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TARAGARH FORT, BUNDI
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The
Taragarh Fort in Kota was built in 1345 and was the
center of a kingdom in Rajasthan. Within the fort
there are large reservoirs where water was stored in
case of a siege, when all the towns folk took shelter
within the walls of the fort. These reservoirs are
carved out of the rocky base of the fort. On the
largest rampart of the fort is the Bhim Burj, a large
and legendary cannon. The view of Kota town from
Taragarh Fort is spectacular, particularly at twilight
and just after sunset. This large fort is an
interesting place to spend a day, wandering around its
ruins and defensive structures.
The main entrance to the imposing Taragarh fort is
located some 39 kms away from the town centre that can
be approached by a sharply sloping road. The main
gateway of the fort has some meticulous carvings of
elephants. Infact, there are three gateways to the
fort. They are named Lakshmi Pol, Phuta Darwaza and
Gagudi ki Phatak. Most parts of these impressive
gateways are now in ruins. During its heydays,
Taragarh fort was renowned for its tunnels
crisscrossing the entire hillside. These tunnels
allowed the king and his deputies to flee in case
there was an imminent danger to their lives from
enemies.
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