Udaipur

City Palace

Udaipur City Palace is one of the architectural marvels of Rajasthan, located peacefully on the banks of Lake Pichola. This majestic City Palace is the most-visited tourist attraction of Udaipur and often distinguished as the largest palace complex in Rajasthan. Initially, Maharana Udai Singh built this superb wonder, but the present form of the Palace is the result of subsequent additions by his successors. City Palace boasts of the wonderful blend of Medieval, European and Chinese Architecture. The Palace has various towers, domes and arches, which add to the flavor of heritage site. Towering on the banks of Pichola Lake, City Palace is truly a feast to the eyes. City Palace is a marvelous assortment of courtyards, pavilions, terraces, corridors, rooms and hanging gardens. Encircled by fortifications, this imposing Palace is wholly built in granite and marble.

Lake Palace

Udaipur Lake Palace is one of the most romantic places on this earth. The Palace situated amidst the scenic Pichola Lake offers a heavenly view to the onlooker. The imposing Aravalli Hills on one side and soaring palaces on the other, make the perfect background to this beautiful Lake Palace. Raised in white marble, Lake Palace was constructed by Maharana Jai Singh II in 1746. The magnificent Palace stretches across a four-acre island creating a dream-like impression. Originally, the Palace was named as Jag Niwas after the name of the Maharana. In the present times, it is popular by the name of Lake Palace. Jag Niwas was conceived in the mind to offer a summer resort to the royalty of Udaipur. In the later years, the Palace was used as the summer resort by the descendants of Jagat Singh. The amazing exteriors would make you crave to peep once inside the beautiful Lake Palace. On entering this astonishing Palace, you would feel that you are in the seventh heaven to find everything just perfect.

Lake Pichola

Pichola Lake is one of the most beautiful and picturesque lakes of Rajasthan, India. Located in the heart of the city, Pichola Lake is the oldest and one of the largest lakes of Udaipur. In 1362, the beautiful lake was built by Pichhu Banjara during the ruling period of Maharana Lakha. Talking about the dimensions of Pichhola Lake, it is extended to 3 miles in length, 2 miles in width and has depth of 30 feet. The beauty of this lake has not separated anyone to attract towards it. The lake looks more enchanting with its scenic surroundings. Maharana Udai Singh must have been certainly captivated by the charm of this pristine lake with the perfect backdrop of lush green hills as when he founded the city of Udaipur, he enlarged this lake. He also constructed a dam made in stone that falls under the 'Badipol' region on the shore of this lake.

Jag Mandir

Jag Mandir Palace is a beautiful palace located on the southern island of Lake Pichola. The three-storied Palace is a palatial structure made in yellow sandstone and marble. Built in early years of 17th century, Jag Mandir Palace was raised by Maharana Karan Singh to serve as a hiding place for Prince Khurram (popularly known as Shah Jahan). Between the years of 1620-28, Maharana Karan Singh ruled the region and during this period Prince Khurram revolted against his father. Maharana Karan Singh helped Prince Khurram as he was born to a Rajput mother. Khurram, accompanied by his wife and two sons left the kingdom. Then, Maharana Karan provided them a safe haven in the City Palace of Udaipur. The aristocrats were unsuccessful in adhering to the Rajput customs; subsequently Karan Singh shifted them to the Jag Mandir Palace. At that time, Jag Mandir Palace was under construction.

Karni – Mata Ropeway

Karni Mata temple Shri Manshapurna Karni Mata Temple, is a temple dedicated to the female Hindu sage, Karni Mata. This temple is located on Machla Hills, near Deendayal Upadhyay Park in midst of natural beauty. Being situated at high point of the city, one can get panoramic view of Lake Pichola, Lake Palace, Sajjangarh Fort and Dudh Talai Park. One can reach to the temple either by stairs starting from Manikyalal Verma Park or by ropeway. An early morning trek to the temple can relieve one from thousands of stressful thoughts, thanks to the scenic location, the fresh and pure air and the much needed tranquility. Legend of Karni Mata Legend has it that Karni Mata was born in 1387 AD in village Suwap near Phalodi in Jodhpur district of Rajasthan. She was born as the seventh daughter in Charan family and worshiped as a reincarnation of goddess Durga. It is believed that she restored life of her dead son who reincarnated as rat and since then all her relatives take birth as rats after death and stay together as family.

Vintage Car Collection

On 15th February 2000, The Vintage & Classic Car Collection, The Palace Udaipur was unveiled in its entirety to the general public. This inauguration allowed visitors to appreciate this astonishing collection of cars for the first time. The Vintage & Classic Car Collection is a car collection and a museum with a difference. All the vehicles on show have belonged to the Maharanas of Mewar both past and present. Despite some vehicles being over seventy years old, each one has been painstakingly restored so that they are in working order.The collection is housed in the original former Mewar State Motor Garage, a glorious setting for such a fine assortment of vehicles. The bougainvillea - coated Garden Hotel and Restaurant, a property of HRH Group of Hotels, Udaipur, is also contained within the garage’s grounds. The semi-circular motor garage with its forecourt is housed within a greater courtyard, creating a pleasant hideaway from the bustle of the streets. One of the original Shell petrol pump is not only still standing, but also in a usable condition.

