The new era of luxury heritage hotels in India
40 Palace Suites
Mundota is a charming village nestled in the Aravali ranges, one of the world's oldest mountain ranges. Mundota Fort, poised atop a hill was built much before the Mundota Palace. The fort has a great example of a small Baori (step well) that stored harvested rain water. The fort is surrounded by local flora such as variety of cacti,
Khejari and Babool trees. The fort has a rich history dating back to fifteenth century, when it was built by the Naruka Rajputs. It was won over by the Nathawat Rajputs after a fierce battle, they remain the owners to this day. The fort and palace are heritage sites. Mundota Thikana was a double Tazimi Jagir (enjoying the highest respect at the royal court) of the Kachchawa dynasty. The palace at the foothills was built by Nathji ( the scion of the illustrious Nathawat clan), who was the grandson of Raja Prithviraj of Amer. The Thakurs (or Lords) of Mundota were known for exceptional bravery, having fought in many notable battles; such as those of Kabul, Ghazni, Kakaur, Mawanda , Kushtal Pancholas to name some. Their army fought and defeated five Afghan rulers and gifted those battle-won flags to the Maharaja of Amer/Jaipur who converted them into the pachranga flag of Amer , in return the Maharaja honoured the nathawats with the white Kachchawa flag with kachnar insignia. Mundota remains the proud custodian of that flag. The palace with its graceful and imposing architecture is set in the quaint village. The atmosphere in the village is timeless and yet one can also see modern transport alongside herds of sheep sauntering towards the hills to graze. Diverse local fauna such as Neelgai, the largest Asian antelopes and wild hares can easily be spotted, as well as peacocks, partridges, parrots and myriad other birds. Just south of the fort is a well groomed polo ground with 80 stables housing some of the finest horses in India. This is India's only active polo ground with a heritage property, a great feature for riders and horse lovers. Water is a scarce resource in the village, with many villagers coming into the palace grounds to collect clean drinking water. To help the villagers, we harvest rainwater and recharge into an old well at the north entrance of the palace. Plans are afoot to build a library with computers for the rural children and to educate the womenfolk. Visiting Mundota gives one an opportunity to experience true village life and Indian history. There is an old Vishnu temple at the North gate of the Palace that will transport you to a different time. Another old temple worth a visit is the Shiva temple at the family cremation grounds, where one can see a Sati-cenotaph of the wife of Thakur Surtan Singh who died in the battle of Kakaur. Or hike up the hill to watch the breath-taking sunset as herds of cattle trundle back home, you may even catch a Neelgai looking back at you !
