Bundi ........ A must visit place of rajasthan.

Sir Rudyard Kipling had commented " The Taragarh Fort at bundi must have been built by angels not by human beings ".

 

This small and rustic town ,once the capital of the erstwhile princely states of Rajasthan,comes alive during its Kajli Teej festival in the month of november.HIGH on a hill in Bundi, enclosed by a mass of greenish brown serpentine stone, Chatramahal is a silent secret garden, its elegant formal layout still visible through the tangle of wild roses and weeds, that is the most enchanted place in the world — quoted by Virginia Fass, renowned photographer, on the romance and fantasy of this place. Bundi (Kipling's destination) is the first stop in the Hadoti region while coming from Jaipur. The pleasant monsoon makes this place even more beautiful and gorgeous. The chain of otherwise barren small hills wearing a green look and with "water water everywhere" makes this place a special monsoon destination and a treat for visitors.

A tiny town picturesque, 36 km from Kota is, Bundi. One of the unexplored cities with a rich historical wealth. Once it was the part of Kota, it was ruled by the Hada Chauhans - an offshoot of the famous Chauhan clan who ruled Delhi and Ajmer.Bundi continues to be a place where life is largely untouched by the outside world. Infact, even today, Bundi is one place in Rajasthan that has a delightfully medieval flavor - visiting it is like stepping into some kind of time warp.

. The town nestles at the foot of a large rocky hill, dominated by Taragarh Fort and Garh Palace.It is a town of numerous ornate step-wells dating back to the 17th century. The tiny, winding lanes of its bazaars are among the most fascinating you will find anywhere in Rajasthan. Bundi miniature paintings are considered to be among the finest in Rajasthan. Reaching there zenith in the 18th century, they are known for their brilliant colors, their elegant sense of design and their masterful technique.

Bundi is also known as the City of Wells for its more than 50 step wells built over the centuries.

The soft silver deluge bathing the banks of the auspicious Chambal presents an exotic setting for the tourist.

The Bundi festival will now be a part of the tourism calendar and an even more popular and important event for the State.

 

Vignettes of Bundi's rich heritage.

Thus the small town of Bundi called the queen of Hadoti in Rajasthan, once famous for its Baories (reservoirs) and Daories (brave ladies) and miniature paintings attracts the traveller. From the highway it seems as if the city is a miniature painting frozen in time.

Bundi also has a wildlife sanctuary and the tiger can be sighted in this season.

In a nutshell, Bundi is an exotic place to see and enjoy. The local people welcome visitors by saying: "Thanko Mhanki Bundi mein swagat Chhe — welcome to our Bundi"

'The Mini Khajuraho' Of Rajasthan

Menaal

  

Menaal temple panoramic view

Rajasthan circuit, which encompasses the Western India tourist circuit, boasts of some of the most sought after tourist destinations of this sector.Much have been written about the major destinations like Jaipur, Ajmer, Mount Abu, Jodhpur, Jaisalmer etc., but the area is dotted with numerous resplendent & mesmerizing but node script destinations.Amongst them one is MENAAL, which is about 90 Kms. from Chittaurgarh.

To Menaal, one will have to travel upto Bhilwara or Chittaurgarh.It is advisable that one visits Chittaurgarh as this Fort city boasts of a Rajput fort whose past is replete with historical characters like Rajput King Prithvi Raj Chauhan, Meera Bai (whose Bhakti towards Lord Krishna was absolute & amazing and her poetical renditions in love with Lord Krishna are sung with equal fervour by devouts all over northern India).There are other historical anecdotes associated with this place like the jauhar by famed beauty & queen Rani Padmini to protect her honour from Allaudin Khilji, who had laid siege on this fort for her famed beauty.There are several such instances of valor displayed by Rajput Kings & queens against face of adversity and this place holds a place of pride amongst the Rajputs for its legacy.Interestingly this is the only fort that is referred to in masculine gender by the local Rajputs of Rajasthan & around.

The famed Menaal Temple

Chittaurgarh is accessible both by road & rail.It is situated around 600 odd Kms. from Delhi and regular train services on the Udaipur line is available with journey time of 10 hours upwards.One can make stop-over at Ajmer also as all the trains pass through this holy place.Other than that there is a plethora of bus service available from Delhi and one can even take a chance by standing at Dahula Kuan from where the busses pick up travelers without booking.Apart from the Rajasthan Transport Corporation busses, a large number of private operators like Srinath Travels, Parsavnath Travels etc. also operate busses both of ordinary type as well as deluxe ones.The busses which start from Delhi at around 7.00 P.M. in the evening, reach Chittaurgarh by 9.00 A.M. the next day.Therefore, the visitors have the whole day to themselves for sightseeing etc.The nearest airport is at Udaipur, which is about 120 Kms. from Chittaurgarh.The best period to visit Rajasthan in between late October to early March.For information one can log ontowww.rajasthan.gov.in/CHITTAURGARH.SHTM .There are all kinds of budget as well as quality lodging & boarding facilities like Hotel - Panna, Padmini etc. available at Chittaurgarh.

