Bundi

The town of Bundi is situated 35 km from Kota and 210 km from Jaipur. It is located at {{Coord|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.{{cn|date=May 2018}}

The climate is hot semi arid (BSh), not having enough rainfall to qualify as a tropical savanna climate (Aw). The climate is quite warm, and most of the rainfall is concentrated during the summer monsoon season (June-September). It gets humid during the summer.

{{Weather box

| location = Bundi (1991–2020)

| metric first = yes

| single line = yes

| width = auto

| Jan record high C = 29.8

| Feb record high C = 36.4

| Mar record high C = 42.0

| Apr record high C = 46.0

| May record high C = 47.0

| Jun record high C = 48.0

| Jul record high C = 45.5

| Aug record high C = 37.4

| Sep record high C = 41.2

| Oct record high C = 39.4

| Nov record high C = 35.4

| Dec record high C = 30.5

|year record high C =

| Jan high C = 22.5

| Feb high C = 26.6

| Mar high C = 34.0

| Apr high C = 39.9

| May high C = 43.7

| Jun high C = 40.5

| Jul high C = 33.9

| Aug high C = 32.1

| Sep high C = 35.1

| Oct high C = 34.4

| Nov high C = 30.0

| Dec high C = 25.2

|year high C = 33.1

| Jan low C = 8.4

| Feb low C = 12.2

| Mar low C = 18.7

| Apr low C = 24.7

| May low C = 28.6

| Jun low C = 28.1

| Jul low C = 24.5

| Aug low C = 23.9

| Sep low C = 24.0

| Oct low C = 20.0

| Nov low C = 14.5

| Dec low C = 11.0

|year low C = 19.8

| Jan record low C = 3.0

| Feb record low C = 3.6

| Mar record low C = 10.4

| Apr record low C = 14.0

| May record low C = 18.4

| Jun record low C = 19.6

| Jul record low C = 19.0

| Aug record low C = 18.0

| Sep record low C = 18.0

| Oct record low C = 13.0

| Nov record low C = 9.5

| Dec record low C = 5.5

|year record low C =

| rain colour = green

| Jan rain mm = 6.3

| Feb rain mm = 5.6

| Mar rain mm = 2.6

| Apr rain mm = 3.3

| May rain mm = 5.1

| Jun rain mm = 93.5

| Jul rain mm = 231.0

| Aug rain mm = 279.0

| Sep rain mm = 98.8

| Oct rain mm = 6.4

| Nov rain mm = 4.6

| Dec rain mm = 0.6

|year rain mm = 736.8

| Jan rain days = 0.4

| Feb rain days = 0.4

| Mar rain days = 0.3

| Apr rain days = 0.3

| May rain days = 0.7

| Jun rain days = 5.0

| Jul rain days = 10.2

| Aug rain days = 13.0

| Sep rain days = 5.2

| Oct rain days = 0.4

| Nov rain days = 0.4

| Dec rain days = 0.1

|year rain days = 36.3

|source 1 = India Meteorological Department{{cite web

| url = https://imdpune.gov.in/library/public/Climatological%20Tables%201991-2020.pdf

| title = Climatological Tables of Observatories in India 1991-2020

| publisher = India Meteorological Department

| access-date = April 8, 2024

}}}}

In the 2011 Indian census,{{cite web|url=https://www.censusindia2011.com/rajasthan/bundi/bundi-population.html|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20190125001655/https://www.censusindia2011.com/rajasthan/bundi/bundi-population.html|archivedate=2019-01-25|title=Bundi Tehsil Population - Bundi, Rajasthan|access-date=2019-01-24|publisher=CensusIndia2011}} Bundi had a population of 1,03,286. Males constitute 52% of the population and females 48%. 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.

{{main article|History of Bundi}}

File:Bundi palace.jpg

Stone Age tools dating from 5,000 to 2,00,000 years were found in Bundi and Bhilwara districts of the state.{{citation |last=Pillai |first=Geetha Sunil |title=Stone age tools dating back 2,00,000 years found in Rajasthan |url=https://m.timesofindia.com/city/udaipur/stone-age-tools-dating-back-200000-years-found-in-rajasthan/articleshow/57385393.cms |work=The Times of India |date=28 February 2017 }}

In ancient times, the area around Bundi was apparently inhabited by Meena tribe. Bundi derives its name from Bunda Meena. The Hada Rajputs took the town around 1242 after diverting the rivulet as the location and terrain provided natural defensibility to their fortifications., renaming the surrounding region as Hadauti, the land of great Hada Rajputs.{{cn|date=April 2017}}

