishna.
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CLIMATE
Climate and Rainfall:The
district is generally dry except during the monsoon or winter
rains,.Maximum temperature is 42.6 degrees celsius,Minimum temperature
is 29.7 degrees celsius,.Normal annual rainfall in the district is
76.41 cms.
Temperatures in summer:
43.0 deg C., in winter: 30.7 deg. C .
Rainfall: 75 cm.
Best season:
August-February
Clothing: Summer- light
tropical
Winter- light woolen
Latitude : 25.27 N
Longitude :75.41 E
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Land
Area:5,550
sq. kms. (1.62 per cent of the State)
Location:The district
is situated in the south-eastern part of Rajasthan. It is bound in the
north by Tonk, in the west by Bhilwara and on the south-west by
Chittorgarh districts. The river Chambal forms the southern and
eastern boundaries separating the Bundi and Kota territories. The
southern tehsils of Bundi forms a wedge between Bhilwara and Kota and
also touches Chittorgarh district.
Distance from major cities:Jaipur-202
kms., Delhi-483 kms., Ahmedabad-827 kms., Mumbai-1,378 kms.
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History
A moment in history caught
and held. Bundi is a dream remembered - named after Bunda, a Meena
chieftain. A Rajput town so ancient that one gets the feeling of
having stumbled upon a page of history.Bundi and Kota were
once a singly principality ruled by the Hada Chauhans, an offshoot
of the famous clan of Chauhans who ruled Delhi and Ajmer.After the
defeat of Prithviraj Chauhan by Sultan Mohammed Ghori in 1193, the
Chauhan nobles sought sanctuary in Mewar. They were welcomed and
proved allies to the Rana.Yet some young warriors ventured on their
own overpowered the Meena and Bhil Tribals of Chambal valley and
established the kingdom of Hadavati or Hadoti. Later two branches of
the Hadas formed two separate states on either sides of the Chambal.
These were Kota and Bundi. Bundi town nestles in a narrow valley,
enclosed by huge walls and fortified by four gateways.In the centre
of the township lies a lake. A medieval fortress stands sentinel to
this city - amute witness to history and time. Bundi is famous for
its intricate paintings and murals.Bundi lies embraced by hills, the
capital of the Hada Rajputs who established their craggy stronghold
in these forested hills, but fate and the forces of power created
Kotah, a breakaway part of Bundi that went on to become larger and
more powerful than its parent state. And yet, the strength and the
delicacy of the fort of Bundi has not been recaptured by that in
Kotah. The size of both forts is impressive, and their collection of
royal memorabilia recounts centuries past. Both Bundi and Kotah,
fortunate to be located close to the river Chambal, and fringed by
ravines, have attempted to create palaces around waterbodies,
whether it is delicate pavilions set afloat amidst water in Bundi,
or complete palaces such as Jal Mahal set upon lake-islands in
Kotah. When in Bundi don't forget to visit the waterfalls on the
Menal river. The small sleepy town of Bundi, a rather unexplored
city with rich historical wealth, is surrounded by the Aravali hills
on three sides and is circumscribed by a massive wall with four
gateways. Impressive medieval forts, palaces and temples with
beautiful stone idols and chhatris(Cenotaphs) with carved pillars
along with a scenic lake in the heart of the town that add to its
charm. In 1193 A. D. when Prithvi Raj Chauhan was defeated by Sultan
Mohammad Ghauri, some Chauhan nobles seeked 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 Handoti. Later, two branches of
Hadas formed two separate states of Kota and Bundi, on either side
of the River Chambal.Bundi is surrounded by the Aravalli hills on
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.
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