Menaal is also known as the "mini khajauraho", blessed with natures beauty, this picnic spot is situated on the Chittaur - Bundi raod, and is famous for the ancient temples, waterfalls and beautiful forests. The name Menaal is derived from Maha Nal (great gorge).This temple complex was built by Someshvar Chhahamana and his queen Suhavadevi of the Sakhambari dynasty in the 11th century.The construction of the main structural group, on the left side of the gorge, is credited to the king while the single temple with a detached monastery across the river is associated with the queen, albeit the foundation inscription has been lost now.However, the fame of place grew during reign of King Prithviraj Chauhan, as it was his favourite mountain retreat during the scorching Rajasthan summer. For this he had built a palace on the banks of the Menaal river which runs over granite slabs before finally plunging into a gorge over 122 meters deep. When it rains, the water flows over the granite rocks and plunges into a gorge 100 feet below into a pool and then proceeds onwards.

Apsaras of Menaal

The 11th century Mahanaleshvara temple is a perfect example of the western Indian style of stone temple architecture. The entrance is embellished with a seated stone lion, and there are number of guardian deities carved on protruding panels in the walls. The inner sanctum is dominated by projecting balconies while the roof is a pyramidcal array of ribbed and finely carved stone.The entrance to the mansion is via a two storied gateway carved with images of the gods Ganesha and Bhairava. The square courtyard beyond the entrance houses a huge Shiva temple of stone, built in the ancient Hindu style with a carved pagoda and pillars. The walls of the temple are carved with motifs of Hindu dieties and various other themes, interspersed with images of elephants. of special mention are the images of Shiva and Parvati which form the chief subject of the engravings. Shiva and Parvati are depicted in various postures and surrounded by dancers, musicians, lesser gods and animals. Halfway up the pagoda is a large stone lion, perhaps depicting victory. A number of smaller ruined temples lie around the Shiva temple.Though the main Shiv shrine is built in sand-stone, brick-work is visible wherever the surface of the tower covering of the smaller temples (perhaps even older) has peeled off. Before the main temple ofMahanala is a Nandi enclosure, solidly built, but barely sufficient to accommodate the bull.

Sanctum sanctorum of Menaal temple - note the carved doorways which are akin to the famed Khajuraho temples

Mera Pradesh

    
Rajasthan is a state rich in heritage, traditions, palaces, and natural beauty. As the name indicates, it is the land of many great kings and Rajaput warriors. Hindu scriptural epics refer to many sites in the present day Rajasthan.  Pushkar ,the holy pilgrimage site, is mentioned in both the Mahabarata and Ramayana.

The new state of Rajasthan was defined in 1948, encompassing the south and south-eastern states of Rajputana with Udaipur as the capital. It has a total area of 342,214 sq km and is bounded in north and north-west by Pakistan, in the north-east by Punjab and Harayana , in the east by Uttar Pradesh, in the east and south-east by Madhya Pradesh, and in the south-west by Gujrat. Rajasthan has 32 districts with a total population of about 44 million. Hindi , Rajasthani are main languages spoken in the state. Hinduism is the predominant religion and other major religious communities are Muslims,Jains, and Sikhs. Rajasthan is known for its exciting festivals and fairs such as camel, elephant and desert festivals,Baneshwar, Pushkar and Kaila Devi fairs and Dussera mela.

Rajasthan is the driest part of India. The Aravalli ranges stretch diagonally across from the north-east to south-west to separate the desert and semi-desert areas. The Chambal river runs along the eastern boundary. Agriculture is the main source of livelihood and it remains the crucial factor in the economy. but now it is being replaced by travel and tourism ,mining,and handicraft .Rajasthan has large deposits of non-metallic and metallic minerals and ornamental stones including marble, sandstone, Kota stone, Jodhpur stone, Dhaulpur stone, Karoli stone, slate, and granite.

Rajasthan is famous for its traditional handicrafts: gems and jewellery, metal-ware, textiles and embroidery, leather, and marble processing. Main industries are leather, ceramic and glass, wool, electronics and telecommunication.

Rajasthani Bhaasha ........................Our Language and Dialects

The Rajasthani language is a Western Indo-Aryan language although some classify it as a part of the Central Indo-Aryan family.In India, Rajasthani is written in the Devanagari script, an abugida which is written from left to right. Besides, Muriya script was also in use for business purposes only. In Pakistan, where Rajasthani is considered a minor language, a variant of the Sindhi script is used to write Rajasthani dialects.

In the past, the language spoken in Rajasthan was regarded as a dialect of western Hindi (Kellogg, 1873). George Abraham Grierson (1908) was the first scholar who gave the designation ‘Rajasthani’ to the language, which was earlier known through its various dialects. Today, however, Sahitya Akademi, National Academy of Letters and University Grants Commission recognize it as a distinct language. It is also taught as such in the Universities of Jodhpur and Udaipur. The Board of Secondary Education, Rajasthan included Rajasthani in the course of studies and it has been an optional subject since 1973. Since 1947, several movements have been going on in Rajasthan for its recognition, but it is still considered a ‘dialect’ of Hindi. Recently, the Rajasthan Government has recognized it as a state language, but there is still a long way for the language to go towards national status. It still lacks a comprehensive reference grammar and contemporary dictionary based on a thoroughlinguistic survey of Rajasthan. Currently an extensive descriptive grammar of Rajasthani is being recorded.

