KOTA
Following the Rajput conquest of this area of
Rajasthan in the 12th century of this area of Rajasthan in
the 12th century, Bundi was chosen as the capital with Kota
as the land grant of the ruler’s eldest son. This situation continued
until 1624 when Kota became a separate state, remaining so until it was
integrated into Rajasthan following independence.
Building
of the city began in 1264 following the defeat of the Bhil chieftains
but Kota didn’t reach its present size until well into the 17th
century when Rao Madho Singh, a son of the ruler of Bundi, was made
ruler of Kota by the Mughal emperor, Jehangir. Subsequent rulers have
all added to the fortress and palaces which stand here today.
Today, Kota serves as an army headquarters. It’s also
Rajasthan’s industrial centre (mainly chemicals), powered by the
hydroelectric plants on the Chambal River-the only permanent river in
the state- and the nearby atomic plant, which made headlines in 1992
when it was revealed that levels of radioactivity in the area were way
above ‘safe’ levels.
Orientation
Kota is strung out along the east bank of the
Chambal River. The railway station is well to the north; the Tourist
Bungalow, a number of other hotels and the bus stand are in the middle;
and Chambal Gardens, the fort and the Kota Barrage are to the south.
City Palace & Fort
Standing beside the Kota Barrage, overlooking the
Chambal River, the City Palace and Fort is one of the largest such
complexes in Rajasthan. Some of its buildings are now occupied by
schools but most of the complex is open to the public. Entry is from the
south side through the Naya Darwaza, or New Gate.
The Rao Madho Singh Museum, in the City Palace, is superb.
It’s on the right-hand side of the complex’s huge central courtyard
and is entered through a gateway topped by rampant elephants like those
at the Bundi Fort. Inside, you’ll find displays of weapons, clothing
and some of the best preserved murals in the state. Indeed, everything
about this former palace is colourful. The museum is open daily, except
Friday from 11am to 5 pm.
After visiting the museum, it’s worth wandering around the rest
of the complex just to appreciate how magnificent this place must have
been in its heyday.
Jagmandir
Between the City Palace and the Tourist Bungalow is
the picturesque artificial tank of Kishore Sagar, constructed in 1346.
Right in the middle of the tank, on a small island, is the enchanting
little palace of Jagmandir. Built in 1740 by one of the maharanis of
Kota, it’s best seen early in the morning but is exquisite at any time
of day.
Brij Vilas Palace Museum
The government museum is in this small plain palace
near the Kishore Sagar. It has a collection of stone idols and other
such fragments, mainly from the archaeological sites at Baroli and
Jhalawar. Neither the museum nor the palace are of great interest,
though. It’s open daily except Friday between 10 am and 4:30 pm.
Gardens
There are several well-maintained, peaceful gardens
in Kota.
The
Chambal Gardens, south of the fort at Amar Niwas, are popular for
picnics and there’s a café here. The centerpiece is a murky pond well
stocked with crocodiles. Once common all along the river, by the middle
of this century crocodiles had been virtually exterminated through
hunting. There are also some rare gharial- thin-snouted fish-eating
crocodiles.
Just beside the Tourist Bungalow are the Chhattar Bilas
Gardens, a curious collection of somewhat neglected but impressive
royal tombs, or chhatris.
Places to Stay
HOTEL PHUL PLAZA
Getting There & Away
Air: Jagson Airlines has flights to Jaipur
on Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
Bus: There are bus connections to Bundi,
Ajmer, Chittorgarh (six hours), Jaipur, Udaipur and other centres in
Rajasthan. If you’re heading into Madhya Pradesh, several buses a day
go to such places as Gwalior, Ujjain and Indore.
Train: Kota is on the main broad-gauge
Bombay to Delhi line via Sawai Madhopur, so there are plenty of trains
to choose from. For Sawai Madhopur, the 108-km journey take a bit over
two hours.
AROUND KOTA
Baroli
One of Rajasthan’s oldest temple complexes is at
Baroli, 56 km from Kota on the way to Pratap Sagar. Many of the temples
were vandalised by Muslim armies but much remains and it warrants a
visit. Many of the sculptures from this 9th –century
temples are displayed in the government museum in Kota. There are
hourly buses from Kota.
Jhalawar
Situated 87 km south of Kota, at the centre of an
opium-producing region, Jhalawar was the capital of a small princely
state created in 1838. The Jhanan Khas, part of the palace, can
be visited; it’s decorated with murals and glass-work paintings.
There’s also a small museum.
There is annual tourist festival in February/ March. In October/
November the Chandrabhaga cattle fair is held on the banks of this
river, just outside Jhalara-Patan. During the fair, on the last day of
Kartika, thousands of devotees take a holy dip.
Accommodation
is limited; the best option is the RTDC Hotel
Chandrawati. There are hourly buses from Kota and the journey takes
2 ½ hours.
Jhalara-Patan
At Jhalara-Patan, seven km north of Jhalawar on the
Kota road, are the ruins of a huge 10th –century Surya (the
sun god), temple containing magnificent sculptures as well as one
of the best preserved idols of Surya in the whole of India.
Gagron Fortress
While you’re in this area, you should also take a
look at the Gagron Fortress, 10 km from Jhalawar. Very few tourists even
suspect its existence, and if you like to explore in peace and quiet
this place is perfect. Though perhaps not as famous as others like
Chittorgarh, Jodhpur and Jaisalmer, the huge fort occupies a prominent
place in the annals of Rajput chivalry and has been fought over for
centuries.
The fort is close to the road between Kota and Ujjain and Indore.
There are local buses from Jhalawar.
