Anand Mahindra discovers Kota's 'AI' like beautiful destination beyond coaching centres, adds it to his 'Wanderer list'

Kota is widely known as India’s coaching hub, with its name often linked to the intense academic pressure faced by students. But industrialist Anand Mahindra recently highlighted a very different side of the Rajasthan city after coming across visuals of the Chambal Riverfront.

Mahindra shared a video posted by Whitepilled India on X and said his first reaction was that it looked like the clip had been created using artificial intelligence.

“My first reaction on seeing this was: AI. My second reaction, after checking: Good grief. It’s real,” Mahindra wrote.


He identified the location as the Chambal Riverfront in Kota and said the destination was one he had not previously known about. The development has now caught his attention enough to earn a place on his personal ‘Wanderer’ list.

A side of Kota Mahindra had not seen

Mahindra pointed out how strongly Kota’s coaching industry shapes the way people perceive the city.

“For most of us, the name Kota probably brings to mind its huge coaching industry. And, sadly, the controversies around the intense pressure on students there,” he wrote.

The riverfront, however, offers a markedly different picture. According to Mahindra, the project stretches 2.75 km along both banks of the Chambal River and includes ghats, promenades, fountains and large public spaces.

He also questioned why the attraction has not received greater attention, noting that the riverfront is reportedly drawing only around 1,000 visitors a day. “Why haven’t we heard more about it?” he asked.

26 ghats and a mix of architecture, culture

The official Kota Riverfront website describes the project as an urban riverfront revitalisation initiative that transformed a neglected stretch of the Chambal into a tourist and recreational destination.

The riverfront features around 26 ghats, each designed around different architectural and cultural themes. Rajputana Ghat, for instance, showcases the art and culture of nine regions of Rajasthan.

The Literary Ghat is another major attraction, featuring a library and representations of renowned writers. Other elements mentioned on the project website include Jawahar Ghat, Nandi Ghat and Ghanti Ghat.

The riverfront also includes attractions linked to religion, history and regional heritage, creating a destination that goes beyond simply being a riverside promenade.

The giant bell and Chambal Mata statue

Among the features highlighted by The India Blog is a 79,000-kg bell made from 13 metals. The publication says its sound can travel up to 8 km.

Another prominent feature is the statue of Chambal Mata. The India Blog describes it as a 40-metre-high structure made from 1,200 pieces and incorporating a waterfall. The Kota Riverfront website, meanwhile, gives a different height for the Chambal Mata sculpture, describing it as 225 feet tall.

The destination also has spaces aimed at children, regional art displays and a book-shaped structure at Sahitya Ghat.

Visitors can walk along the river, spend time in its green spaces and watch fountain shows. The India Blog also lists boating, bird watching and cultural activities among the experiences available at the riverfront.

From coaching hub to ‘Wanderer’ destination

Mahindra credited Shanti Dhariwal, who was Rajasthan’s Urban Development Minister at the time, along with the Kota Urban Improvement Trust and architect Anoop Bartaria, for driving and developing the project.

The Kota Riverfront website says the project was developed by the Kota Municipal Corporation in association with the Rajasthan Tourism Department and was inaugurated by Rajasthan Assembly Speaker C.P. Joshi on September 13.

After seeing the visuals, Mahindra appeared convinced that Kota deserves to be viewed through a wider lens.

“Judging from these images, it certainly deserves to be better known,” he wrote. “Kota just went on my Wanderer list.”