Bundi
Bundi 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.
History Of Bundi
In ancient times, the area around Bundi was apparently inhabited by various local tribes, of which the Parihar Meenas were prominent. Bundi and the eponymous princely state are said to derive their names from a former Meena king called Bunda Meena. Bundi was previously called “Bunda-Ka-Nal", Nal meaning “narrow ways”. Later the region was governed by Rao Deva Hara, who took over Bundi from Jaita Meena in A.D., renaming the surrounding area Haravati or Haroti.
In 1193 A.D. when Prithviraj Chauhan was defeated by Sultan Mohammed Ghauri, some Chauhan nobles seeked shelter in Mewar and became allies to the Rana while other young warriors move towards the Chambal valley and overpowered the Meena and Bhil tribals-thus establishing their own kingdom of Hadoti. Later, two branches of Hadas formed two separates states of Kota and Bundi, on either side of the river Chambal. Bundi is surrounded by the Aravalli hills on the three sides and is circumscribed by a massive wall with four gateways.
Tourist attractions
«The Taragarh Fort, or 'Star Fort' is the most impressive of the city's structures. It was constructed in AD 1354 upon a steep hillside. 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 has three tanks which never dry up. These tanks are right on top of the fort which sits on top of one of the hills surrounding the city. The technique is 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 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.
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