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Tourist Destinations of Rajasthan
Kota
About This
Place
Kota - an amazing
juxtaposition of the majestic medieval age and modern industrialisation
temples its untouched wealth of impressive forts, opulent palaces and
splendid temples.
The present day edifices and heavy industries have made it the
industrial heartland of Rajasthan.
History
of Kota
 The history of the city dates back to the 12th century A.D. when the Hada
Chieftain, Rao Deva, conquered the territory and founded Bundi and Hadoti.
Later, in the early 17th century AD during the reign of the Mughal Emperor
Jahangir, the ruler of Bundi -Rao Ratan Singh, gave the smaller
principality of Kota to his son, Madho Singh. Since then Kota became a
hallmark of the Rajput gallantry and culture.
The history of Kota is linked with the history of Bundi. Both Bundi and
Kota came under the rule of the Chauhans in the 12th century. The
descendents of the Chauhans set up their capital at Bundi and ruled from
here. While Bundi was the capital, Kota formed the land granted to the
eldest son of the ruler. This arrangement continued until 1624. In 1624,
Emperor Jahangir, the great Mughal ruler, partitioned Bundi and made Kota
an independent state. Rao Madho Singh, son of the ruler of Bundi, ascended
the throne of Kota. It became a part of the British Empire in 1818 and
later became a part of the Indian state of Rajasthan, when it gained
independence in 1947.
Travel
Information of Kota
By Air
Kota does not have an airport of its own. Kota railway station is located
at the extreme northern end of the town. There is a small aerodrome, which
is not operational. Nearest airport is Jaipur (240 km).
By Bus
The main bus station in Kota is located on Bundi Road near the eastern
bank of the Chambal River. There is a good bus service from Kota to Ajmer
(6 hours) , Chittorgarh (6 hours), Jaipur (6 hours), Udaipur (6 hours),
Jodhpur (11 hours) and Bikaner (12 hours).
By Train
Kota railway station is located at the extreme northern end of the town.
As Kota is on the main Delhi–Mumbai railway line via Sawai Madhopur, a
number of trains pass through and stop here. The trip to Jaipur takes
about 5 hours, while it takes 10 hours to reach Delhi from Kota.
Entertainment
The commanding fort 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 control of Hada Chieftaincy-Hadoti faces the Kota Barrage. The Durbar
Hall is ornate with beautiful mirror work and has ebony and ivory doors.
Exquisite miniatures of the Kota school are housed within the Hall. Other
noteworthy edifices of the bygone era are the Brij Raj Bhawan Palace, Jag
Mandir-and island Palace, a splendid haveli (mandion) with beautiful
frescoes and the royal cenotaphs.
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