Kota
- Bundi - Jhalawar
 The
Hadoti region of Rajasthan comprises places like Kota, Bundi
and Jhalawar. The old state of Bundi was founded on territory
seized by the Bhil tribals, a kingdom which became the battleground
for the invading Huns and Scythians and also served as a gateway
to the richer kingdoms of Gujarat and Malwa. This has been
one of the least explored areas of Rajasthan and what lies
unexplored and unexposed is a treasure trove of history dating
back to several centuries. Pre-historic cave paintings and
other traces of early civilisation found along the banks of
Chambal and dozens of beautiful temples with the most intricate
carvings lend Hadoti a totally different character.
Kota : Kota is known as
the industrial capital of Rajasthan, Kota does have a few
traces of its past still left. It is a very wonderful blend
of the old and the new. The fort of Kota, overlooking the
Chambal river, is the first and foremost tourist attraction
here. It also has a museum and has some elaborately painted
chambers. Built in mid-13th century by Jai Singh, Kota was
originally a part of Bundi state but it soon grew to become
a bigger, richer and more powerful state. There are other
impressive buildings, some from the early days and some built
in the beginning of the 20th century.
Bundi : Bundi is in Hadoti,
that is reached from Jaipur by road. Set in a narrow encircling
chasm, the palaces and fortress of Bundi have a fairy tale
like quality about them. Few other palaces in India have such
a picturesque location. Isolated and independent, the entire
township appears like a miniature painting.
The Bundi palace, built of locally quarried stone, presents
one of the finest examples of Rajput architecture. Intricately
carved brackets, pillars and balconies and sculpted elephants
are used liberally. Of special interest here are the Diwan-I-Am,
Hathi Pol and the Naubat Khana. Also located in the palace
is the famous Chitra Shala which provides a colourful glimpse
of history - the walls and ceiling of this palace are completely
covered with paintings of the Bundi school. Hunting and court
scenes, festivals, processions, animal and bird life and scenes
from Lord Krishans’s life are still in very good condition.
Bundi has other palaces and hunting lodges like the Phool
Sagar Palace, Sukh Mahal and Shikar Burj. Each palace has
its own historical importance: Phool Sagar houses a collection
of murals done by the Italian prisoners of war who were held
here; Sukh Niwas Palace evokes memories of Rudyard Kipling
who not only stayed here but is believed to have found inspiration
for his famous work Kim from the scenes that he saw here.
Sar Bagh, though not a palace, is interesting for its locations
as well as the carvings on the 66 royal cenotaphs.
Bundi is also known for its baolis or step-wells. Unique to
Rajasthan and Gujarat, the step-wells served as water reservoirs
for the months of summer when there was a scarcity of drinking
water. At one time, there were over fifty such wells in Bundi
but most of them have suffered the ravages of time. One very
good example still to be found in the heart of the town is
called Raniji-ki-Baodi. It has exquisitely carved pillars
and ornate archways - even the simple function of drawing
water from the well became a special occasion for the womenfolk,
they dressed up in their finery to visit these elaborate structures.
On the road to Kota is a splendid 17th century monument -
the 64 pillared chhatri still in extremely good condition
and worth a visit.
Jhalawar : Jhalawar is
the ‘land of Jhalas’, which was created in 1838. This place
It is best explored on foot. Areas of interest are the fort
which is located in the centre of the town that houses district
offices now. in the zanana khanas portion of the fort dwells
some exquisite paintings on walls and mirrors. Permission
to see these painting may be sought from the offices located
there. Government Museum with its collection of rare manuscripts
and sculptures and Bhawani Natyaashala, one of the rare theatres
in this area, are two other areas of interest.
Other places that can be visited from Jhalawar are Rain Basera,
Chandrabhaga temples, Jhalarapatan and the Gagron fort.
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