Bardha Dam near Kota: Monsoon Waterfall and Birdwatching

Bardha Dam (also written Burdha) is an old irrigation dam on the Talera river in Bundi district, in the countryside between Kota and Bundi. It is a modest structure, but it has two distinct seasons of appeal: in the monsoon, when water pours over the wall and families from across the Hadoti region come to watch, and in winter, when the quiet reservoir fills with waterbirds.

History of Bardha Dam

Bardha Dam was built in 1872, when Bundi was a princely state, to store water for irrigation. Accounts of its construction credit an officer of the Bundi administration named Robertson; that detail comes from a single source, so treat it with caution. The dam is a gravity structure about 200 metres long and about 21 feet high, and it is listed among the medium irrigation projects of Rajasthan as the Burdha dam on the Talera river.

Like many reservoirs in the Hadoti region, it was built for farming, and its first purpose is still to supply water to the fields downstream. Its role as a picnic spot came later, and is strongest in the monsoon, when it is sometimes nicknamed the “Goa of Hadoti” for its clear water and greenery.

Birds at Bardha Dam

The reservoir is valued by birdwatchers. BirdLife International lists Bardha Dam among India’s Important Bird Areas, and the site has been reported to hold pelicans, storks, flamingos, Indian skimmers and many species of ducks and waders in the winter months. Numbers vary a great deal from year to year with water levels.

For the best chance of birds:

• go between November and February, when migrants are present;
• arrive early in the morning and scan the shallows and far shore with binoculars;
• walk quietly along the bund rather than close to the water’s edge, and keep well away from nesting or roosting flocks.

If birds are your main interest, combine Bardha with a Chambal boat trip from Kota; see the Chambal river safari guide.

What to see at Bardha Dam

• The 1872 dam wall and, in the monsoon, the overflow
• A wide reservoir framed by low rocky hills
• Winter waterbirds, from ducks to pelicans and storks
• Quiet rural landscape between Kota and Bundi

Safety in the monsoon

The monsoon crowds come to see the water flowing over the dam and to sit on the rocks below. This is also when the site is most dangerous. Do not enter the water, do not walk on the spillway, and keep children close. Water levels can rise quickly after rain upstream. Follow any closures or instructions from the police and irrigation department, which may restrict access on heavy-rain days.

Visiting Bardha Dam: practical details

Detail	Information
Where	Talera river, near Deoriya village, Bundi district
Distance from Kota	In the countryside between Kota and Bundi; check the route on a map
Best time to visit	Jul-Sep for the overflow; Nov-Feb for birds
Timings	Daylight hours only
Entry	No ticket
Getting there	Car or taxi from Kota or Bundi; little public transport
Facilities	Very limited; carry water and food and take your rubbish back

Distances are approximate. Access can change in the monsoon, so confirm conditions locally before you set out.

Make a day of it

Bardha sits neatly on a Kota-Bundi day. Start early at the dam for birds, then continue to Bundi for the Bundi Palace, Taragarh and Raniji ki Baori. In the monsoon, pair it with the waterfalls at Bhimlat Mahadev, about 35 km from Bundi.

Combine Bardha Dam with nearby places

• Taragarh Fort, Bundi: A rugged 14th-century hill fort towering over Bundi town, famous for its reservoirs, tunnels and sweeping views of the blue city below.
• Ramgarh Vishdhari Tiger Reserve: A tiger reserve in Bundi district, forming a wildlife corridor between Ranthambore and Mukundara.
• Nawal Sagar Lake: The lake in the middle of Bundi, with a half-submerged Varuna temple and reflections of the palace and Taragarh.
• Kota Barrage: The Chambal barrage in Kota, another part of the region’s irrigation history.