Some major dialects or languages (when you label Rajasthani as a cluster) are:

• Bagri: about five million speakers in Hanumangarh and Sriganganagar districts of Rajasthan, Sirsa and Hissar districts of Haryana, Firozepur and Muktsar districts of Punjab of India and Bahawalpur and Bahawalnagar areas of Punjab of Pakistan.
• Shekhawati: about three million speakers in Churu, Jhunjhunu and Sikar districts of Rajasthan.
• Ahirwati: spoken in Mahendragarh and Rewari districts of Haryana.
• Marwari:about thirteen million speakers in western Rajasthan comprising Jodhpur, Pali, Sirohi, Jalore, Jaisalmer, Churu, Bikaner, Nagaur, Ajmer, and Barmer districts of Rajasthan. It is also spoken in eastern parts of upper Sindh province of Pakistan.
• Dhundhari: about nine million persons in Jaipur, Dausa, Tonk, Ajmer, Karauli and Sawai Madhopur districts of Rajasthan. It was first surveyed upon by G. Macliester who published specimens of fifteen varieties of Dhundhari spoken in the territory of the former state of Jaipur in 1898.
• Harauti: about four million speakers in Kota, Bundi, Baran, and Jhalawar districts of Rajasthan state of India. Interestingly, it has a nominative marker /nE/ which is absent in other dialects of Rajasthani.
• Mewari: about five million speakers in Rajsamand, Bhilwara, Udaipur, and Chittorgarh districts of Rajasthan state of India.
• Mewati: about five million speakers in Mewat region of Haryana(Gurgaon and Mewat districts) and adjoining Alwar district of Rajasthan.
• Other major dialects/languages are: Dhatki, Goaria, Godwari, Loarki, Merwari, Gade Lohar, Gujari, Gurgula, Lambadi, Malvi, Nimadi

Kumbhalgarh Fort

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    

Kumbhalgarh Fort is the second most important fort in Rajasthan after Chittaurgarh. Built in 1458 by Maharana Kumbha, a Mewar king, the fort derived its name from the same factor. Later, Maharana Fateh Singh renovated the fort in the 19th century. Encircled by thirteen elevated mountain peaks, Kumbhalgarh fort stands on the site of an ancient citadel which is ascribed to Samprati, a Jaina prince of the second century BC. History says that he built around 300 temples at this place. Later Rana Kumbha, added to this. At present, few of these are left, fewer with idols inside.Covering over 12 sq km, the walls of the fort stretch about 36 km and stands about 1,087m high from the sea level. Located amidst the hills of Aravali, the fort offers a marvelous view of the surrounding areas and sandy dessert of Marwar for miles around. The fort is commanding a great strategic location on the border between the Rajput Kingdoms of Udaipur and Jodhpur. There is a folklore behind the construction of this fort that, Maharana of Kumbhalgarh failed to build the fort's wall for several times so he consulted a sage about this problem. And on the advice of this sage, the sage came up with a bizarre proposition — he was to stand at a point and chop off his own head, and the place where his body fell would be the main entrance of the fort and the point where his head fell would be the second main entrance. The perimeter of the fort's wall is assumed to be the longest in the world after the Great Wall Of China.  the fort encloses royal apartments, temples - dedicated to different gods, 252 palaces - great and small, seven massive gates or pol (Arait Pol, Hanuman Pol, Ram Pol, Bhairava Pol, Paghra Pol, Top Khana Pol, Nimboo Pol), seven ramparts and huge watch towers, storerooms, houses and water tanks. The wall of fortress is wide enough to take eight horsemen one at a time. The main buildings inside this magnificent citadel are Badal Mahal, Kumbha Palace, Brahmanical and Jain Temples, baoris, chhattris etc.  Located close to the Pagda Pol, this palace is one of the finest examples of Rajput architecture. It is a two storeyed building with a beautiful blue durbar hall. A corridor separated the mardana (men's ) palace from the zanana (women's) palace. Some of the rooms in the zenana have an attractive painted frieze with elephants, crocodiles and camels. A circular Ganesh temple is in the corner of the zenana courtyard. The most noted feature is the toilets, which has a ventilation system that allowed fresh air into the room while the toilet was in use.  Badal Mahal  Built by Rana Fateh Singh (AD 1885-1930), it is the highest point of fortress. Once have to climb up to terrace through narrow stairs to reach this palace. It is a two storeyed building with the interior painted in pastel colours. Like Palace of Rana Kumbha, this palace is also divided into two interconnected distinct portions - Zanana and the Mardana palace. This palace is profusely decorated with wall paintings of 19th century style and some have attractive friezes. The stone jali screens in Zanana mahal was facilitated the queens to see the court proceedings and other events in privacy. From here one can get the view the jungle covered hillsides and across the deserts of Marwar towards Jodhpur.