Garh Palace of Bundi is collection of many Palaces inside its great walls which were built by different rulers. Most of the Palaces were built between 17th and 18th century. Maharao Balwant Singh started the construction of Garh Palace in Bundi in late 16th century which is Hilltop Palace and it took around 200 years for the Palace to be completed. It is considered to be one of the finest examples of Rajput architecture as complex is well established with huge halls & rooms, the Jharokhas and Pillars all are constructed in Rajputi style.
The Garh Palace has several magnificent buildings such as, 'Ratan Daulat' (Diwan-i-Am), Chhatra Mahal, Phool Mahal & Badal Mahal(To visit these palaces prior permission is required from the secretary at Moti Mahal ), 'Chitrashala'is a magnificent pavilion and gallery of fascinating murals in miniature style, Ummed Mahal is a beautiful depiction of Raja Umed Singh and Raja Bhushan Singh's reign through paintings and a hanging garden in front of Ummed Mahal.
Timings and Entry Fees of Garh Palace
The palace is open to visitors on all days between 8 am and 5 pm. The entry fee for Indians is Rs. 10 and Rs. 50 for foreigners. For photography and videos, the palace charges the visitors an extra Rs. 50 for still photographs and Rs. 100 for video cameras.
Best Time to Visit Garh Palace
The best time to visit Garh Palace is between the months of October and February, when the weather over here is quite pleasant. Nevertheless, one can also plan a trip during the months of July and August, which is when the famous Kali Teej festival is held over here.
How to Reach Garh Palace
The palace can be easily reached from the center of the city via a bus, rickshaw or a taxi. Alternatively, one can also rent a car and drive down to the palace. The nearest railway station is Bundi Railway Station, which is located about 9 kilometers from the palace and the nearest airport is Jaipur Airport, about 200 kilometers, which is well connected with all the major cities of the country.
The tourist attractions in Bundi include glorious medieval forts, temples, havelis and magnificent palaces. The tourists will love to visit Bundi because of its serene atmosphere and strikingly expressive landscape. Bundi is perfectly located at the foothills of a large hill with a splendid lake in the center of this beautiful city of Rajasthan.
The most impressive Taragarh Fort is the prime attraction in the city of Bundi. This fort was constructed in the 14th century. The visitors will find a large battlement (Bhim Burj) inside the fort. One will also see a cannon and a large reservoir. The reservoir was carved by a single piece of rock.
The Bundi Palace is another place of attraction, located in close proximity to the Taragarh Fort. One will see some exquisite murals that typify the glorious era of Indian royalty.
Bundi is also famous for its large number of age old step-wells (locally called baoris). The step-wells that have been maintained till today are the Nagar Sagar Kund, Raniji ki Baori, and Nawal Sagar.
One of the prominent tourist attractions is a temple of Lord Varuna (God of Rains), half submerged in the water of the Nawal Sagar lake. The visitors, who want to see that temple, must go by boat.