A Day in Bundi, Rajasthan

I am currently living in Kota. Bundi is 40-50 minutes drive from here. It is in the south-east region of Rajasthan. It is known for beautiful forts, Baoris, Colorful Streets, and Stepwells.

I started from Kota at around 10:00 AM IST with my husband and in-laws and reached Garh Palace at 10:40 AM IST. We had bought entry tickets for Palace which is common for Garh Palace, Taragarh Fort, Badal Mahal, Chitra Shala, Phool Mahal, and few more places which are inside the fort.

Exploring Garh Palace and Taragarh Fort

When you would walk up towards Palace, you would see two elephants blowing bugles at the gate. This gate is known as the Hathi Pol/ Elephant Gate. After crossing this gate, turn right and move upstairs as per the direction indicated on board. You would see Diwan-e-aam/Hall of Public Audience – It was built by Rao Raja Ratan Singh for public discussions/hearing. The throne is build-up from marbles with a hall on the opposite side.

Chitra Mahal, Badal Mahal, Phool Mahal, and Chitrashala are located in the Palace. The walls and ceilings of Chitra Mahal are decorated with colorful paintings and glass. The paintings narrate stories of war and Hindu mythology. There are two massive pillars to set up a swing that comes under Queen’s premises. I have never seen such a massive setup for a swing before. The paintings in the fort are on verge of decay but it’s worth visiting the fort for the rich historical stories, the art, and the beautiful panoramic view of the city. 
You could hire a government guide to learn more about the Palace and Bundi at the entrance. One could use directions painted on walls and boards to navigate inside the fort.
Taragarh Palace is located above Bundi Palace, it’s a small 15-20 minutes steep hike. Although it’s in a state of decay, it’s worth the walk to look down upon the blue hues of this colorful city.

After exploring the fort, we ate homemade stuffed Gobi Paratha with Guava curry and chutney in our car near Nawal Sagar.

Rani Ji Ki Baori

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84 Pillared Cenotaph

It was constructed in 1683 by Raja Anirudh, Maharaja of Bundi in memory of his nurse, Deva. It has 84 pillars, they say you cannot count 84 pillars in one go. It is also known as Music Maharani’s Chhatri. We had identified 80 pillars but 4 pillars were still missing in our count, so when you explore this Cenotaph, let me know in comments section if you were able to count all of them.

Sukh Mahal and Jait Sagar

A Mahal of bliss surrounded by mountains and Jait Sagar Lake. It was host to Rudyard Kipling who wrote “Kim” during his stay here in the 19th century. Sukh Mahal will make you feel very peaceful and calm after a long hectic day.

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How to reach Bundi

By Bus and Train – The best way to reach Bundi is via bus, it is well connected to Kota, Jaipur, Jodhpur, Ajmer and other major cities. If you are travelling from other states via train then reach Kota junction and then you can catch a bus. Mostly people avoid travelling via train because Bundi railway station is 4km away from the old city.

By Air – Nearest airport is Sanganer Airport, Jaipur which is about 206 kms away.

Best time to visit Bundi

Winters (November – February) is the best time to visit Bundi. Monsoon is also a good time to experience the old city in lush green. Avoid traveling in summers (March – July) to avoid scorching Sun. 

I have followed the below sequence to explore Bundi in a day.

Trip Expenses/Budget

S.NO	Activity	Price
1.	Garh Palace and Taragarh Palace tickets	85
2.	Rani Ji Ki Baori, 84 Pillared Cenotaph and Sukh Mahal tickets combo	75

I had great time here and I will be happy to read your travel stories in comments.