Kota is the fifth largest city in Rajasthan is on the banks of the river Chambal. It has acquired significance post independence mainly because of the industries that have been set up here. It   has Asia’s largest fertilizer plant, both thermal and nuclear power stations,  chemical, synthetic fibre, textile, sophisticated instruments and a number of industrial units.

The town is also a tourist’s delight with palaces of architectural splendour, forts which once stood high watching across the plains and guarded the people from invaders, monuments built in remembrance leaving a trace of the legacy and museums that have preserved the cultural heritage of the Rajputs.

The Kota Fort jutting out of the brown sands of Rajasthan majestically is  one of the highest forts. One can easily visualize why this place was chosen as a strategic vantage point by the warriors here 800 years ago. Subsequently Rao Madho Singh strengthened the structures around and turned it into an impregnable fort..

It is said five of the  sons of the king here died on the battlefield fighting on behalf of Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan against his son Aurangzeb. Only the last survived after being badly wounded

Time has seen blood shed in the feuds with the Mughals , the Marathas and then the British.

One wonders how the rulers still had time to leave behind architectural marvels like the Jag Mandir that appears to be on the Kishore Sagar Lake. The Madho Singh Palace, which is now a museum has preserved collection of murals which narrate stories of the kingdom