Jagdish Temple

Jagdish Temple is one of the famous temples of Udaipur. Located in the City Palace complex of Udaipur, this temple is made in the Indo-Aryan style of architecture. In 1651, Jagdish temple was built by Maharana Jagat Singh, who ruled Udaipur during 1628-53. The temple is dedicated to Lord Vishnu (Laxmi Narayan), the preserver of the Universe. It is celebrated for being the largest temple in the city of Udaipur. The gateway of this temple can be sited at a distance of 150 meters from the Bara Pol of the City Palace. This three-storied temple is a wonder of architecture that comprises beautifully carved pillars, decorated ceilings, painted walls and lush halls. In those times, 1.5 million rupees were spent to raise this structure. The spire of the main temple is around 79 feet high that undoubtedly dominates the skyline of Udaipur. This shikhar (spire) is festooned with sculptures of dancers, elephants, horsemen and musicians making it truly a sight to behold.

Fatehsagar Lake

Fateh Sagar Lake is the second artificial lake of Udaipur, the first being Jaisamand lake. Located in the north of Lake Pichola, Fateh Sagar Lake lies just besides the entrance to Moti Magri Hill. Built in 1678 by Maharana Jai Singh, Fateh Sagar Lake got its name from Maharana Fateh Singh, who later made additions to it. Talking about the statistics of Fateh Sagar, the lake extends to the length of 2.4 km, 1.6 km. in width and deep to the extent of 11.5 meter. During the monsoons, the lake covers the total area of around 1 sq km. Fateh Sagar Lake is well-planned with three intake channels and an overflow channel that is usually brought into play in the rainy season. Fateh Sagar Lake is embellished by three small islands, which can be reached by taking a boat ride in the lake. The largest island of the lake is developed into a park by the name of Nehru Park. The garden comprises a boat-shaped restaurant and a small zoo for children. This island park is the favorite picnic spot of Udaipur dwellers.

Bagore Ki Haveli

Bagore Ki Haveli is an ancient building that stands on the platform of Gangori Ghat in the vicinity of Pichola Lake. The splendid architecture of the mansion boasts of delicate carved work and excellent glass work. In the eighteenth century, Bagore Ki Haveli was built by Amir Chand Badwa, who was the Chief Minister at the Mewar Royal Court in earlier times. When Amar Badwa died, the building came under the possession of Mewar State. In 1878, the Haveli made the abode to Maharana Shakti Singh of Bagore, who further incorporated three stories to the main structure. Since that time, the mansion came to be known as Bagore Ki Haveli (Mansion of Bagore). The mansion that used to serve the royalty of Mewar was left vacant for around 50 years. During this long period of desertion, the building deteriorated to an extent. In 1986, the building was handed over to the West Zone Cultural Centre (WZCC).

Moti Magri

Maharana Pratap Memorial is a historic site that is dedicated to the gallant Maharana Pratap. Situated at the top of Moti Margi or Pearl Hill, the memorial overlooks the Fateh Sagar Lake. In Hindi, memorial is known as "smarak" and smarak is always made in the memory of loved ones. Maharana Pratap Memorial was constructed with the initiative taken by Maharana Bhagwat Singh Mewar with the help of a public trust. The memorial comprises a life-sized bronze statue of Maharana Pratap balanced on his loyal and favorite horse, Chetak. It is believed that Chetak was a faithful horse. He was extremely protective towards Maharana Pratap and stood by his master till his last breath. Chetak was killed in the battle of Haldighati. People visit this memorial to pay their homage to the Rajput hero, Rana Pratap and his loyal mount 'Chetak'. This outstanding statue has also been picturised for various Bollywood movies. If you are a photographer, then you will truly love this place. From the comfortable height of the hill, you can click some of the best pictures of Udaipur city. One can also visit the attractive Japanese Rock Garden and the remnants of one of the forts of Udaipur, which are located near this hill.

Saheliyon Ki Bari

Saheliyon Ki Bari is one of the most beautiful and popular destination in Udaipur. The garden lies in the northern part of the city, on the banks of Fateh Sagar Lake in the Indian state of Rajasthan. Saheliyon Ki Bari is famous for its lush green lawns, fountains and kiosks, a delightful lotus pool and marble elephants. There is also a small museum here; of which the main attraction are some stuffed cobras. This renowned garden was designed by Maharana Sangram Singh as a present to his queen in the 18th century. The queen with her 48 maids, who were presented to the king as a part of the dowry on their marriage, came here for some leisure time. The queen with her maids spent some pleasurable moments away from the political intrigues of the court. This patterned garden used to be the popular relaxing spot of the royal ladies. The garden is also known as the ‘Garden of the Maids of Honour’ for the same reason.

