Udaipur is often called ‘Venice of the East’. It is also the ‘city of
lakes’. The Lake Palace (Jag Niwas) located in the middle of Pichola Lake
is the finest example of architectural and cultural marvel. The grand City
Palace on the banks of the lake along with the Monsoon Palace (Sajjan Garh)
on the hill above enhances the beauty of this magnificent city. Udaipur is
also the centre for performing arts, crafts and its famed miniature
paintings. The Shilpgram festival is a great crowd-puller on new year.
Beside shimmering Lake Pichola, with the ochre and purple ridges of the
wooded Aravalli Hills stretching away in every direction, Udaipur has a
romance of setting unmatched in Rajasthan and arguably in all India.
Fantastical palaces, temples, havelis and countless narrow, crooked,
colourful streets add the human counterpoint to the city’s natural charms.
Udaipur’s tag of ‘the most romantic spot on the continent of India’ was
first applied in 1829 by Colonel James Tod, the East India Company’s first
Political Agent in the region.
Take a step back from the hustle, however, and Udaipur still has its
magic, not just in its marvelous palaces and monuments, but in its
matchless setting, the tranquility of boat rides on the lake, the bustle
of its ancient bazaars, its lively arts scene, the quaint old-world feel
of its better hotels, its endless tempting shops and some lovely
countryside to explore on wheels, feet or horseback.
Udaipur was founded in 1568 by Maharana Udai Singh II following the final
sacking of Chittorgarh by the Mughal emperor Akbar. This new capital of
Mewar had a much less vulnerable location than Chittorgarh. Mewar still
had to contend with repeated invasions by the Mughals and, later, the
Marathas, until British intervention in the early 19th century. This
resulted in a treaty that protected Udaipur from invaders while allowing
Mewar’s rulers to remain effectively all-powerful in internal affairs. The
ex-royal family remains influential and in recent decades has been the
driving force behind the rise of Udaipur as a tourist destination.
Sights
City Palace
Surmounted by balconies, towers and cupolas towering over the lake, the
imposing City Palace is Rajasthan’s largest palace, with a facade 244m
long and 30.4m high. Construction was begun in 1599 by Maharana Udai Singh
II, the city’s founder, and it later became a conglomeration of structures
(including 11 separate smaller palaces) built and extended by various
maharanas, though it still manages to retain a surprising uniformity of
design.
You can enter the complex through Badi Pol (1615) at the northern end, or
the Sheetla Mata Gate to the south. Inside Badi Pol, eight arches on the
left commemorate the eight times maharanas were weighed here and their
weight in gold or silver distributed to the lucky locals. You then pass
through the three-arched Tripolia Gate (1711) into a large courtyard,
Manek Chowk . Spot the large tiger-catching cage, which worked rather like
an oversized mousetrap, and the smaller one for leopards.
Crystal Gallery & Durbar Hall
South of the City Palace Museum, the Crystal Gallery houses rare crystal
that Maharana Sajjan Singh ordered from F&C Osler & Co in England in 1877.
The maharana died before it arrived, and all the items stayed forgotten
and packed up in boxes for 110 years. The extraordinary, extravagant
collection includes crystal chairs, sofas, tables and even beds. There’s
an exquisite antique jewel-studded carpet that has to be seen to be
believed. The rather hefty admission fee also includes entry to the grand
Durbar Hall and tea or a soft drink in the Gallery Restaurant adjoining
the Durbar Hall or on the Fateh Prakash Palace Hotel’s Sunset Terrace.
Sajjan Garh
Perched on top of a distant mountain like a fairy-tale castle, this
melancholy, neglected late 19th-century palace was constructed by Maharana
Sajjan Singh. Originally an astronomical centre, it became a monsoon
palace and hunting lodge. Now government owned, it’s in a sadly
dilapidated state but visitors stream up here for the marvelous views,
particularly at sunset. It’s 5km west of the old city as the crow flies,
about 9km by the winding road.
Lake Pichola
Limpid and large, Lake Pichola reflects the cool grey-blue mountains on
its rippling mirror-like surface. It was enlarged by Maharana Udai Singh
II, following his foundation of the city, by flooding Picholi village,
which gave the lake its name. The lake is now 4km long and 3km wide, but
remains shallow and dries up completely during severe droughts. The City
Palace complex, including the gardens at its southern end, extends nearly
1km along the lake’s eastern shore.
