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India » Kota
 City Guide
 
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Bundi was the capital of the Hada Rajputs who established their craggy stronghold in these forested hills. Kota, a breakaway part of Bundi that became larger and more powerful, is today the largest industrial town of Rajasthan. The fort of Bundi lends a medieval character to the town, and offers a panoramic view of the palace below. The kings of Bundi and Kota were patrons of fine art, the picture rooms, chitrashalas, still have examples of paintings reflecting the famous Bundi and Kota styles. Scenes of hunting, elephants trumpet and horses marching to battle, in miniature, are a speciality. The size of both the forts is impressive, and their collections of royal memorabilia recount centuries past.
Both Bundi and Kota, located close to the river Chambal and fringed by ravines, have palaces around water bodies, and the Jal Mahal set upon lake-islands in Kotah is an example. The waterfalls on the Chittaur-Bundi road, on the Menal river, too are worth a visit. The cavernous gorge down which the Menal river plunges is over 122 metres deep and is the location of several Hindu shrines.
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By Air
Jaipur is the nearest airport to Kota and connected with Delhi, Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Kolkata, Udaipur and Jodhpur.
By BusLocated on Jaipur-Jabalpur highway, there are several express buses from Kota to Ajmer (210 km), Jaipur (242 km), Udaipur (350 km), Chittorgarh, Indore (330 km) and Bundi (38 km).
By Train
Kota is an important stop and most of important trains stop here.
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STD Code
0141
Population
640,000
Area
193.58 sq km.
Language
Hindi, English & Rajasthani
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There are a number of interesting places to be visit in Kota. The city fort and palace, one of its main attractions, is located on the eastern banks of the Chambal River, near the Kota Barrage. This type of fort-palace complex is one of the largest to be found in the state of Rajasthan. The museum within the city palace is worth visiting, as it houses a good collection of artifacts. Kishore Sagar tank, built in 1346, located near the palace is an important tourist attraction. The little Jagmandir palace, built on a small island at the center of this tank by one of the local rulers in 1740, is another place to visit. Adjacent to the Kishore Sagar is the Brij Vilas Palace Museum, a small government museum. Other tourist spots in Kota include a number of gardens. The Chambal gardens and the Chhattar Bilas gardens are the main ones to be visited. Chhattar Bilas gardens has a number of royal cenotaphs.
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The town of Bundi is 36 km from Kota and was the capital of one of the erstwhile Rajput princely states. A number of monuments are to be found in Bundi. Baroli, 56 km southwest of Kota, is known for its ancient temples. These temples date back to the 9th century and are some of the oldest temples to be found in the state of Rajasthan.
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Paintings
Anyone who is found of paintings sholud not miss out Rajasthani paintings which can broadly be classified as Wall, Cloth and Miniature Paintings.
Wall Painting
Walls and ceilings embellished with colourful paintings are a common sight in Rajasthan. Even huts have intricate mandanas on them. Some of the finest frescos adorn the havelis of the Shekhawati region and the ancient towns of Bundi and Kota. And some of the most humorous on the walls of houses tucked away in the lanes of Jaisalmer.
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