Bundi

This article is about the municipality in Rajasthan, India. For its namesake district, see Bundi district.

Bundi
—  city  —
Bundi Location of Bundi in Rajasthan and India
Coordinates	25°26′N 75°38′E
Country	India
State	Rajasthan
District(s)	Bundi
Population	88,312 (2001)
Time zone	IST (UTC+05:30)
Area • Elevation	• 268 metres (879 ft)

Panoramic view of the old town and palace of Bundi.

View of Bundi Fort and Palace from the Highway.

An alley in the old town. Many of Bundi's houses are painted blue.

Street scene from Bundi, Rajasthan.

Lady in Bundi in the year 1986.

Bundi (Hindi – बूंदी) is a city and a municipality of approximately 88,000 inhabitants (2001) in the Hadoti region of Rajasthan state in northwest India. It is of particular architectural note for its ornate forts, palaces, and stepwell reservoirs known as baoris. It is the administrative headquarters of Bundi District.

Geography

The town of Bundi is situated 35 km from Kota and 210 km from Jaipur. It is located at 25.44°N 75.64°E / 25.44; 75.64 and an average elevation of 268 metres (879 feet). The city lies near a narrow gorge, and is surrounded on three sides by hills of the Aravalli Range. A substantial wall with four gateways encircles the city.Bundi The town of Indragarh and the nearby places are famous for the renowned temples of Mother Goddess Kali and Kamleshwar. The tank of Indargarh is considered as one of the most attractive places in the Bundi district especially during the rainy season.

Demographics

In the 2001 Indian census, Bundi had a population of 88,313. Males constitute 53% of the population and females 47%. Bundi has an average literacy rate of 67%, higher than the national average of 59.5%; with male literacy of 75% and female literacy of 57%. 14% of the population is under 6 years of age. Kota city is 35 km and Jaipur is 210 km.

History

History of Bundi

Tourist attractions

• The Taragarh Fort, or 'Star Fort' is the most impressive of the city's structures. It was constructed in AD 1354 upon the top of steep hillside overlooking the city. The largest of its battlements is the 16th century bastion known as the Bhim Burj, on which was once mounted a particularly large cannon called Garbh Gunjam, or 'Thunder from the Womb'. The fort is a popular tourist viewpoint of the city below. The fort contains three tanks which never dry up. The technique with which they were built has been long since lost but the tanks survive as a testament to the advanced methods of construction and engineering in medieval India.
• The Bundi Palace is situated on the hillside adjacent to the Taragarh Fort and is notable for its lavish traditional murals and frescoes. The Chitrashala (picture gallery) of the palace is open to the general public.
• The largest of Bundi's baoris or stepwells is the intricately-carved Raniji ki Baori. Some 46 m deep, it was built in 1699 by Rani Nathavatji. The steps built into the sides of the water-well made water accessible even when at a very low level. The baori is one of the largest examples of its kind in Rajasthan.
• The Nawal Sagar 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, stands half-submerged in the middle of the lake. the lake feeds the numerous bavdis in the old city by creating an artificial water table.
• The Nagar Sagar twin step wells are identical step wells crafted in pristine masonry on either side of the main spine of Bundi town. The kunds (pools) are currently full of waste from the ancient vegetable market in the vicinity.
• The Dabhai Kund also known as the jail kund, is the largest of the kunds in Bundi. Though slightly overgrown, it is well worth a visit for the spectacular carvings on the numerous steps leading down to the water level.

• Sukh Mahal
• Jait Sagar Lake
• Phool Sagar
• Kshar Bagh
• Chaurasi Khambon ki Chhatri, Bundi or Eighty four pillared cenotaph

Excursions Gudha Dam {Gudha Turakti Village 20 KM from Bundi}

• Kedareshwar Dham ( Bag Ganga)
• Keshoraipatan
• Ramgarh
• Bijolia
• Menal
• Talwas
• Rameshwaram
• Indragarh

Thikarda

• Hindoli

The Stepwells

There are over 50 stepwells in Bundi, of which only a handful have been maintained. They used to be the only source of water for the town until a piped water system was introduced. After that these stepwells were abandoned and the monuments fell into disrepair. Most of the former stepwells inside the town have become garbage dumps, and are slipping out of the public consciousness.

Further reading

• Bayley, C.S (hardback). Chiefs and Leading Families in Rajputana. India: Office of the superintendent of Government Printing. p. 114. ISBN 8120610660. 
• Beny, Roland; Matheson, Sylvia A. (1984). Rajasthan – Land of Kings. London: Frederick Muller. p. 200 pages. ISBN 0-584-95061-6. 
• Crump, Vivien; Toh, Irene (1996) (hardback). Rajasthan. London: Everyman Guides. p. 400 pages. ISBN 1-85715-887-3. 
• Martinelli, Antonio; Michell, George (2005). The Palaces of Rajasthan. London: Frances Lincoln. p. 271 pages. ISBN 978-0711225053. 
• Sodhi, Jiwan (1999) (hardback). A Study of Bundi School of Painting. India: Abhinav Publications. ISBN 8170173477. 
• Tod, James. Annals and Antiquities of Rajasthan (With a Preface by Douglas Sladen). 54, Jhansi Road, New Delhi-1100055: Oriental Books Reprint Corporation. 

External links

• Official website of Bundi collectorate
• Travel information about Bundi on WikiTravel
• Genealogy of the ruling chiefs of Bundi
• MSN Map

Gallery

• 

  Mother and child in Bundi in the year 1986.