Boat trips leave roughly hourly from Rameshwar Ghat, within the City
Palace complex. The trips make a stop at Jagmandir Island, where you can
stay for as long as you like before taking any boat back. T
Fateh Sagar Lake
This delightful lake, bordered by hills and woodlands was constructed by
Maharana Jai Singh to the north of Lake Pichola in 1678 AD. This
artificial lake was reconstructed by Maharana Fateh Singh (1884-1930 AD).
A canal links the two via Swaroop Sagar and Rang Sagar Lakes. The
beautiful Nehru Island as well as an islet bearing a solar observatory
rise from the lake.
Jagniwas Island
The world-famous Lake Palace hotel island of Jagniwas is about 15,000 sq m
in size, entirely covered by the opulent palace built by Maharana Jagat
Singh II in 1754. Once the royal summer palace, it was greatly extended
and converted into the Lake Palace Hotel in the 1960s by Maharana Bhagwat
Singh, and is now in the hands of the Indian-owned Taj Group. Alas, it
doesn’t welcome casual visitors.
One of the world’s top luxury hotels, with gleaming courtyards, lotus
ponds and a pool shaded by a mango tree, it has been largely responsible
for putting Udaipur on the international tourist map: as half the city
constantly reminds you, it had a starring role in the classic Bond movie,
Octopussy (along with Shiv Niwas Palace and Monsoon Palace).
Jagmandir Island
The palace on Jagmandir Island, about 800m south of Jagniwas, was built by
Maharana Karan Singh in 1620, added to by his successor Maharana Jagat
Singh, and then changed very little until the last few years when it was
partly converted into another (smaller) hotel. When lit up at night it has
more romantic sparkle to it than the Lake Palace. As well as the seven
hotel rooms, the island has a restaurant, bar and spa, which are open to
visitors.
With its entrance flanked by a row of enormous stone elephants, the island
has an ornate 17th-century tower, the Gol Mahal, carved from bluestone and
containing a small exhibit on Jagmandir’s history, plus a garden and
lovely views across the lake.
Sunset Point & Machla Magra
The small Sunset Point Park has dazzling views over Lake Pichola,
Jagmandir Island and off toward the Sajjan Garh (Monsoon Palace). It’s
about 1.5km south from the Rangniwas Palace Hotel on Lake Palace Rd.
Opposite the park is the lower station of the Ropeway , a cable car which
swings over to Machla Magra hill where the views are even more expansive.
Atop Machla Magra are a Karni Mata Temple and the sparse remains of the
Eklingarh Fort. You can also walk up by a zigzag path from the park on the
east side of pretty Dudh Talai lake, which you pass en route to Sunset
Point.
Sahelion Ki Bari
Maharana Sangram Singh built this in the mid-18th century. The 'garden of
the maidens' brings to mind the lifestyle of the ladies of the court. The
delightful gardens reflect their discreet and impeccable taste. There are
four pools with dainty kiosks. All around are flowerbeds, lawns, pools and
fountains protected by a series of walls and shady trees. The fountains of
the Sahelion ki bari function solely by water pressure and no pumps are
used. The garden has a lotus pool and a sitting room decorated with
paintings and glass mosaic. The whole ambience is flavoured by
reminiscence of those beautiful belles enjoying themselves in lavish
environs.
Excursions
Ranakpur
Beautifully sculptured Jain temples mark the glory of this renowned place.
Considered as one of the five holy places for the Jain community, these
were created in the 15th century during the reign of Rana Kumbha. These
are enclosed within a wall. The central Chaumukha [four faced temple] is
dedicated to Adinathji. The temple is an astounding creation of
architectural splendor with 29 halls and 1,444 pillars all distinctly
carved, no two pillars being alike. Every hall of temple has inconceivable
surface carved with equal delicacy. Facing the main temple are the temples
-Parasvanath - Neminath with exquisite figure carving which look similar
to that of Khajuraho sculptures. Another temple worth visiting is the
nearby 'Sun Temple' dedicated to the 'Sun God'. The temple has a polygonal
wall, richly embellished with carvings of warriors, horses and celestial (Nakshatras,
grahs) bodies.
