Bundi II

I finally saw the palace and the fort and, really it is one stupendous scene.

The palace has only been open for a couple of years, as the maharaja was previously in army and now retired, needed some money or thing to do. It's slowly being restored to it's former glory, and there is much work to be done.

Most of the palaces in Rajasthan have been built from sandstone, and therefore are quite intricately carved and sculpted. In Bundi, however, the stone used is a much harder local variety. Due to that, there isn't much by way of carvings in the pure Rajput-style architecture. To compensate on the walls of the bedrooms of the rani and raja, are intricately detailed and designed wall paintings of various occasions in the life of a kingdom. Gods (especially Krishna) and goddesses, are also heavily featured. Also featured extensively throughout the palace are statues of elephants and horses. Elephants were the sign of prosperity and wealth while horses indicated power.

One can easily make out these Rajput warriors were believers in god and devotees of a dharma entrenched many generations ago.

Bundi as a town is charming. Many of the lanes within the old city wind and weave their way through to markets and bazaars selling all kinds of things. The people on the street willingly say "hello", not to extort the tourist for whatever they may be worth, but to pursue a simple, basic quality of humanity: to be friendly and decent.