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Udaipur Sightseeing Highlights:
Udaipur is a city of contrasts offering something for all tastes and budgets and making it a memorable experience for all. The old quarter draws the moneyed and the budget tourist with equal charm since its the potpourri of exciting experiences that lure human imagination, rather than a princely pocket. The chaotic sprawl of the old mohallas and the antique bazaar streets, the lakeside ghats and the tightly packed houses and shops tell a tale of an old city that sports its past on its sleeve with joyous abandon and quiet ease. Old rituals and traditions merge seamlessly with a relentlessly changing world of chic boutiques and luxury hotels.
City Palace
Part hotel, part museum the old Sisodia regal residence is home to a cavalcade of 11 opulent palaces constructed by succeeding rulers into the 20th century. Marvel at its lakeside perch and architectural beauty marked by turrets and canopies. The newer additions - the Shiv Niwas Palace and the Fateh Prakash Palace - are also run as hotels now. The palace museum is a delight. Check out the glass work in the Kanch ka Burj, the paintings of the Mewar School in the Zenana Mahal, the porcelain in the Manak Mahal and the Chini Palace. Don’t miss the miniature paintings at the Krishna Vilas. While catching your breath at the Mor Chowk built as his darbar by Maharana Karan Singh (1629-1628) savour the beauty of its mosaic inlays.
Crystal Gallery
Fateh Prakash Palace next door, houses a whimsical side of Udaipur royalty. Check out the fabulous crystal collection of Raja Sajjan Singh. In 1877 the raja ordered a lavish collection of crystal items from abroad. Before it reached him he died and everything was put into storage and later set up on display for tourism purposes. A little further away is the Gallery of Vintage and Classic Cars. Amongst the showpieces is a Rolls Royce Phantom II of 1934 vintage.
Lake Palace
Originally the Jag Niwas and a private retreat of Prince Jagat II, son of Maharana Sangram Singh (1716-34), the Lake Palace, located on an island in Lake Pichola is one of the most romantic water places in the world. It is now a hotel and continues to be a honeymooners' delight. Legend has it that the prince built it as a pleasure palace in defiance of his father's objection to his hedonistic lifestyle. The only way to get to it is by boat - even today.
Fateh Sagar
Housed on a small island on this man-made lake, the focal point of the Maharana Udai Singh's new Sisodia capital, is India's only solar observatory. Picnics at Nehru Park and boat rides arranged near Moti Magri (Pearl Hill) can be fun too.
Boating
The city's lakes are a magical sight after the monsoon. From a boat on Lake Pichola vignettes of the old quarter have a romantic quality. Head for Bansi Ghat jetty near the Shiv Niwas Palace to hire a boat. Then plan a lunch at the cafe at Jag Mandir Palace perched on an island. It was here that the rebel Prince Khurram - later Mughal Emperor Shahjehan - took refuge from his father's wrath.
Jagdish Mandir
Dedicated to Lord Vishnu this 17th century temple lies near the City Palace. You can walk from here to the nearby 18th century Bagore ki Haveli, now a museum with displays of Udaipur's traditional arts and crafts.
Saheliyon ki bari
North of the city the leafy environs of this 'garden of the maids of honour' also has a pretty lotus pool. It is a popular hangout for families.
Shikarbadi
Situated south of Monsoon Palace or Sajjangarh on Bansdara Hill, this old hunting lodge is a popular hotel and verdant enclave.
Other Activities:
A bit of culture
Time your visit to the city to enjoy the dazzling fiesta of the Mewar Festival. An annual feature on the city's event calendar it unveils a cavalcade of activities aimed at showcasing the pomp and circumstance of this royal city's heritage. The lakeside parade is the highlight of this event. Pencil in visits to the Meera Kala Mandir and the Bhartiya Lok Kala Mandir in your diary. You can catch some fine performances of dance and music.
Candlelight dinners
Plan a night of luxury - save for it if you must - spend a night at the Lake Palace and enjoy a romantic candlelight dinner. Else plan a leisurely lunch at the picturesque Jag Mandir Palace on Lake Pichola.
Shopping
Head for the old city to discover its hidden gems (literally) sold from the higgledy piggeldy line-up of shops along its winding, the ribbon-like lanes. Look for gem stones and semiprecious stone encrusted jewellery (both silver and gold). If you're lucky you might find some beautiful old thewa pieces.
Near the Ghanta Ghar there are cubby hole shops hawking old swords, daggers, shields and bits and bobs of antique weaponry much prized by the history enthusiast. There are antique shops worth investigating for old royal cast offs - artifacts, old costumes, mirrors, lamps and the like. For traditional pichwai paintings, handicrafts, local textiles, puppets and wooden toys head for Shilpgram, the craft village set up a short hop from the Fateh Sagar Lake. Other old popular shopping haunts are the area around Hathi Pol, Chetak Circle and the Palace Road. R Kay Mall, the city's first, is located near Sukhadia Circle with its three-tiered fountain which is floodlit at night and lures the citizenry for leisurely evenings
Package Tours
Catch an RTDC package tour of the city's top sightseeing haunts. There are also tours that take you to Eklinji and Nagda, Haldighati and Nathdwara, Chittorgarh and Kumbhalgarh - all on a budget. Contact the tourist office (See Fast Facts) for the best deals
Excursions Around Udaipur:
Eklingi (22 km)
Be there during the rousing arti ceremony at this ancient temple home to the tutelary deity of the Mewar kings - the Eklinji Temple was the traditional venue for the coronation of the Mewar Maharanas. Commissioned in the 10th century the temple houses a mighty marble icon of Mahadeva. In the temple complex there are niches housing images of Ganesh, Bramha, Shiva, Vishnu and Kartikeya. Eklinji is 22km from Udaipur en route to Nathdwara.
