BUNDI : A Historical Odyssey

Book excerpt: The early accounts describe Bundi as originally named Pariyatra and Vrindavati respectively. Its hinduly area was termed as Prakatpur. Over time, it came to be known as Bunda Ka Nal. Jaita the last Meena chieftain, ruled until Rao Deva conquered the territory on 24th June 1341 A.D. Rao Deva and his successors established the city of Bundi at the heart of Bunda Ka Nal, and renamed the region as Harauti, signifying the abode of Haras. Eventually, the Haras expanded their domain across the Chambal river, encompassing present-day districts of Kota and Baran. While the entire reign under Haras became known as Harauti, their rulers retained the title of Rao of Bundi. During their rule, Kota was established as a separate Hara state on 21st December 1631 A.D. Nevertheless, the combined region of Bundi and Kota continued to be referred to as Harauti. This work is a monograph to stratise the conseptulized and age old inter operative multipluralstic cultural and political crescendo which transidendet through ages. As Bundi zone irrupted in history as early as mesoprotozoic period (1.5 crore BC-1 crore BC), an elevating the Aravali hills, audiotizing the serene sound of fountains, rivers, streamlets, beautified with thick forestry, rich with wild animals and unified in religious based ideologicentric academia. Despite the existence of ample Hindi literature on Bundi, there was still a need for an English edition, especially in the era of globalization when Bundi has become a prominent tourist destination. We have diligently examined literary, archival, archealogical, spectacularly, geographical, geopolitical, numismatic, thermological, carbondatist and anthropological evidences to find the insightfulness of Bundi. This efforts presents Bundi as a cultural state having the profound implicit character to reflect doctor S. Radhakrishna’s definition “History is the memory of a Nations.” Conductively it combines it’s past with its present palladium of culture also.