Garh Palace, in the heart of old Kota, is a huge fortified palace complex right beside the Chambal riverfront. From outside you see layers of yellow stone, red gateways and white chhatris rising above the city; inside, courtyards lead into audience halls, zenana sections and pavilions decorated with Kota–Bundi school wall paintings. The most beautiful area is Bada Mahal and other painted chambers, where hunting scenes, processions, monsoon clouds and Krishna themes cover the walls. On the lower level, the Rao Madho Singh Museum displays royal arms and armour, howdahs, textiles, regalia, miniature paintings and manuscripts, so you get both architecture and a full history lesson in one visit.
About this place
History & highlights
Tradition says the original fort–palace foundations were laid in 1264 CE by Prince Jait Singh of Bundi, at the spot where he defeated and sacrificed the local Bhil chieftain Koteya, from whom the name Kotah/Kota is derived. For centuries Kota remained a dependency of Bundi, until Rao Madho Singh made it a separate state in 1624; the palace then grew into the formal seat of the Raos and Maharaos of Kota. Later rulers (Jagat Singh, Ram Singh, Bhim Singh and others) added new mahals and fresco cycles, especially in the 18th century when the Kota school of painting flourished. In 1970 the royal family set up the Rao Madho Singh Museum Trust and opened part of the palace as a museum to preserve this heritage.
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