Bundi

Bundi lies in a narrow valley below the Taragarh fort, surrounded by hills in southeastern Rajasthan. The Hada Chauhan rulers made it the centre of their state, building palaces and reservoirs against the steep slopes. The town is also known for a distinctive school of painting, whose artists filled manuscripts and palace walls with vivid scenes of courtly life, hunting and the seasons.

The Hadas established their rule at Bundi in the fourteenth century. In 1569 their ruler Surjan surrendered Ranthambore to the Mughal emperor Akbar and entered imperial service. The Bundi court maintained its own artistic traditions while participating in the wider Mughal world. A Ragamala series dated 1591 belongs to the early development of its painting school, and later rulers sponsored further murals and miniatures. Fort, palace and paintings together reflect the ambitions of a Rajput court that combined military authority with patronage of the arts.