The Taragarh Fort crowns the crest of a steep hill overlooking the town, while the Garh Palace spills picturesquely down the hillside. This palace is Bundi’s – and Rajasthan’s – jewel. Lieutenant Colonel James Tod, (1782-1835), the British Political Agent and author of the authoritative Annals and Antiquities of Rajasthan, wrote that “the coup d’oeil of the castellated palace of Bundi, from whichever side you approach it, is the most striking in India.”

The state of Bundi was founded in 1341 by Rao Deva of the “fire-born” Hada Chauhan Rajput clan, and the massive, square Taragarh Fort dates to his reign. Work on the palace began in the 16th century, and it was added to by successive rulers over the next 200 years, at different levels on the hillside. Unlike most other palaces in Rajasthan, there is very little Mughal influence in its architecture. The Garh Palace represents a rare example of the pure Rajput style, with curved roofs topping pavilions and kiosks, a profusion of temple columns and ornamental brackets, and typically Rajput motifs such as elephants and lotus flowers.

Unusually, the palace is not built of the sandstone favored by most other Rajput Kingdoms, but of a hard, green-tinged serpentine stone, quarried locally. This stone, unlike sandstone, does not lend itself to fine carving. Instead, Garh Palace was embellished by superb paintings.

Exploring the Taragarh Fort

The palace is entered through the imposing Hathia Pol (“Elephant Gateway”), flanked by two towers and topped by a pair of huge painted elephants. The most spectacular parts of the palace are the Chattar Mahal (built in 1660), and the Chitrashala, an arcaded gallery (built between 1748 and 1770) overlooking a hanging garden. The murals in these are regarded as among the finest examples of Rajput painting. The themes they cover include scenes from religious ceremonies, hunting scenes and other princely amusements. The colors are predominantly blue and green, with touches of deep red and yellow.

How to reach Mehrangarh Fort

By Air
Nearest airport is Sanganer, Jaipur.

By Rail
Nearest railhead is Kota Junction, on the Delhi-Mumbai rail route.

By Road
Bundi is located on NH12 between Jaipur and Kota. The road conditions vary with rains and disrepair. There are frequent buses from Kota to Bundi and the journey by bus takes about an hour. A few buses run daily from Jaipur too and the trip takes 7-8 hrs.