Tuesday, January 23. 2007
Udaipur, Rajasthan, India
Overview:
A royal past makes itself evident in every nook and corner in Udaipur. Whether it is the ornate doors that are entrances to people's homes or the palaces, gardens and monuments, Udaipur gives one a glimpse of what the place would have looked like in its time of glory. Founded by Maharana Udai Singh in 1568, and considered the jewel of Mewar, Udaipur's air is filled with a strong sense of romance, adventure and the best of Rajputana.
Udaipur is also a centre of historic arts and crafts of Mewar, like the Mewar School of Miniature Painting. There is of course the modern face of Udaipur that one can look at if interested, but given the other sights from a glorious past, modernity is no real distraction. This is a place that will hold you in its thrall no matter who you are or where you come from.
Population: About 2,632,210
Climate: With scanty rainfall and summer temperatures reaching 40ºC only every once in a few years, Udaipur has pleasant winters, making it a year rounhd destination.
Main Language(s): Hindi and English
Time Zone: GMT + 05:30
Phone Area Code: 0294
Best Time To Visit: While Udaipur is visitable all year round, festival time in Rajasthan is between October and February.
Airport Distance from City Center: 28 kms
Taxi Rates from Airport to City: Private taxi service available at Rs. 200 to city
Places To Visit:
City Palace
Built in 1725, the grand City Palace is actually a conglomerate of eleven palaces overlooking the sprawling Lake Pichola. One of the largest, most beautiful palaces in the state of Rajasthan, it is now a museum, royal residence and a luxury hotel. This intricately designed monument is an architectural wonder in granite and marble.
Jagdish Temple
Built in 1651 by Maharaja Jagat Singh, this temple is dedicated to Lord Vishnu and is located in the centre of the old city. The temple has a black marble image of Lord Vishnu, which is unusual for the northern part of the country, where statues of Gods are normally in marble.
Fateh Sagar
Originally built in 1678 by Maharana Jai Singh, Fateh Sagar was rebuilt by Maharana Fateh Singh after the rains destroyed the dam. The garden island in the middle of the lake is Nehru Park, which also has a café. You can also hire pedal boats to tour the lake.
Lake Pichola
With its main attractions being the two palaces on the islands in the lake, Jagniwas and Jagmandir Lake Pichola is about 4 km in length and 3 km wide. Jagniwas was earlier the summer retreat of the prince of Mewar and now a five-star hotel. The city palace extends along the eastern shore of the lake and you can go for a boat ride from Bansi Ghat.
Shilpgram
Udaipur has some fabulous handicrafts, which is why Shilpagram or the art village is a great place to go to. A craft bazaar, it is on the outskirts of Udaipur, about 3 km from Fateh Sagar. The place showcases crafts from Maharashtra, Goa, Gujarat and Rajasthan, and you can pick up quite a lot of wonderful pieces from here.
Bharatiya Lok Kala - Udaipur Folk Museum
Conserving local folk arts like paintings, dolls, masks and musical instruments, this museum can be quite an eye opener on everything from the society that exists here to the talent and creativity of its people.
