Kota: Kota lies on the south eastern side of Rajasthan between latitudes 240 25’ to 250 51’ and longitudes 750 37’ and 770 20’. Kota is bounded by Bundi and Chittorgarh on the western side, Jhalawar and Mandsor on the southern side, Baran on the eastern side and Sawai Madhopur and Tonk on the northern side. Chambal is the main river of the region and forms the boundary between Kota and Bundi. The area of Kota district is 5481 sq km. The average rainfall is about 88 cms. The maximum temperature during summers is between 430 C and 450 C. The minimum temperature during winters is about 50 C to 60 C. Initially, Kota used to be a jagir of Bundi State. When Maha Rao Raja Ratan Singh was the ruler of Bundi, Kota was declared as an independent state by emperor Shahjahan and consequently, Madho Singh the son of Maharao Raja Ratan Singh took over as the first ruler of Kota in the year 1627. Kota and Bundi were fraternal states and were bound to each other by blood relations. Those were tumoultous times and the social, economic and political conditions were very volatile, most uncertain and very insecure. The state was always under threat from belligerent neighbours, moghuls, marathas, amirs and sultans, who had to be kept satisfied. Apart from that, the state had to contend with pindaris and a host of warlords who were mostly involved in loot and arson. Kota entered into a treaty with British in the year 1817 from considerations of peace, safety and security. Maharao Umed Singh became the ruler of Kota in the year 1889. Kota progressed rapidly during his reign. Maharao Umed Singh died in the year 1940 and his son Maharao Bhim Singh became the last ruler of Kota. When Rajasthan was formed in the year 1949, Kota became a district of the state of Rajasthan.
The city: Kota is one of the most progressive cities of Rajasthan situated on the banks of river Chambal. It was a walled city and initially all development was within the walled city. Kota found a place on the railway map of India in the year 1895, when the Delhi Bombay main line of BB&CIR ( Bombay Baroda and Central India Railway ) laid their tracks through the state. Kota Junction became an important railway junction on the route and played a very important role in opening up the state to the outside world. River Chambal was another big asset of the town. It helped in providing watersupply and electricity to the town. The walled city is very neatly laid out, with a number of temples and places of historical interest. The city palace is also located on the banks of river Chambal inside the city walls. Chatravilas tank was contructed in the year 1756 by Maharo Durjansal outside the walled city with the western flank of the tank butting with the outer wall of the city. Jag Mandir Palace sits right into the center of the tank. A road runs from the outer gate of walled city along the northern bank of the tank providing a panoramic view of Chatravilas Tank and Jag Mandir. Chatravilas garden spread over an area of 200 acres, was developed on the northern side of the bank road. The garden houses the chattris of rulers of Kota, museum, zoo and a number of other places of cultural and historical interest. Bank road of chatravilas tank and chatravilas garden were the most frequented places in the town and served as a hub for the people for morning and evening walks, picnics and leisure.
Outside the walled city: Railway colony near Kota Junction Railway Station was perhaps the first development outside the walled city, lying about 5 km north of the Laxmivilas garden, which helped in opening up the area and the development of civil lines, educational institutions and police and army establishments in the region, during the state times. Apart from some of the renowned temples like Kansua and places of picnics in the gorges and ravines of river Chambal like Adhar Shila and Gaipernath there was no development south of the walled city. However, there was a large stretch of ground outside the city palace of the Maharaja, which was earmarked for the Dashera mela. Shoopkeepers and exhibitors from the remotest parts of India used to participate in this fair. Huge effigies of Rawan, Mandodri, Meghnath, Kumbhkaran and other members of their family were erected every year in the mela grounds. During vijaydashmi celebrations, maharao of Kota would come from the city palace to the dashera grounds, riding majestically on an elephant with all the pomp and show and preceded and followed by bands and contingents of state police and armed services and other social and cultural groups to have a shot at the effigy of Rawan. People of Kota and neighboring states of Hadoti looked forward to Dashera Mela for all the glamour, shopping, relaxation, recreation and entertainment.
