The Town
In his Annals and Antiquities of Rajasthan (1829), Col James Tod, the first British official ever to explore the region, wrote that the "coup d'oeil of the castellated palace of Bundi, from which ever side you approach it, is perhaps the most striking in India". Walking north through the bazaar today, with the creamy stone domes, cupolas and bleached walls of the palace spilling down the hillside ahead, you'll doubtless agree. Built during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries in authentic Rajput style, this was one of the few royal abodes in Rajasthan untainted by Moghul influence. Its appearance is surprisingly homogeneous considering the number of times it was added to over the years, although some wings are virtually derelict now, including the one that harbours Bundi's greatest art treasures: its famous murals . As some of these are hidden behind locked doors, it's a good idea to arrange a guide to show you around; the Haveli Braj Bhushanjee can put you in touch with a good one. A short steep path winds to the entrance, Hathi Pole , flanked by the elephants that are so common in the Hadaoti region. From the small courtyard within, steps lead to Ratan Daulat , the Diwan-i-Am or Hall of Public Audience, with its simple marble throne. Shrine rooms and the womens' quarters above it contain the cream of Bundi's murals, but these lie within the so-called "closed portion" of the palace and you'll need prior permission (or a good guide) to see them. Other wall-paintings, however, may be viewed in the Chittra Shala , a courtyard enclosed by cloisters whose sides swirl with elaborate blue, green, turquoise and white images of battles, court scenes and religious tableaux. Views over Bundi from the projecting balconies take in the Nawal Sagar tank with its half-submerged temple. The best views of all are from the Taragarh, though it's a steep climb to see them. A walk from the palace westwards through the walled bazaar and old gateways takes you to Rajasthan's most spectacular step-well, Raniji-ki-Baori , built in 1699 by Nathwati, wife of Rao Raja Singh. One among a hundred such wells in Bundi, it lies deep beneath the surface of a small park, reached by a flight of steps punctuated by platforms and embellished pillars. As you descend, look for the beautifully carved panels showing the ten avatars of Lord Vishnu which line the side walls. East of town, a few kilometres by rickshaw, the beautiful Sukh Mahal - Rao Raja Vishun Singh's summer palace - on the northern shore of Jait Sagar tank, is where Rudyard Kipling wrote Kim . Now the regional water authority's rest house, it is generally closed to visitors, but you can take a pleasant stroll in the gardens further along the west side of the lake, the Sahr Bagh , which encloses sixty crumbling royal cenotaphs. If the door to it is locked, ask for the key at the chowkidar 's hut, on your left just after the gateway over the main road.
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