Bundi

Introducing Bundi

With narrow Brahmin-blue lanes, assorted temples, classic havelis, and a picturesque hillside lake, Bundi is the kind of effortlessly charming Indian town you wish you dreamed of – or at least stumbled upon – first. There’s an air of the wonderful here – as Kipling found when he moved here to write – which is most readily felt around the fairy-tale palace looming large and cupola-clad.

Bundi is also a great place to hire a bike for day trips into the nearby countryside. Get home fast though, as the night sky fills with bats, and this discreetly spiritual town closes up shop soon after sundown.

Bundi was the capital of a major princely state during the Rajputs’ heyday. Although its importance dwindled with the rise of Kota during Mughal times, it remained independent until incorporation into Rajasthan in 1947.

From January to March, delicate pink poppies fill surrounding fields, while in October/November the festivals of Bundi Ustav and Kashavrai Patan inject some evening energy into an otherwise daydreamy town. In August, the town hosts celebrations for Teej.

Last updated: Feb 17, 2009