Things to Do in Bundi, India
Bundi is the Rajasthan most travelers miss, and I think that is exactly why I loved it. Everyone rushes to Jaipur and Udaipur and Jodhpur, and the quieter town wrapped around a hilltop fort in the southeast corner of the state just sits there, colorful and unbothered. It has murals, step wells, a dramatic fort and some of India’s most beautiful painted palaces. Here is what you should not skip.
Taragarh Fort
The great hilltop fort looms over the town and is the place to start, mostly because the views are staggering. The climb from the town is steep, so take a taxi or auto most of the way and then walk the last stretch. Inside, the fort is largely in ruins, and that is the draw. You can climb the bastions, peer down at the blue-washed rooftops below, and watch peacocks wander among broken walls. Go late in the afternoon for the light and the cool of evening.
Bundi Palace and Its Murals
Just below the fort, Bundi Palace is famous for its murals, and they deserve the reputation. A separate ticket gets you in, and the rooms are covered in exquisite Rajput paintings, court scenes, hunting scenes and radiant friezes in green and gold and indigo. The Chitrashala is the highlight. The murals here are among the finest in Rajasthan and are a big reason people route past the big cities to reach Bundi.
The Step Wells
Rajasthan is dotted with step wells, but Bundi’s are special. Raniji-ki-Baori is the star, an intricate 46 meter deep step well with carved pillars that you can descend partway into for a perspective you will not get elsewhere. It is kept locked but the guard will let you in for a small tip. Nearby, the smaller step wells are quieter and sometimes still in daily use, which is a more human look at how these structures once worked.
Walk the Old Town Lanes
The best thing to do in Bundi is also the cheapest and the most memorable. Just walk. The old town is a maze of narrow lanes, houses painted blue with faded murals over the doorways, chai stalls and butchers and spice shops. I followed the smell of fresh bread and ended up in a lane where half the buildings had scenes painted on them. This is the Bundi that no ticket covers, and it is wonderful.
Sukh Mahal and Chaurasi Khambon ki Chhatri
A short drive out of town, Sukh Mahal is a small palace by a lake where Kipling reportedly wrote part of Kim. The setting is peaceful. Chaurasi Khambon ki Chhatri, the Cenotaph of Four Eighty Four Pillars, is a frenzy of carved pillars a little further on, worth a detour for its sheer odd exuberance. Both combine easily into one afternoon trip.
Boat on the Lake and Sunset
There is a small lake near the town, and in the evening a boat ride or a seat on the bank catches the fort reflected in the water as the light goes golden. I sat there longer than I planned. Bundi is not a place with a long checklist. It is a place you feel, lane by lane, mural by mural, hilltop view by hilltop view.
The Museum and the Fort’s Hidden Corners
Do not skip the small museum near the palace, which holds a compact but memorable collection of manuscripts, arms and the odd painting that fills in the story of the ruling house. And on Taragarh, wander beyond the main ramparts. There are old water tanks and half collapsed chhatris tucked into the vegetation, places where you can sit alone with the view and hear the birds and monkeys. These corners, half forgotten and completely empty, are where the atmosphere lives. Packaged itineraries skip them, which is exactly why you should not. Before you leave the fort, pause at the old gatehouse and the ruined baithaks, the royal sitting rooms, where the paving is worn smooth by centuries of feet. It is a small detail, but it is the kind of thing that makes Bundi feel lived in rather than preserved for show. Climb the ramparts to the tanks at the summit, where blue tiles stud the plaster and the whole valley opens out beyond the town walls.
Getting Oriented and Getting Around
Bundi is tiny, which is a blessing. The core sights sit close enough that you can walk between them, and you will notice more wandering on foot than you ever would from a car. The climb to Taragarh is the one real effort, but autos and shared taxis run from the lower gate to spare you the steepest part. Most guesthouses will point you the right way, and the town is friendly enough that half the fun is getting a little lost in the lanes. Carry water, wear good shoes, and let the day unfold without a strict schedule. That is how Bundi is best taken.
My Bottom Line
Take your time across a couple of relaxed days and Bundi will quietly become one of the highlights of your Rajasthan trip. That is a promise it keeps. It will rank among your favorites in India.
