Aurangzeb faced defeat and hence Raj Singh married Hira Bai. However, Raj Singh like his forefathers answered with the sword as a triple alliance with Jaipur and Jodhpur against the Mughals. Mewar and Mughals were always age old enemies and that prompted Aurangzeb's actions. Raj Singh had given shelter to many Vrindavan priests and also was the lover of Hira Bai who was Aurangzeb's choice of a bride. These temples were built during the 11th century and witnessed the plunder of Aurangzeb who broke down the Shiva temple during the time of Maharana Raj Singh, Grandson to Maharana Amar Singh. She was queen mother to Rana Amar Singh as well.Ī few KMs from Bijolia is the temple complexes of Menal, or Mahanal also a part of Bhilwara and Bijolia. Folktales suggest that it is here that a 16 year old Kunwar Pratap fell in love with his first wife the 14 year old Ajabdeh Punwar and got married against his father's wishes in 1557. They proudly call their town " Maharana Pratap ka Sasural" and the Samant's daughter Ajabdeh Punwar, his first wife, as Rajkumarisa. Locals said there is the Bijolia Palace inside. Most of the fort wall is broken and blocked now, only a side entrance remains in to the old town where the houses and temples are equally old and the roads too narrow for cars.
The driver who is also a local villager explained that since Bijolia was Mewar's border and also within the attacking areas of the Afghans and Bhils, Rana Kumbha wanted to secure the town from inpending dangers and hence built a fort around the existing town. I was a little taken aback as I expected a ruined palace but this was a proper fort wall. Within a few minutes a broken yet magnificent fort wall welcomes you.
Once you leave the rough terrains of Bundi and cross a range of the Aravallis in to the road leading to Chittrgarh, there is a 2km long tunnel through the Aravallis. The first thing I would like to mention is the road trip from Bundi to Bijolia. However, one doesn't need to stay in the town to explore it. A few hotels and guest houses are there and bus services from Udaipur and Bhilwara connect the town to the cities. There is no good place to stay in Bijolia. The Jain Temples that are made around the 14th and 15th century are an example of Mewar's rich architecture. The Bijolia Inscriptions are equally famous but sadly not a tourist site especially if you travel by bus or car. The Parmers served as Rao in Bijolia as a representative of the Mewar Royals. The Chauhan rule ended soon and Rana Kumbha brought Bijolia under Mewar's rule. In the 13th Century it went under the rule of the Chauhan dynasty who made a fort at Bhilwara and thus the capital of Bijolia shifted from Bijolia town to Bhilwara fort. For a start, it was ruled by the Punwars or Parmer Rajputs from the 11th to the 13th Century. Previously, a part of Mewar this small town has it's own history and tales. Bijolia is situated in the current Bhilwara district of the state of Rajasthan, 55KMs from Bundi town and 105KMs from Chittorgarh on the Bundi-Chittor Road.