The rulers of Bundi State belonged to Hada-Chauhan dynasty and have ruled the area since 1241 CE. Rao Devraj Singh Hada was the first ruler and presently 26th gaadipati is Brig HH Bhupesh Singh, SC, VSM.{{cn|date=June 2024}}

{{unreferenced section|date=September 2015}}

File:Bundi - Deckenmalerei im Garh Palace.jpg

• Taragarh Fort, or Star Fort, is the most impressive of the city's structures. It was constructed in 1354 on the top of a 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.{{cn|date=May 2018}}
• 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.{{cn|date=May 2018}}
• 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
• Sukh Mahal is a cream-coloured palace that sits on the water bank. Rudyard Kipling stayed there and claimed that the palace inspired his novel Kim{{cn|date=May 2018}}
• Chaurasi Khambon ki Chhatri, Bundi or Eighty four pillared cenotaph
• Kedareshwar Shiv Temple was built by Meena King Kolhan Ushara around 1016 AD.
• Jait Sagar Lake was made by Last Meena King Jaita Meena in 14th Century from Ushara clan of Meena tribe and grandson of Bunda Meena.
• Abhaynath Shiv Temple was built by Meena King Aabu Meena in mid-11th Century.

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.{{cn|date=May 2018}}

The Raniji ki Baori is a noted and well-maintained stepwell, some {{convert|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.{{cn|date=May 2018}}

The Nagar Sagar twin step wells are identical step wells crafted in masonry on either side of the main spine of the town. The Dabhai Kund, also known as the Jail Kund, is the largest of the stepwells and, although slightly overgrown, still shows carvings on the numerous steps leading down to water level.{{cn|date=May 2018}}

Murals in the typical Rajasthani Hadoti miniature style are an important attraction in the Garh Palace. They cover the walls, ceilings and niches in several of the pavilions or "mahals", depicting stories from the life of Krishna as well as scenes from the lives of the royalty. They have significant artistic and decorative values. The Ummed Bhavan "Chitrashala" (also in the Garh Palace, i.e. the palace premises within the Bundi fort) have especially notable murals.{{cn|date=May 2018}}

There are nearly 100 rock art sites in and around the town, some dating back 5000 to 7000 years. They have been discovered by a local enthusiast in the sandstone escarpments and caves. These show up the typical line drawings of wild buffalo, deer, tiger, etc. as well as humans in different postures that depict the typical lives and concerns of human beings of the period.{{cn|date=May 2018}}

{{anchor| Great Boundary Fault at Satur}}

Great Boundary Fault at Satur at nearby Satur has been declared the National Geological Monuments of India by the Geological Survey of India (GSI), for their protection, maintenance, promotion and enhancement of geotourism.[http://www.portal.gsi.gov.in/portal/page?_pageid=127,529542&_dad=portal&_schema=PORTAL National Geological Monument, from Geological Survey of India website]{{Cite web|url=http://pib.nic.in/newsite/PrintRelease.aspx?relid=137573|title=Geo-Heritage Sites|last=|first=|date=2016-03-09|website=pib.nic.in|publisher=Press Information Bureau |access-date=2018-09-15}}[http://naturalheritage.intach.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/Geoheritage-Monograph.pdf national geo-heritage of India], INTACH

{{reflist}}

• {{cite book|author1=Beny, Roland |author2=Matheson, Sylvia A. | title=Rajasthan – Land of Kings| year = 1984| publisher=Frederick Muller| location=London| isbn = 0-584-95061-6| page = 200 pages}}
• {{cite book|author1=Crump, Vivien |author2=Toh, Irene | title= Rajasthan| location=London| publisher=Everyman Guides| year=1996| type = hardback| isbn = 1-85715-887-3| page = 400 pages}}
• {{cite book|author1=Martinelli, Antonio |author2=Michell, George | title=The Palaces of Rajasthan| year = 2005| publisher=Frances Lincoln| location=London| isbn = 978-0-7112-2505-3| page = 271 pages}}
• {{cite book|author=Sodhi, Jiwan| title= A Study of Bundi School of Painting| location=India| publisher=Abhinav Publications | year=1999| type = hardback| isbn = 81-7017-347-7}}

{{Commons category|Bundi}}

{{wikivoyage|Bundi}}

• [http://jatinchhabra.com/bundi-tourism/ Bundi Tourism]
• [http://bundi.rajasthan.gov.in/ Official website of Bundi collectorate]

{{Bundi district}}

{{Rajasthan}}

Category:Cities and towns in Bundi district

Category:Tourist attractions in Bundi district

Category:Rock art in India

Category:Bundi