2.15.2018

India with kids: Part 2 Bundi


After our eventful Jaipur trip, we adventured on a 3-4 hour road trip to Bundi. Bundi is a small town in Rajasthan where my maternal grandmother grew up. In Bundi, we stayed with family in their beautiful haveli, now converted into a heritage hotel run by my uncles. I used to visit often as a child and really wanted to take my girls to experience the authentic atmosphere and traditional lifestyle of this small, rustic yet beautiful, city.



You’ll see in the photos below the original paintings and murals inscribed on the walls by various artists and the traditional interior of the haveli.



Original Paintings at Haveli Brajbhushanjee


Such an ideal place to relax and have a cup of chai!


Close up of the paintings


Just couldn't get enough of this view!



Bundi is truly a hidden gem. If we didn’t have family there, we probably would have never discovered it and would have limited ourselves to bigger, more touristy, cities like Jaipur and Udaipur. The Bundi Palace was totally worth visiting. I wish they did a better job preserving the property -- it has so much potential and is really very beautiful. I hear there are a few other historic sites to explore but the Palace is one of the main attractions and that’s what we decided to go see. The Bundi Fort was a little hike from the Palace but due to time constraints, we could only visit the Palace, which was also a short 5-min walk from the haveli. In fact, the Palace view from the haveli is spectacular and you’ll see that in the pictures below.



Palace in the background


Palace lighting at night


Bundi attracts a lot of backpackers and off-the-beaten-path travelers. With better infrastructure and preservation, Bundi can definitely have a prominent place in India’s mainstream tourism map.



Street life & shops

Bundi Palace:



Girls had a great time exploring. I wish I knew more about the history of the palace!


Garden of Bundi Palace and Chitrashala (Picture Gallery):



This little enchanted garden took our breath away! Imagine the upkeep & beauty when kings & queens actually inhabited this palace.  


City views


Temple nestled at base of the mountain


Chitrashala or picture gallery: Original paintings and murals depicting scenes of war, love stories, wedding processions, and more.


A short walk back to the haveli:



We had a wonderful stay in Bundi with family after a long time, and it was simply heartwarming experiencing the old charm and heritage of this ‘under the radar’ treasure.


“Full many a gem of purest ray serene

The dark unfathomed caves of ocean bear:

Full many a flower is born to blush unseen

And waste its sweetness on the desert air"

Thomas Gray, An Elegy Written In A Country Churchyard

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