Relive History at the Rao Madho Singh Museum

The city palace of Kota has been a popular tourist attraction since time immemorial but the Rao Madho Singh Museum has added to its grace. When you enter the Kota fort palace, as it is the remains of the royal grandeur makes you travel back in time. The stable of gorgeous palanquins and the antique furniture gives out an aura of a regal age that used to exist. If you date back to the oldest part of the palace, it would take you to a world that existed there 389 years ago. And there amidst all the nostalgia and mysticism you would find the Rao Madho Singh Museum with all its amazing artefacts to thrill you to the core.

History of the Rao Madho Singh Museum

Let’s rewind life to the 17th Century AD. Rao Ratan Singh who was the ruler of Bundi at that time passed on the kingdom of Kota to son named Rao Madho Singh. That was at a time when Rajasthan was under the reign of Jahangir the Mughal Emperor. Rao Madho Singh ruled Kota well and since it was by the river Chambal, trade and commerce in this kingdom developed due to easy navigation. Kota became a significant town under the rule of Rao Madho Singh and he built the city fort palace which has been turned into the museum now.

Location of the Museum

The fort palace of Kota has been modified into the Rao Madho Singh Museum. So because a palace has been turned into a museum, the interiors have remained the same and even the furniture, the weapons and the frescoes have remained the same. Nothing had to be imported from any other museum or any other excavated site. You can reach Kota from all major cities of Rajasthan by road or rail. Local drivers know the location of this palace cum museum.

Timings of the Museum

In simplest words it is a palace that has been converted into a museum. It remains closed on Sundays and on all gazetted holidays i.e. government recognised holidays. On all other days the museum remains open for public between 10 am and 4:30 pm. In case of any local festivities, you can confirm if it is open prior to paying a visit.

Ticket Price and Other Charges

If you are an Indian tourist then the entry feel you pay would be Rs. 10. But if you are a foreigner tourist then the entry charge is Rs. 50. The security guard would inform you that taking the camera inside would cost you Rs. 50 for still photography but if you are shooting video footage then you have to pay Rs. 75.

What will you Find at the Rao Madho Singh Museum?

When you reach the gate of the museum the local guide asks you to buy your ticket from the counter. Carrying your camera inside is optional and if you do so, you have to deposit an amount for that. There is the Hathian Pol you have to cross. That is the enormous gate of the Kota Fort Palace. Notice the ancient cannon at the gateway and the elephants that are painted on either side of the gate. When you slowly take a round inside the palace, the silver water pipes remind you of the royal life the people used to live. The antique furniture makes you want to touch them to take back the feel of the thrill. There are many miniature paintings and photographs that decorate the walls of the museum and the sculptures sometimes seem to have life in them. 

• The frescoes and the Mirror Work

The breathtaking frescoes and the typical Rajasthani mirror work cover the walls of the museum. There are some paintings of court scenes and hunting expeditions that you cannot take your eyes off from. The mirror work or glass work are elaborate and they cover huge portions of the walls of the palace turned museum. There are courtyards that still whisper untold stories of kings and dancers, the walls of the inner halls echo the regal life that once existed, the corridors tend to engulf you in their emptiness and the temples wrap you with a divinity too holistic for you to ignore and move on. The museum slips under your skin for some time and makes you feel like a part of the ancient life. It forms a spiritual connection with you.

• The ‘Mahals’ will not Fail to Surprise you

When you stroll into the Raj Mahal, you notice a collection of royal armoury that silently echoes the tales of valour. The knives and guns have wood carved designs on them and they are intact till date. You feel like a Rajput warrior for some time and would wish if you owned something so dangerously beautiful like that. The miniature paintings and photographs remind you of the bygone era and its lost grandeur.

• The Upper Mahals

There are a few more mahals or segments which have been turned into galleries in the upper floor. Those are Chhatri Mahal, Arjun Mahal and Laksh Bhandar where the entire royal treasury used to be stored. A few mural paintings that are the products of Kota school are preserved in the Baka Mahal in the upper gallery.