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.

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 (mansion) with beautiful frescoes and the royal cenotaphs.

Situated on the eastern bank of the Chambal River in the state of Rajasthan, Kota is located on a high sloping tableland forming a part of the Malwa Plateau. The Mokandarra hills run from southeast to northwest of the town. Once the part of the erstwhile Rajput kingdom of Bundi. It was in 1624 that Mughal emperor Jehangir partitioned Bundi and made Kota an independent state. Kota became a part of the British Empire in 1818 and later a part of the Indian state of Rajasthan. Today, besides being Rajasthan’s industrial centre, Kota also serves as army headquarters. Summers in Kota are quite hot. The city experiences scant rainfall between June and August. Winters are cool and are the best times to visit the city.

There are a number of interesting places for one to visit in Kota. On the eastern banks of the Chambal River, near the Kota Barrage, the City Fort and Palace are feastful delights. The city palace is the museum which houses a good collection of artefacts. The Kishore Sagar Tank built in 1346 and the Jagmandir Palace located on a small island at the centre of this tank, the Brij Vilas Palace Museum, Chambal Gardens and the Chhatar Bilas Gardens are also worth a stopover.

Tourist Attraction

‡ JAGMANDIR PALACE
‡ KISHORE SAGAR TANK
‡ BRIJ VILAS PALACE MUSEUM
‡ CHAMBAL GARDENS
‡ CHHATAR BILAS GARDENS
‡ RANA PRATAP SAGAR DAM

How To Reach

Train : Kota railway station is located at the extreme northern end of the town.
    Air : Nearest airport is Jaipur (240 km).
Road : The main bus station in Kota is located on Bundi Road near the eastern bank of the Chambal River.