Along the eastern bank of the Chambal River lies Kota - an amazing example of majestic medieval age and modern industrialization. Kota is located on a high sloping tableland forming a part of the Malwa Plateau. The Mokandarra hills run from southeast to northwest of the town. Once the part of the erstwhile Rajput kingdom of Bundi, Kota became a separate princely state in the 17th century. Today, besides being Rajasthan's industrial centre, Kota also serves as army headquarters. Its wealth of impressive forts, opulent palaces and splendid temples of past centuries retain their former glory. Its present-day edifices and heavy industries have made it the industrial heartland of Rajasthan. Summers in Kota are quite hot. The city experiences scant rainfall between June and August. Winters are cool and are the best times to visit the city. Dussehra festival is celebrated all over the country but the Kota Dussehra is quite unique for it marks more than just the beginning of a festive period. Rich in courtly splendour and age old traditions, the Dussehra festival here is marked by a glittering procession, which attracts thousands from the surrounding villages.
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