Tourist Places in Bundi
Taragarh Fort :
The town’s Rajput legacy is well
preserved in the shape
of the massive Taragarh Fort which was built in 1354. It broads over the town from the top
of a steep hill. It is roughly square in shape with large bastions at each corner and is
dominated by a huge tower called Bhim Burj. It has a huge reservoir carved out of solid rock
which was used to supply water to the palace. The imposing Garh Palace standa beneath the
fort.
The Palace:
Climbing the steep cobbled ramp, palace is
reached through
two massive gateways – outer Hazari Pol and Hathi pol, where two enormous elephants with
raised trunks painted in bright colours top the gateway. The beauty of the architecture is
the most striking among all the palaces in Rajasthan. The palace is actually a whole complex
of different palaces, built by successive ruler. The one described, is the most impressive
of the lot called Chattar Mahal, built by Rao Chattar Sal in 1660. This palace retains a
typical Rajput style, made of stone from Bundi’s own quarries and not of the sandstone
favoured by Mughals and the other Rajput princes. The lake surface of the artificial lake
(Nawal Sagar) beautifully reflects the palace and the entire town of Bundi. In the centre of
the Nawal Sagar is a half submerged temple dedicated to Varuna – the God of wind.
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Chaurasi Khambon Ki Chhatri:
South of the town is the
magnificent unique
cuouble Chhatri raised in the year 1683. Built on a high platform, it has a Shivling in the
centre. The walled enclosure has animal motifs and strikingly beautiful etchings adorn the
columns. The paintings on the ceiling depicts a variety of subjects and interesting fish
symbols.
Raniji Ki Baori:
Bundi has been famous as a city of
Baories (stepwells),
with dozens of these utilitarian structures as fine examples of art. One of the finest is
right in centre of the town – called Rani ji ki Baori. Unique to Rajasthan, these Baori’s
served as water reservoirs for the months of summers when there was a scarcity of drinking
water.
Menal:
70 kms from Bundi, on the Bundi Chittaurgarh road
there is a
complex of beautiful temples dateing back to Gupta period. The palace is said to be mountain
retreat of the legendary Rajput Prithviraj Chauhan. On the banks of the river are the ruins
of the 12th century palace. Menal river runs over the be of granite slabs and plunges into a
cavernous over 122 meter deep gorge. The waterfall thus formed particularly on monsoon
attracts a lot of people from nearby towns.