Rajasthan Museum

Udaipur is a majestic city that presents artifacts of the bygone age by the means of museums. These museums peep into the ancient times of the imperial city. If you have planned to come to the city of Udaipur, then take out some time to visit the art museums of Udaipur. These museums are made to preserve the priceless objects of the noble kings. Various museums of Udaipur offer a glimpse of the items that used to be the part of the regal lifestyle. Udaipur Government is making constant efforts to preserve the artifacts of the previous age. If you are keen to know about the glorious past, these museums would be of great interest for you. City Palace Museum is one the popular museums of Udaipur, revealing the work of art. Ahar Archeological Museum is another museum possessing the antiques that dates back to the 10th century. We have discussed this museum in our article of Ahar under the section of Excursions. Museum at Gulab Bagh is one more museum that is covered under the article of Gulab Bagh.

Bhartiya Lok Kala Mandal

Bhartiya Lok Kala Museum is one of the most famous museums of Udaipur, exhibiting the brilliant collection of folk articles of Rajasthan. This rare compilation varies from typical rural-dresses, ornaments, puppets, masks, dolls, folk musical instruments, folk deities and paintings. The museum is comfortably located in the building of Bhartiya Lok Kala Mandal near Chetak Circle in Udaipur city. Mewar region of Rajasthan is known for its rich art and culture. Actually, the local handicrafts and things of art of this region have always been cherished all over the world. With the intention to maintain this rich tradition, Bhartiya Lok Kala Mandal took the initiative, to start an institution, to encourage the local arts and crafts of Mewar. Bhartiya Lok Kala Museum is a part of their program that displays the best art and craft of Mewar. As one enters the gateway of the museum, there is a hall displaying the theater objects. In the neighboring hall, you will trace a remarkable collection of tribal folk musical instruments and ornaments.

Monsoon / Sajjangarh Palace

Perched on a high summit of Banasdara mountain of Aravalli hill range, just like a bejeweled tiara stands the glorious Sajjangarh fort. It is a white marble palace. The fort is situated 5km (2 miles) to the west of Udaipur city at an altitude of 944m (3100 ft) above sea level. The latitudinal and longitudinal of fort are 23.260 and 74.289 respectively. It was built in 1884, by seventy-second ruler of Mewar dynasty, Maharana Sajjan Singh. He was considered as a renowned ruler and a “Man of Vision” and was also honourerd with the title of “Grand Commander of the Star of India” in 1881.Having deep passion for astronomy, Maharan Sajjan Singh intended to construct a nine- storey astronomical centre that could facilitate the tracking of monsoon clouds and diagnose the weather conditions. Hence popularly known as monsoon palace. The other reason that added to building up of the fort was to serve a holiday home and hunting lodge to royal family and also to give Maharana a view of his ancestral home in Chittaurgarh.Due to untimely demise at the age of 26 , his dream remained unfulfilled with shelving of his plans by construction of partial three-storey building.

Biological Park

Sajjangarh Biological Park is located nearby Sajjangarh Wildlife Sanctuary at outskirts of Lake City, Udaipur. It is only 6 k.m. away from Ralway Station and Central Bus Stand. The Total area of the Biological park is 36 ha. A central ring road runs within the Park and covers almost total area of the park. On the north western side of the park, there is a tar road which takes one to a historical monument Sajjangarh (Monsoon Palace). Sajjangarh Biological Park has been established with the objective of conserving endangered and threatened flora and fauna; developing among visitors an empathy for wild animals; and motivating people to support the cause of wildlife conservation. The park can be seen round the year. The monsoon season is from July to September. During this period, area becomes lush green and more aesthetic. The area receives an annual average rainfall of 650 mm.

Rajiv Gandhi Park

Rajeev Gandhi Park is fast becoming a major tourist and local attraction because of its unique look and strategic location. Rajeev Gandhi Park is fast becoming a major tourist and local attraction because of its unique look and strategic location. Beautiful lakes and gardens are the hallmark of Udaipur. Be it quality or quantity, Udaipur is way ahead. The distinguished feature of gardens here is that most of them are made in locations where even the concept of a garden is inconceivable. Be it Nehru garden which is situated in the centre of Fateh sagar, Moti Magri which is developed on a hill, or the recently developed Rajeev Gandhi Park which also is on a hill, all have added value of being situated at a different location than a normal garden. The view of the park and the view from the park, both present an exotic scene. The design of garden is such that most part can be seen from distant place. Spacious Children Park is a wonderful thing here. Food court is also fully functional and its agreement has been signed for five year term. The grandiose look of the garden and its location make it a very important tourist spot. Foreign and local both visitors are showing great interest in the park.

Shilpgram

Shilpgram Mela is held annually in the west of the city of Udaipur. Shilpgram Crafts Fair is organized to promote art and craft of Rajasthan. Since, Rajasthan has always been famous for its handicrafts and artwork; this fair is a perfect destination to try out the hand woven clothes, embroideries, mirror works and handicrafts. The hand woven clothes and camel leather items grab the major attention of visitors in this fair. Shilpgram Crafts Mela aids in encouraging the urban potters, visual artists and designers too. If you are interested in learning the art and craft of Rajasthan, you can join the workshops that are structured to demonstrate the method. The art expertise of artists in Rajasthan acquires an imperative position in the cultural field of Rajasthan. Here, one can have a glimpse of the life style of weavers and local artists that is portrayed through pictures in the stalls. This is actually done to make people aware about the condition of artists.