RAJASTHAN TOURISM.co.uk

Rajasthan Travel Guide

Udaipur Travel Guide

The city of Udaipur is a lovely land around the Azure water lakes hemmed in by the lush hills of the Aravails.

A vision in white drenched in romance and beauty, Udaipur is a fascinating blend of sights sounds and experience-an inspiration for the imagination of poets, painters and writen.

Its kaleidoscope of fairy tale palace lakes temples gardens and narrow lanes strew with stalls, carry the flavour of a heroic past. Epitomising for 1200 years.

The foundation of the city has an interesting legand associated with it. According to it, Maharana Udai Singh the founder was hunting one day when he met a holy man meditaing on a hill overlooking the lake pichhola. The hermit blessed the Maharana and advised him to build a palace at this favourable located spot with a fertile valley watered by the stream, a lake, an agreeable altitude and an the advise of the hermit and founded the city in 1959 A.D.

Overlooking the aquamarine xpanses of the lake Pichhola stands the splendid city palace-a marvel in granite and marbel. Of the original eleven gates of the Udaipur City, only five remain. The suraj pol or sun Gate on the eastern side is the main entrance to the city.

Exquisite lake palaces of Udaipur shimmering like jewels on lake Pichhola are overwhelming in splendour.

Several palaces of interest around Udaipur, including the majestic Chittaurgarh the mountain fortress of Kumbhalgarh, beautiful jain temples of Ranakpur, Eklingli and Nathdwara and the cool retreat of Mr.Abu make the visit to udaipur a memorable one.

Udaipur is known as the Venice of the east. It is also called the city of lakes. The Lake Palace on Jag Niwas Island in the middle of Pichola Lakes is the finest example of its architectural and cultural explosion.

The grand City Palace on the banks of the lake compliments the palace along with the Monsoon Palace (Sajjan Garh) on the hill above. Udaipur is also the centre for performing arts, craft and its famed miniature paintings.The Shilp Gram festival is a center of attraction during the season.

Maharana Udai Singh II founded Udaipur in 1568 after his citadel Chittorgarh was sacked by Mughal Emperor Akbar. The legends says that Udai Singh was guided by a holy man meditating on the hill near Pichola Lake to establish his capital on this very spot. Surrounded by Aravali Ranges, forests and lakes this place was less vulnerable than Chittorgarh.

Maharana Udai Singh died in 1572 and was succeeded by Maharana Pratap who valiantly defended Udaipur from subsequent Mughal attacks. Maharana Pratap is the most revered Rajput icon and gallantly fought the Mughal at the Haldighati in 1576.

Mewar continuously defied foreign invaders and has a history of bloody battles until the British intervention in the nineteenth when a treaty was signed to protect Udaipur. Upon independence Udaipur merged in the union of India.