Kota is in the Hadoti region of Rajasthan. It is located on the south-eastern side of the state. The Chambal river flows through the town, because of which the place is unlike the arid climate prevalent in the state.
Kota formerly known as Kotah, is the third largest city in the northern Indian state of Rajasthan after Jaipur and Jodhpur.It is located 240 kilometres (149 mi) south of state capital, Jaipur. Situated on the banks of Chambal River, and has been identified as a counter-magnet city for the National Capital Region to attract migrants and develop as an alternative centre of growth to Delhi.It is 47th most populous city of India. The city is the trade centre for an area in which millet, wheat, rice, pulses, coriander and oilseeds are grown; industries include cotton and oilseed milling, textile weaving, distilling, dairying, manufacture of metal handcrafts, fertilizers, chemicals and engineering equipment.
The town of Kota was once the part of the erstwhile Rajput kingdom of Bundi. It became a separate princely state in the 17th century. Apart from the several monuments that reflect the glory of the town, Kota is also known for its palaces and gardens.
Kota is reportedly the only Indian city besides Thiruvananthapuram that receives a continuous 24-hour water supply
How to Reach
By Air Kota does not have an airport of its own.The closest airport is at Jaipur, 240 km away.
By Road Kota is well connected to all cities/towns in Rajasthan.It also has a good road network for cities like Delhi(510 Kms.),Jaipur (250 Kms.) & Ahmedabad 950 Kms.). The main bus stop is at Nayapura Area (However, a new Bus stand is proposed and will be ready by 2010). Major modes of travel include the state transport buses, private buses and jeeps/cars for hire. The on-hire vehicles are a good idea, as they are fast and convenient,though they require fair amount of bargaining.
By Rail Kota is a major junction in the Western Railway sector, on the Delhi-Mumbai line. As a result,most of the trains pass through Kota. A train journey to Jaipur is of about 4 hours, to Delhi about 7 hours.
Get around
Moving around within the city is limited to auto-rickshaws, privately operated buses and cycle-rickshaws for short journeys. They charge anywhere from 50 Paise/Km. to Rs.4/Km., but it's advisable to fix the rates before taking a seat. Kota also has a larger three wheeler called tempo, which is by far the cheapest travel mode within the city. It is a shared vehicle with pre-fixed stops and fares, generally .50 Paise/Km.
If you can handle hot, spicy food typical of the country, you would definitely want to try kachori/samosa (deep-fried flour pastries with lentil/vegetable filling) available in abundance here.A must-try. Also try the Rajasthani speciality: daal-baati-churma. Daal is lentil curry,Baati is roasted balls of flour, churma is the sweet made with wheat flour, ghee and sugar or jaggery. Also served with the dish is gatte-ki-subzi, which is steamed rolls of gram flour cooked in yogurt gravy.
Reproduced from Wikipedia
