Day 6 – On to Bundi – A Captain’s Adventures

Thankfully, it was a morning to sleep in! We didn’t have to depart Jaipur until 9:00 am for the four-hour drive to Bundi. And after all our Bollywood dancing last night, we needed the rest!

It took 90 minutes to drive out of Jaipur, but once free it was pretty smooth on a very nice highway.

From our guide – here is a short snapshot of Bundi’s history:

Bundi is a small historic town of 150,000 residents in Rajasthan, famous for its fort, palaces, stepwells, and distinctive miniature paintings.
Bundi was ruled for centuries by the Hada Chauhans, a branch of the Chauhan Rajputs.
The town rose to prominence in the 14th century, when Rao Deva established Hada rule here around 1342. Its most famous landmark, Taragarh Fort, was built in the 14th century and dominates the town from the hillside. Below it grew the Garh Palace, developed by successive rulers.
During the Mughal period, Bundi maintained a relationship with the Mughal emperors, while its rulers retained considerable local authority. Later, Bundi came under British paramountcy.
Bundi became particularly famous for its 17th and 18th century miniature paintings, known for their vivid colours, romantic scenes, royal courts, hunting scenes and beautifully painted landscapes.
The town is also known for its remarkable baoris, or stepwells, built to store water in Rajasthan’s dry climate.

In one line:

Bundi is a medieval Hada Rajput town where a hilltop fort, royal palaces, painted walls and ancient stepwells preserve a fascinating chapter of Rajasthan’s history.

In the early afternoon, we checked into our beautiful, historic hotel, with lovely rooms and lots of character. And we were served a nice vegetarian lunch. In the late afternoon we headed out to visit some Bundi highlights.

First, we stopped at one of the fifty stepwells in the Bundi area. They were used as primary water sources until the 1970s. Each stepwell we’ve seen so far is of a different design, although the concept is the same. Did down on a slope until you reach ground water or a spring, then add steps for convenience!

Next up was a steep uphill walk to the Garh Palace. It is empty now and unused, but still an interesting site. Here are some photos of the structure, key features, and remaining historic frescos and paintings.