Bundi is a city and municipal council in the Hadoti region of southeastern Rajasthan, India. It serves as the administrative headquarters of Bundi district. Set in a narrow valley flanked by the Aravalli hills, the town is known for its stepwells (baoris), forts, palaces, and a distinctive school of Rajput miniature painting.
| Country | India |
|---|---|
| State | Rajasthan |
| Region | Hadoti |
| District | Bundi |
| Type | City and municipal council |
| Languages | Hindi, Hadoti, Rajasthani |
| Historical state | Princely State of Bundi (under British paramountcy until 1947) |
Bundi lies in the southeast of Rajasthan, north of Kota, and is bordered by hills of the Vindhyan and Aravalli systems. The town is built around a series of natural watercourses and the artificial Nawal Sagar lake, with the Taragarh Fort rising on the hill above it. The surrounding district is drained by the Chambal and its tributaries, supporting agriculture in wheat, sorghum, and oilseeds.
The Bundi region was historically inhabited by Meena and Bhil communities. According to local tradition, the town was founded in 1241 CE by Rao Deva Hada, who established Hada Chauhan rule over the area, then known as Hadoti. Bundi subsequently became the capital of a Hada Rajput principality.
During the Mughal period, the rulers of Bundi served as senior nobles in the imperial court. Rao Ratan Singh and his successors held high mansab ranks under emperors Jahangir and Shah Jahan. In 1631, the territory of Kota was separated from Bundi and granted as a distinct state to a younger branch of the Hada family.
Bundi entered into a subsidiary alliance with the British East India Company in 1818, becoming a princely state under the Rajputana Agency. After Indian independence in 1947, the state acceded to the Indian Union and was integrated into the United State of Rajasthan in 1949.
Built in the 14th century, Taragarh ("Star Fort") sits on a steep hill above the town and contains large reservoirs cut into the rock, several gateways, and the Bhim Burj bastion.
The Bundi Palace, constructed in stages from the early 17th century onwards, is built into the hillside below Taragarh. It includes the Chhatra Mahal, Phool Mahal, Badal Mahal, and the Chitrashala — a gallery celebrated for its murals.
Bundi is sometimes called the "city of stepwells". The most prominent is the Raniji ki Baori, commissioned in 1699 by Rani Nathavati Solanki, queen of Rao Raja Anirudh Singh. It descends in carved stone tiers and features ornate toranas. Other notable stepwells include Nagar Sagar Kund and Dhabhai ka Kund.
From the 17th to 19th centuries, Bundi was a major centre of Rajput miniature painting. The Bundi school is known for vivid colour, lush vegetation, and depictions of ragamala and baramasa themes, and is closely related to the Kota school.
Bundi is administered by a municipal council and serves as the headquarters of Bundi district, one of the districts of Rajasthan. The city is part of the Bundi Vidhan Sabha constituency and falls within the Kota Lok Sabha constituency.
Bundi is connected by National Highway 52, which links it with Kota and Chittorgarh. Bundi railway station lies on the Chittorgarh–Kota line of the West Central Railway. The nearest major airport is at Jaip