After the formation of Rajasthan, most of the development of Kota has taken place outside the walled city, in areas lying south of Laxmi Vilas tank and along the western bank of river Chambal. Waters of Chambal are fed from Kota barrage to Laxmivilas tank through the old moat outside the walled city, which incidently helps in keeping the tank full. Thereafter, Right Main Chambal Canal takes off from the eastern flank of Laxmivilas tank and provides irrigation facilities to lands lying along right side of river Chambal.
Chambal: River Chambal is the life line of Rajasthan. It rises from Vindhyachal mountains in Madhya Pradesh and flows through Rajasthan forming the boundary between Bundi and Kota and thereafter, it flows in a north easternly direction forming the boundary between Kota and Sawaimadhopur. Finally it moves north and meets river Yamuna in Uttar Pradesh. Total length of the river is 965 kilometres, out which 135 kilometres runs through Rajasthan. Chambal river flows through rocky areas forming deep gorges and steep falls. It is a perennial river and its water and power potential has been harnessed by Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan. During the first phase of Chambal River Valley Development Project Gandhi Sagar Dam, Gandhisagar reservoir, Gandhisagar Powerhouse and Gandhisagar Canals were completed in Madhya Pradesh for providing water and power to Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan. Subsequently, Rana Pratap Sagar Dam, Rana Pratapsagar reservoir and Rana Pratapsagar powerhouse were completed alongwith Kota Barrage and Chambal Canals. This was followed by the construction of an atomic power plant at Rana Pratap Sagar. Later on, Kota Dam alongwith a powerhouse were constructed about 15 kilometres upstream of Kota barrage.
Herbert Intermediate College: Facilities for education were extremely limited and sparse in the country in the thirties. The whole of Rajputana had only eight colleges at that time. Jaipur and Ajmer had post graduate colleges, Udaipur, Jodhpur and Bikaner had degree colleges and Kota, Pilani and Alwar had intermediate colleges. There was no university in Rajputana and there were no colleges of engineering and medicine or for that matter any other type of professional courses in Rajputana at that time. Herbert Intermediate College was the only intermediate college in Kota state. Intermediate was High School plus two years and degree was intermediate plus two years. Herbert College was a prestigious institution of the state with a magnificent building and spacious playgrounds spread over a prime area north of the Laxmivilas garden outside the walled city. The college was very well staffed and well equipped and drew students from all over the state and from the neighbouring places. For further education the students used to go to Indore in Central India or to Agra, Allahabad and Banaras in United Provinces. Some of the students even went to England for studies. Apart from maintaining a reasonable good level of excellence in academic studies, Herbert College was known for the availability of liberal facilities for outdoor games and sports, which included, hockey, football, volleyball, tennis and athletics. The college hosted the inter-college tournaments of Rajputana in the year 1940. College was also the prime- mover in the organization of Hadoti tournaments, which included teams from the states of Bundi, Kota, Baran and Jhalawar and two teams from the college. Some of the students playing for the college were very talented players.
Recent developments: Kota is one of the places which has witnessed fast growth and all-round development after the formation of Rajasthan. Chambal river valley project has provided a tremendous boost to agricultural and industrial development of the region. Major industries like JK Synthetics, Sriram Fertilizers and Chemicals and Instrumentation Limited were located at Kota due to the availability of cheap power generated at Gandhisagar and Rana Pratap Sagar, which was subsquently supplemented by the contruction of an atomic power plant at Rana Pratap Sagar and a thermal power plant at Anta.
With the economic develoment of the region, Kota has grown as an educational hub of the region. Herbert Intermediate College Kota became a degree college and then a post graduate college and was renamed as Government College. A number of other schools and colleges came up soon after, followed by Kota Engineering College, Government Medical College, Rajasthan open university and Rajasthan Technical University. Now of course a number of institutions of higher learning have come up at Kota in the private sector.
Coaching Classes: During the last few decades, Kota has got another feather in its cap. It has more or less become the educational coaching capital of the country. It draws almost sixty thousand students from the remotest parts of the country for specialized coaching for admission to IITs, Medical Colleges and other prestigious institutions. Some of the best students spend a year or two at Kota facing all hardships involved in getting proper living accomodation and satisfying meals and in many cases the mothers of these youngmen share the ordeal with their aspiring children.