Bundi: Undiscovered splendour of beautiful forts, palaces, colourful markets...

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. Impr

essive 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.

Places to visit
Taragarh fort
It dominates the top of steep, craggy, hill on one side and the dusty plains on the other. Inside are huge reservoirs, carved out of solid rock. Bhim Burj, largest of the battlements on which is mounted a famous cannon. Views over the town and surrounding countryside are magical, especially so, at sunset.

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
Largest of its kind, the 46 meters deep, 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.

Excursions
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 the great 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.