Kota in Rajasthan is Mecca to aspiring IITians but the magic and historical splendor or this ancient town is  underplayed by its academic popularity. Situated on the banks of Chambal River, Kota is an amazing juxtaposition of the majestic medieval age and modern industrialization with its impressive forts, opulent palaces and splendid temples dating back over several centuries.  It is also famous for its distinctive style of painting and its vibrant education sector. In fact, the numerous coaching centers which prepare aspirants for India’s elite engineering and medical colleges have given a totally new character and identity to the city.
A Fortress of Bundi stands overlooking the modern Chambal Valley Project with its many dams- Kota Barrage,Gandhi Sagar, Rana Pratap Sagar and Jawahar Sagar. An old palace, dating back to the time when Kota was under the reign of Hada Chieftaincy-Hadoti faces the Kota Barrage. The Durbar Hall levaes one spell bound with its ornate beautiful mirror work, ebony and ivory doors and exquisite miniatures of the Kota school. Other noteworthy edifices of the bygone era are the Brij Raj Bhawan Palace,Jag Mandir-and island Palace, a splendid haveli (mansion) with beautiful frescoes.

The Chambal Garden is beautifully landscaped garden at the Amar Niwas. Its lush surroundings make it a popular picnic spot offering enjoyable boar rides. The Maharao Madho Singh Museum  is situated in the old palace and has a superb collection of Rajput miniature paintings of the Kota school, clothing, musical instruments, exquisite sculptures, frescoes and armory. The museum also houses a rich repository of artistic items used by the Kota rulers. The Government Museum which is housed in the Brijvilas Palace near the Kishore Sagar, displays a rich collection of rare coins, manuscripts and a representative selection of Hadoti sculpture. Timings for both museums are 10 am to 5 pm with Friday closed.

In the middle of the artificial lake of Kishore Sagar constructed in 1346 AD by Prince Dher Deh of Bundi, stands the enchanting little palace of Jag Mandir. The Haveli of Devtaji Shridharji is located in the middle of the busy market and is noted for its splendid frescoes and rooms ornate with lovely wall paintings.

Other Places worth visiting are the Kansua temple with a four faced Shiva Lingam, Bhitria Kund, Adhar Shila, Budh Singh Bafna haveli , Yatayat Park, Haryali Water Park and the Godavari Dham Mandir.

Distance: 500 South West of Delhi
Best time to Visit: October to March
How to get there:
By Air: Nearest Airport is Jaipur, 240 km from Kota
By Train: Kota Railway Station lies on Delhi Mumbai route
By Road: 9 hrs drive from Delhi

This entry was posted on Thursday, January 7th, 2010 at 2:50 am and is filed under Historical Places. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.