Nagda
Drive another 2km from Eklinji and you will come upon a placid lake, alongside which are several Jain temples. Of interest are the 11th century Saas Bahu Temple and the Temple Adhbhutji.
Nathdwara (50 km)
Lord Krishna reigns supreme in this little township. Legend has it that the Krishna Temple constructed here was a result of a change in plans in hiding the icon (from Mughal emperor Aurangzeb) which was taken out of Mathura for safekeeping. Apparently the cart carrying the image got stuck here. When every effort to move it failed, the ruler of Udaipur saw it as a sign for making a temple to the Lord at this site.
In the sanctum sanctorum you will see a painted curtain hanging as a backdrop (pichwai) to the ancient idol of Lord Krishna in the Nathdwara Temple. The painting depicts Lord Krishna as Shrinathji, and pictorially recounts events from his life. If you want to take a slice of Nathdwara home with you, stop by one of the shops lining the temple complex and pick up a pichwai painting. Another interesting feature of the temple is the ancient tradition of the ceremonial changes (six times) of the deity’s vestments through the day. It symbolizes the lifespan of Krishna from childhood to boyhood, and to his last and most enduring image as Lord Shrinathji.
Haldighati
From the very schoolroom days Indian children become familiar with the exploits of the brave Rajput king Rana Pratap. It was at Haldighati, a short drive from Nathdwara, that he fought his famous battle with the army of the Mughal emperor Akbar in 1576. A traditional canopy (chattri) marks the spot where the Rana's loyal and brave stallion Chetak died in battle.
Ranakpur (60km)
If you're already in Udaipur it would be a pity not to make the slightly longish but very rewarding trip to this green expanse of Rajasthan. Spend a day exploring the cluster of 15th century Jain temples, one of the most hallowed grounds for India's Jain community. Chaumukha, the main temple is dedicated to Lord Adhinath. Of breathtaking splendour here are the 1444 richly carved pillars, each one separate from the next. The complex also has a shrine to Lord Parasnath and Lord Neminath.
Tourist info:
RTDC
Fateh Memorial Building
Near Suraj Pol
Ph. 0294-2411535
Chosen recently, by Travel and Leisure Magazine, as Asia's Second Best City, Udaipur is steeped in romance and antiquity. Little wonder that its magical lakes and fairytale water palace continue to lure honeymooners, while history buffs are drawn to its tales of valour that mark the legendary Sisodia saga.
Both Hollywood and Bollywood have cashed in on its delightful nuances in Octopussy the James Bond hit, the Raj-era Jewel in the Crown and a slew of Hindi potboilers such as Guide, Jal Mahal, and the recent Eklavya. Dusty and more crowded by the day its atmospheric old quarter may be, but we still love it for its Lake Palace, for its legendary tales of royal intrigue, the lakeside walks at dawn, shopping in the old bazaars and the pinched in mohallas
The dazzle of Udaipur, the Sisodia capital of the Mewar kingdom lies in its mercurial past and vibrant present, an unbeatable combination for the holidaymaker. With the sacking of Chittorgah, Panna Dai, the nurse of baby Uday Singh, heir to the Mewar throne, escaped with him to the Kumbhalgarh fortress in the remote Aravalli hills. In 1539-40 the joint forces of Mewar and Marwar met at Kumbhalgarh to expel the usurper Banbir from the throne of Mewar at Chittorgarh. Banbir was killed at the battle of Maholi and Uday Singh was declared Maharana of Mewar.
In 1567 Chittorgarh was routed once more, this time by the armies of Mughal Emperor Akbar. Maharana Udai Singh II (1536-1572) laid the foundation of the new capital at Udaipur. A city of a new dawn for the rulers of Mewar, grew up on the protected site of his residence which he had set up in 1557. With the decline of Mughal power, the Sisosdias were able to recapture most of their lost kingdom. Udaipur became a Princely State of India during the British era in 1818. With India's independence from British rule in 1947 Mewar was eventually integrated into India's state of Rajsthan.
Udaipur is located in the verdant environs of the Girwa Valley, nestling in the rugged Aravalli range between the two great fortresses of Chittor and Kumbhalgarh. The new capital - a symbol of hope, peace and prosperity was marked by a profusion of lakes, palaces, gardens and temples. Eleven gates (pols) pierced the walled city which lay in spacious expanses around four man-made lakes -Lake Pichola, the most romantic - and Fateh Sagar, Rang Sagar and Swaroop Sagar. The eastern flank of Pichola is studded with the spacious expanses of the city palace complex and its retinue of palaces and royal guesthouses added over time. |
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