Bundi

BUNDI बूंदी Choti Kashi
town
Panoramic view of the old town and palace of Bundi.
BUNDI Location in Rajasthan, India
Coordinates: 25°26′N 75°38′E / 25.44°N 75.64°ECoordinates: 25°26′N 75°38′E / 25.44°N 75.64°E
Country	India
State	Rajasthan
District	Bundi
Named for	Bunda Meena (tribal leader)
Elevation	268 m (879 ft)
Population (2001)
• Total	104,457 [1]
• Density	193/km^2 (500/sq mi)
Languages
• Official	Hindi
Time zone	IST (UTC+5:30)
PIN	323001
Sex ratio	922 ♂/♀
Website	www.bundi.rajasthan.gov.in

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 is a city with 104,457 ^[1] inhabitants (2011) 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°26′N 75°38′E / 25.44°N 75.64°E 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. It is served by Bundi railway station on Kota-Chittorgarh rail line. The town of Indragarh and nearby places are famous for the renowned temples of Bijasan Mata and Kamleshwar. The Indargarh step well is considered as one of the most attractive places in the Bundi district, especially during the rainy season.

Demographics

In the 2001 Indian census,^[2] Bundi had a population of 88,312. 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. In the 2011 Indian census Bundi has a population of 104,457 ^[1] people.

History

In ancient times, the area around Bundi was apparently inhabited by various local tribes. Bundi and the eponymous princely state are said to derive their names from a former Meena tribe man called Bunda Meena. Bundi was previously called "Bunda-Ka-Nal", Nal meaning "narrow ways". Later the region was governed by Rao Deva Hada, who took over Bundi from Jaita Meena in 1342, and established a princely state Bundi, renaming the surrounding area called Hadoti, the land of great Hada Rajputs.

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.
• The Sukh Mahal is a cream-coloured palace that sits on the water bank. Rudyard Kipling stayed there and claimed that the palace inspired his masterpiece, Kim.
• Jait Sagar Lake
• Phool Sagar
• Kshar Bagh
• Chaurasi Khambon ki Chhatri, Bundi or Eighty four pillared cenotaph

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 refuse dumps, and are slipping out of the public consciousness. The Raniji ki Baori is a noted well-maintained stepwell.

Festivals

Festivals of Bundi
1. Kajali Teej
2. The Gangaur Festival
3. Bundi Festival
started by Rajmata Sahiba Daulat Kanwar Of Dugari & Shri Madhukarji Gupta which was inaugurated by Shreeji Arvind Singh Mewar & Kunwar Shivam Singh Dugari in !998

References

1. "Provisional Population Totals, Census of India 2011" (PDF). Office of the Registrar General - India. 2011. Retrieved 2013-01-02.
2. "Census of India 2001: Data from the 2001 Census, including cities, villages and towns (Provisional)". Census Commission of India. Archived from the original on 2004-06-16. Retrieved 2008-11-01.

External links

• Official website of Bundi collectorate
• Genealogy of the ruling chiefs of Bundi
• MSN Map

Further reading

• Bayley, C.S. Chiefs and Leading Families in Rajputana (hardback). India: Office of the superintendent of Government Printing. p. 114. ISBN 81-206-1066-0.
• 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). Rajasthan (hardback). 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 978-0-7112-2505-3.
• Sodhi, Jiwan (1999). A Study of Bundi School of Painting (hardback). India: Abhinav Publications. ISBN 81-7017-347-7.
• Tod, James. Annals and Antiquities of Rajasthan (With a Preface by Douglas Sladen). 54, Jhansi Road, New Delhi-1100055: Oriental Books Reprint Corporation.

Gallery

• 

  Mother and child in Bundi in the year 1986.