Udaipur :

Udaipur, There is no place in India which appeals more to the imagination of poets and painters, travellers and writers, than Udaipur, the lovely lake side capital of Mewar. The city's inherent romance and beauty, and its remarkable past, bristling with episodes of heroism and splendour, continue to enthrall the visitor. Udaipur, the City of Dawn, looms up like a vision in white. Surrounded by hills and mountains, and set on the edge of three lakes, which give on to a fertile plain, it is bewitching in all its details - narrow streets lined by vivid coloured stalls, gardens, temples and palaces - every feature mirrored in the placid blue waters of lake Pichhola.

Places of Attraction :

CITY PALACE :

Today the regal home of the Sisodia Maharana's also houses a museum and a hotel. Commisioned in 1559 by Maharana Udai Singh II, the palace by the lake has seen a plethora of additional places well into the 20th century. the newer editions include the Shiv Niwas Palace in the Fateh Prakash Palace. The City Palace was the setting for the James Bond film Octopussy. The palace meuseum incorporates the Kunch-ka-Burz, the Janana Mahal, the Manak Mahal, the Chini Palace and the Krishna Villas which has some of Rajasthan's finest collection of miniature paintings of Mewar. More Chowk built as a new venue for his durbar by Maharana Karan Singh is awash with mosaic inlays of the peacock motif added by Maharana Sajjan Singh.

LAKE PALACE:

The Lake Palace of the Jagniwas may have been converted into one of the world's most romantic luxury hotel in the 1960's. but not many visitor's are aware of its even more romantic past. It appears that this pretty water palace was built by a defiant Prince Jagat II in 1734 as a pleasure retreat away from his father Maharana Sangram Singh II. The Palace was set in the middle of Lake Pichola across from his father's lake side residence ensuring the access to it was by boat.

FATEH SAGAR:

One of the four man-made lakes around which Maharana Udai Singh created his new capital lies north of lake Pichola. Take a boat near Moti-Magri to Nehru Park set on an island for a picnic.

SAHELIYON KI BARI:

The "Garden of the maid's of Honour" lies to the north of town. Its Lotus pull and leafy environs are popular with residents.

SHIKARBADI:

An old hunting lodge (5kms west of the city) also built by Maharana Sajjan singh is now a tranquil hotel.

JAGDISH MANDIR:

This 17th century shrine located close to the city palace is dedicated to Lord Vishnu. The 18th century Bagore ki Haveli, a stone's throw away has been converted into a meuseum showcasing arts-crafts and costumes of Udaipur.

EXCURSION:

EKLINGJI: About 22km from Udaipur lies Eklingji Temple, the shrine of the tutelary deity of the Mewar Sisodia’s and where the Mewar Maharana’s used to be crowned. The resident deity of this 10th century temple isa great marble image of Mahadeva.

NAGDA: Close to Eklingji are several Jain temple’s by a lake amongst them the 11th century Saas-Bahu temple and the Adh-Budg ji temple.

NATHDWARA: Legend has it that when the image of Lord Krishna, the manifestation of the God Vishnu was being transported to the safety of Udaipur from Mathura from the iconoclastic Mughal emperor Aurangzeb the wheel of the carriage got stuck at Nathdwara. The ruler of Udaipur took it as a sigh that this is where the deity wished to reside and thus the temple was raised to enshrine the holy guest. The curtain hanging behind the icon in the inner sanctum of the temple is painted with an image of Lord Krishna as Shrinath ji. This art of Pichwai painting is a splendid heritage of the Udaipur region and you can pick-up some fine pieces in the big shops as keep sakes. There is a ceremonial changing of the deities vestments held 6times a day.

HALDIGHATI: It is here that the famous battle between Rana Pratap and the armed forces of the Mughal emperor Akbar took place in 1576. A chhatri guards the palace where Pratap’s legendary horse Chetak died.

CHITTORGARH: The forbidding hilltop fortress 112km from Udaipur was sacked 3 times, the first in 1303 by Allauddin Khilji then in 1535 by Bahadur Shah the sultan of Gujarat and finally by Akbar in 1568. This historic fort of the ancient kingdom of Mewar may lie in ruins toady but in its heyday it was the stuff of legends.

KUMBHALGARH: It was after Chittorgarh that Kumbhalgarh fort 84km from Udaipur played pivotal role in keeping high the standard of the Mewar kings as if fought the Mughal hordes for the Owner and their land.

RANAKPUR: Ensconced in a wooded enclave about 60km from Udaipur are a cavalcade of the 15th century temples which showcase the finest elements of Jain religious architecture. The main temple the Chowmukha dedicated to Lord Adinath is open from four sides. The focal point of the inner sanctum is a massive Chowmukha. There are 1444 richly carved pillars of which no two are similar. The complex has shrines to Lord Parsvanath, Lord Neminath and Lord Surya.

Airport: Maharana Pratap Airport / Dabok Airport, 25 km from city, connected with Delhi, Mumbai and Jaipur.

Railway Station: Udaipur City Railway Station, 1.5 km from the city, connected to all major cities of India.

Road: Udaipur is well connected with Jaipur (400 km), Mumbai (787 km), Delhi (680 km) and other major cities of Rajasthan like Jaisalmer, Jodhpur, etc.

Udaipur