Also known as the ‘Venice of the east’, “Fairyland" and a "Vision in Dream”, Udaipur mesmerizes tourists with its eloquent charm. Dotted with many lakes, Udaipur is also called the ‘City of Lakes.’ Lot of tourists from all over the world come to Udaipur during the months of March and April during the Mewar Festival. This colourful city is abundant with rich heritage seen to date in the royal palaces and the architecture. The City Palace, which overlooks the Lake Pichola, is the primary tourist attraction in Udaipur. Other places to see are Fateh Sagar Lake, Saheliyon Ki Bari and Jagdish temple.
History:
Udaipur was initially called Mewar. It is said Maharana Udai Singh, the founder for Udaipur had etched the city on the advice of a sage. After his death in 1572 Maharana Pratap succeeded Udai Singh. Maharana Pratap turned out to be one of the most admired Rajput heroes.
Best For:
Sight seeing
Shopping
Camping
Camel Ride
The climate of Udaipur is tropical. While during summer its hot with the mercury rising more than 39 ºC and a minimum temperature of 29ºC, the winter is pleasant with the minimum temperature dropping to 8° C min and the maximum temperature hovering around 29° C. The best time to visit Udaipur is between September to March.
By Air Udaipur is well connected to major Indian cities like Mumbai, Jodhpur, Jaipur and Delhi. There is a domestic airport in the city called Dabok Airport which is only half hour drive from the city.
By Road Udaipur is connected with major destinations of Rajasthan and neighboring states like Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra etc by extensive road network. Udaipur, on the main bus stand is on the City Station Road from where one can take buses to most of the other important tourist destinations of Rajasthan as well as western India and northern India. By Train
Getting Around-By Road Situated at the National Highway No. 8, there are several buses which ply to and from Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Jaipur.
Lake Pichola This is one of the tourist destinations in Udaipur one should miss. A man made lake, Lake Pichola was Mahrana Uday Singh’s brainchild. Built along a stretch of 4 kms there is Jag Niwas Island and Jag Mandir here. The City Palace is also situated along the Lake increasing the beauty of this mirror calm lake.
Lake Palace Presently convereted into a five star hotel, The Lake Palace is situated right in the middle of Lake Pichola. It was constructed on the Jag Niwas Island as a getaway during the summer for the Kings.
Situated by the scenic Lake Pichola, City Palace was also built by Maharana Udai Singh. The architecture is a marvelous blend of Chinese and Medieval European style. This marble monument flaunts beautiful towers, cupolas and balconies.
Jag Mandir Jag Mandir was constructed to serve as a hideout for Emperor Jahangir’s son Prince Khurram. The temple is built on an Island on Lake Pichola. The temple attracts a lot of tourist who are awed by the intricate carvings in the temple. It was built by Maharana Jagat Singh and was dedicated to Lord Shiva.
Sahelion Ki Bari When translated it means a garden of maidens. The Saheliyojn-Ki-Bari was built by Maharana Sangram Singh on the embankment of Lake Pichola in the mid 18th century. What makes this place enchanting are the flowerbeds, pools, lawns, fountains kiosks all constructed in the Rajputana style of architecture.
Bagore ki Haveli The Bagore ki Haveli faces the Lake Pichola. It is one of the many beautiful Palaces of Udaipur. It was built in the 18th century by Amir Chand Bawa. The unique and delicate glass and mirror work that adorn the interiors of the Haveli are truly mesmerizing.
Bharatiya Lok Kala Mandir A must visit on the trip to Udaipur, is the Bharatiya Lok Kala Mandir which is a museum with exhibits of beautiful miniature paintings, folk arts, curios, folk costumes, puppets, dolls, folk musical instruments etc.
Where To Eat:
The traditional Rajasthani cuisine is spicy. There are many multi cuisine restaurants; however one must try the Rajasthani Thali which most often comprises kadhi, dal, dal-bati churma, bajere ki roti etc. Some of the places one must try are Shree Ji Garden Restaurant, Green View Restaurant, Lake Palace Hotel and Trident Hotel.
Where To Stay:
Being a major tourist spot one can find various options to choose from. There are 5 Star hotels like Hotel Lake Palace and Hotel Udaivilas which offer a truly royal experience and also other hotels which are economical like Hotel Hilltop, Palace Hotel Devigarh,Hotel Sarovar. If your pick is economy you could zero in on some tourist lodges and guesthouses.
Udaipur is certainly a shopper’s paradise for there is aplenty to pick from here. There are Hand painted fabrics, Tie and dye saris and clothes, Miniature paintings which are very unique to the place. Apart from these, one could shop for some folk toys especially the colourful puppets and authentic silver jewelry with fine traditional designs. To get the best bargains one could go to Clock Tower, Chetak Circle, Stalls near Jagdish Temple, Stalls by Lake Palace road and Bapu Road.
If one is planning a trip to Udaipur, then try to schedule it in the month of March or April so as not to miss the Mewar Festival or the Shipgram festival which starts in the month of Decemeber. Udaipur is certainly a destination with a galore of colours, Rajputana architecture, splendid history and beautiful lakes.
