Round the far side of Taragarh, about 2km north from the centre of town, this picturesque, 1.5km-long lake is flanked by hills and strewn with pretty lotus flowers during the monsoon and winter months. At its near end, the Sukh Mahal is a small summer palace surrounded by terraced gardens where Rudyard Kipling once stayed and wrote part of Kim.

Just past the eastern end of the lake is the atmospheric, partly overgrown Kshar Bag, with the cenotaphs of 66 Bundi rulers and queens. Some have terrific, intricate carvings, especially of elephants and horses. The caretaker will probably show you around and detail the rulers’ names, dates and number of wives – 17th-century ruler Maharaja Satru Sele apparently had 64 queens, but even more are carved on his cenotaph. Fork right just after Kshar Bag to reach Shikar Burj, a small former royal hunting lodge (once there were tigers, deer and boars here) next to a water tank. It’s a popular place for a picnic.

It’s nice to visit Jait Sagar by bicycle; with a bike or autorickshaw you could combine it with other sights further out of town.


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1. Sukh Mahal

0.11 MILES

The Sukh Mahal is a small summer palace where Rudyard Kipling once stayed and wrote part of Kim. It contains a small museum (Indian/foreigner ₹20/100)…

2. Taragarh

0.43 MILES

This ramshackle, partly overgrown 14th-century fort, on the hilltop above Bundi Palace, is a wonderful place to ramble around – but take a stick to battle…

3. Chitrasala

0.58 MILES

Within the Bundi Palace complex is the Chitrasala, a small 18th-century palace built by Rao Ummed Singh. To find it, exit through the palace’s Hathi Pol …

4. Bundi Palace

0.6 MILES

This extraordinary, partly decaying edifice – described by Rudyard Kipling as ‘the work of goblins rather than of men’ – almost seems to grow out of the…

5. Haveli Braj Bhushanjee

0.68 MILES

This heritage haveli (traditional, ornately decorated residence) belongs to the descendants of a former prime minister of Bundi and is a home and a hotel…

6. Old City

0.76 MILES

It’s great to explore the ancient winding streets, gateways and bazaars of the old city, as well as the more touristic Balchand Para area below the palace…

7. Nagar Sagar Kund

0.85 MILES

These twin step-wells in the centre of the market are impressive architecturally, but unfortunately are not kept clean.

8. Kshar Bagh

0.98 MILES

Just past the eastern end of Jait Sagar is the atmospheric, partly overgrown Kshar Bagh, with the cenotaphs of 66 Bundi rulers and queens. Some have…

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