The
Sun God has been shown riding its vehicle, the chariot. There is a stream
of devotees eager for blessings. Ranakpur is known as 'the tranquil
pilgrimage town'. The faultless architecture, intricate carvings, delicate
designs neatly chiselled idols, diverse and multiple hues and above all,
the ambience of Ranakpur palace is at par with another equally famous
group of Jain temples at Mt. Abu- the Dilwara temples.
Kumbhalgarh Fort
Located 84 kms north of Udaipur in the wilderness, Kumbhalgarh is the
second most important citadel after Chittaurgarh in the Mewar region.
Cradled in the Aravali Ranges the fort was built in the 15th century AD by
Rana Kumbha. The inaccessibility and hostility of the topography lends a
semblance of invincibility to the fort. It served the rulers of Mewar as a
refuge in times of strife. The fort also served as refuge to the baby king
Udai of Mewar. It is of immense sentimental significance for the people
being the birthplace of Mewar's legendary king, Maharana Pratap.
The fort is self-contained in all respect to withstand a protracted siege.
Its defences could be breached only once by the combined armies of the
Mughal and of Amber primarily for
scarcity of drinking water. There is a
magnificent array of temples built by the Mauryas of which the most
picturesque place is the Badal Mahal or the palace of the clouds. The fort
also offers a superb bird’s eye view of the surroundings. The fort's
massive wall stretches some 36 kms with a width enough to take eight
horses abreast. Maharana Fateh Singh renovated the fort in the 19th
century. The fort's large compound has very interesting ruins and a walk
around it can be very educative.
Eklingji
Built in 734 AD, it is a complex of 108 temples located 22 kms from
Udaipur. On Udaipur-Nathdwara route. There are hills around and small
springs of water. The temples are exquisitely carved out of sandstone and
marble and are devoted to Lord Shiva, the family deity of the Mewar
rulers.
The Maharanas of Mewar, worshipped Shina as Mahadeva Chaumukhi, the
quadriform divinity, represented by a bust with four faces. It has an
ornate Mandap [a pillared hall] and a huge pyramidal roof composed of
hundreds of knots very vividly carved and finely decorated with coloured
stones. Before the entrance to the main temple, there is a beautifully
sculpted huge Nandi (the sacred bull, mythologically the vehicle of Lord
Shiva.)
It is here that the tourists take a break. The devotees pay their homage
through out the year.
Chittorgarh
Chittorgarh epitomizes Rajput spirit, valour, pride and romance. It
reverberates with heroism and sacrifice the tales of which are still sung
by the Bards of Rajasthan. The imposing and awe inspiring fort stands on a
240-hectares site, on 180m high hill that rises rapidly from the plains.
It has one kilometre zigzag ascent to it. The road leads through seven
gates to the main gate Rampol (meaning Gate of Ram). On the ascent between
the second and the third gate, you see two ‘Chattris’ (cenotaphs) built to
honour Jaimal and Kalla heroes of 1568 siege by Emperor Akbar. The main
gate of the fort itself is Surajpol (meaning Sun Gate).
The fort fell thrice to the enemies in its entire history. The first
attack occurred in 1303 when the Sultan of Delhi Ala-ud-din Khilji,
overwhelmed by the beauty of Queen Padmini, besieged the fort with
sinister design to capture the queen. In 1535 Bahadur Shah, the Sultan of
Gujarat, besieged the fort causing immense carnage. It is said that 32000
men donned the saffron robes of martyrdom and rode out to face certain
death. The women folk led by Rani Karnawati committed Jauhar (collective
self immolation by fire) to save their honor.
In 1568 Mughal Emperor Akbar conquered it. In 1616, Mughal Emperor
Jehangir restored the fort to the Rajputs. Now, a new township sprawls
below the hill on the west side.
Shilpgram
Literally meaning, "Craftsmen's Village" Shilpgram comprises 26 huts set
in 70 acres of natural surroundings at the foot of the Aravali Hills. It
is a living ethnographic museum depicting the enormous diversity in
crafts, art and culture of various Indian states. But the exquisite
terracotta work mainly in dark red and dark brown sand material along with
the wooden carvings are the forte of this ethnic village. A colourful
craft festival during winter infuses vitality and verve into this village.
Climate
Summer: Max 38.3 °C Min. 28.8 °C
Winters: Max 28.3 °C Min. 11.6 °C