Located to the southeastern side of Rajasthan, the city of Bundi is known for its decorative mansions, magnificent palaces, and step wells. The origin of the city dates back to the 1193 AD to the reign of Prithviraj Chauhan. The city of Bundi is also described in some of the chapters by Rudyard Kipling.

History

Bundi was inhabited by numerous tribes, out of which the Parihar Meenas were the most noted ones. The city itself got its name from one of the Meenas, Bunda Meena. In the initial days, Bundi was also known as ‘Bunda-Ka-Nal’. In 1342, Rao Deva Hada won Bundi, made it the capital and named it as Haravati or Hadoti. It was under the reign of the HADA Rajputs that many magnificent forts and architectural wonders were constructed in Bundi. One of the HADA kings- Rao Surjan Hada defeated the Mughal army 13 times and stopped them from gaining control of the Ranthambore fort. Later, the Mughal emperor made an alliance with the Hada king.

From 1554-1585, hadoti was under the reign of Rao Surjan. It was in 1533 that Rao Surjan gifted the Ranthambore Fort to Akbar, who in turn gave the HADA King Gave the title ‘Rao Raja’ and gave him some additional territory. Later, when Emperor Jahangir was cheated by Mughal Prince Khurram, the then HADA king Rao Ratan Singh Hada stayed loyal to Jahangir, and defeated Prince Khurram at Burhanpur. Pleased by his loyalty, Jahangir honored Rattan Singh. Rattan Singh indeed was very happy by his 14 year old son’s bravery at the war and gave him a large part of Bundi in the year 1580, creating Kota for Madho Singh. Later, Kota and Bundi, were created on wither sides of the Chambal River. After the Indian independence, Bundi was made a part of Rajasthan.

Altitude:	268 mtrs.
Best Season:	The best time to visit Bundi is from October to March, when the weather is cool and best for vacationing. July to September, during monsoons is also the best time to visit Bundi for short trips.
Climate:	Summer: Mean Max. 44°’C Mean Min. 20°’C Winter: Mean Max. 10°’C Mean Min. 2°’C
Clothing:	Summer light tropical or light Winter Woolen.

Distances from Bundi
Delhi 479 Kms.	Agra 425 Kms.	Ajmer 189 Kms.
Alwar 348 Kms.	Bharatpur 372 Kms.	Jaipur 218 Kms.
Jaisalmer 634 Kms.	Jodhpur 356 Kms.	Mt. Abu 460 Kms.
Ranthambhore 129 Kms.

Tourist Attractions

Nawal Sagar: Situated at the center of the Bundi, the Nawal Sagar is an artificial lake. The Lake can be clearly seen from over the Taragarh Fort. Built-in the shape of a square, the lake also houses a partly submerged small shrine made in honor of Lord Varuna. The placid and crystal clear water of the Lake offers the views of the entire Bundi city.

Step Wells: Bundi is very famous for its Stepwell, popularly known as Baori. The step wells were basically built as water reservoirs during summers when the region faced a shortage of water. There were around fifty Step Wells in Bundi, most of which were destroyed over the course of time. The most significant ones left today are Raniji-ki-Baori, Nawal Sagar, and Nagar Sagar Kund.

How to Reach

By Air: The Jaipur Airport is the nearest airport to Bundi, situated 210 km away from the city.

By Rail: The Bundi railway station is well connected to nearby cities and states.

By Road: Bundi has a well-built road network, which connects to Kota, Bhilwara, and Tonk.