Udaipur

Brief
The city of Dawn, Udaipur is an enchanting city. Also known as The Venice of the East, it is a vision in white, drenched in romance and beauty. From the azure water lakes in the midst of sandy terrain, hemmed in by the lush hills of the Aravalis, Udaipur is a fascinating blend of sights, sounds and experience. An inspiration for the imagination of poets, painters and writers, it is a kaleidoscope of fairy-tale palaces, lakes, temples, gardens and narrow lanes strewn with stalls, carrying the flavour of a heroic past, epitomising valour and chivalry. Their reflection in the placid waters of the Lake Pichhola, is an enticing sight.

History
The jewel of Mewar, Udaipur was ruled by the Sisodia dynasty. The foundation of the city, was laid by Maharana Udai Singh in 1559 AD. The legendary Ranas of Mewar, who traced their ancestry back to the Sun, first ruled the region from their 7th century stronghold - Chittaurgarh. In contrast to the house of Jaipur, the rulers of Udaipur prided themselves on being independent. Yet, Udaipur for all its individuality, remained one of the poorer princely states in Rajasthan, a consequence of being almost constantly at war. Ultimately in 1818, Mewar came under British political control, but still managed to avoid almost all British cultural influence.

Culture
Founded in 1568 following the final sacking of Chittorgarh by the Mughal emperor Akbar, Udaipur rivals, any of the world famous creations of the Mughals, with its Rajput love of the whimsical, and its superbly crafted elegance. Overlooking the aquamarine expanses of the Lake Pichhola, stands the splendid Lake Palace. A marvel in granite and marble, it is certainly the best example of its cultural explosion, but Udaipur is full of palaces, temples and havelis, ranging from the modest to the extravagant. Its also proud of its heritage as a centre for the performing arts, paintings and crafts.

Climate & Geogaphical Location
Udaipur is very hot and dry in summer and extremely cold in winter. It is surrounded by the Aravalli mountain ranges, at an altitude of 577 metres.

How to Reach
Udaipur is well connected by air, rail and road. By air, Maharana Pratap Airport of Udaipur ,is 24 km from the city centre and is well connected to Mumbai, Delhi, Rajkot, Aurangabad, Jodhpur, Jaipur and Ahmedabad. By rail, Udaipur is the main railhead and has excellent connection with Delhi, Bikaner, Jodhpur, Jaipur, Ahmedabad, Secunderabad, Agra, Lucknow, Mumbai and Kolkata. By road, Udaipur is on National Highway No 8 ,connecting Delhi to Mumbai via Jaipur, Ajmer, Udaipur and Ahmedabad. Udaipur has a thorough network of comfortable deluxe tourist buses. Rajasthan Roadways runs excellent regular services of AC and Deluxe coaches from Delhi. Some of the important distances are Agra 630 km, Ahmedabad 262 km, Jaipur 406 km, Jodhpur 275 km and Mount Abu 185 km.

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Tourist Places

City Palace
A majestic architectural marvel, towering over the lake on a hill, surrounded by crenellated walls, it is a conglomeration of courtyards, pavilions, terraces, corridors, rooms, and hanging gardens. The Mor Chowk, known for its exquisite peacock mosaics in glass and the chini chitrashala, noted for its blue and white ceramics, are other attractions in the palace.

Gulab Bagh
A spectacular rose garden, laid out by Maharana Sajjan Singh. A library in the garden, has a rare collection of ancient handwritten manuscripts and books.

Sajjan Garh
Dominating the city's skyline, is the monsoon palace of Sajjan Garh. It offers a panoramic overview of the city's lakes, palaces and the surrounding countryside.

Jagdish Temple
Built in 1651 A.D by Maharana Jagat Singh, this Indo-Aryan temple, is the largest and the most beautiful temple of Udaipur, with noteworthy sculpted images.

Pichhola Lake
The Pichhola, is a picturesque lake, that entranced Maharaja Udai Singh. The founder later enlarged it. Hills, palaces, temples, bathing ghats and embankments surround the lake. Two island palaces, Jag Mandir and Jag Niwas, on the lake, are of breathtaking magnificence.

Fateh Sagar
A beautiful Lake, overlooked by a number of hills on three sides and the Pratap Memorial on the north, was built by Maharana Fateh Singh. In the middle of the lake, is Nehru Park, a lovely garden island, with a boat shaped cafe, accessible by an enjoyable boat ride.

Pratap Memorial

Atop the Moti Magri or Pearl Hill, overlooking the Fateh sagar Lake, is the memorial of the Rajput hero Maharana Pratap, with a bronze statue .

Saheliyon-ki-Bari
This small ornamental garden, was a popular relaxing spot, where royal ladies came for a stroll, and hence the name. The garden has many fountains in its four delightful pools, chiselled kiosks and marble elephants.

Bhartiya Lok Kala Museum
The interesting collection, exhibited by this Indian folk arts museum, includes folk dresses, ornaments, puppets, masks, dolls, folk musical instruments, folk deities and paintings.

Haldighati
This historical site, is a witness, to the great battle fought between Maharana Pratap and the Mughal Emperor Akbar in 1576 AD.A noteworthy site, is the Chhatri of the Maharana's horse Chetak.

Nagda
The ancient site dating back to the 6th century A.D. is renowned for the Sas-Bahu temple (9-10th century A.D) with interesting architecture and carvings. The splendid Jain temples of Adbudji are also worth a visit.

Eklingji
Built in 734 A.D, this beautifully sculpted temple complex, has108 temples within its high walls. The temples are dedicated to Lord Shiva, who is the presiding deity of the Mewar rulers. The walled complex, encloses an elaborately pillared hall or mandap, under a large pyramidal roof and has four-faced image of Lord Shiva in black marble.

Nathdwara
This most revered 17th century shrine, is dedicated to Shrinathji or Lord Krishna, and attracts thousands of pilgrims, from all over the country, especially during Diwali, Holi and Janmashtami, when their number exceeds a lakh. Foreign tourists are not permitted inside and photography is prohibited.

Rajsamand Lake
Close to Kankroli, is the dam built by Maharana Raj Singh, in 1660 A.D. Many ornamental arches and chhatris adorn the embankment.

Kumbhalgarh Fort
The second principal fortress in Rajasthan, after Chittaurgarh. Built in the 15th century by Maharana Kumbha, it extends over 12 km and encloses many temples, palaces and gardens. The Fort is accessible only by jeep from Kelwara, through the seven gates.

Jaisamand lake
A stunningly situated artificial lake, built in the 17th century AD, by Maharana Jai Singh, it is the second largest in Asia. Graceful marble chhatris flank the embankment, and beautiful summer palaces of the Udaipur queens, are built on either side of the lake. A trip to Jaisamand Wildlife sanctuary, allows a close encounter, with the rich wildlife in their natural habitat.

Ranakpur
The beautifully sculptured Jain temples, lie in a tranquil valley of the Aravallis. The main Chaumukha Temple, is dedicated to the Tirthankara Adinath and has 29 halls, supported by 1444 pillars, all distinctly carved.

Other

AHAR - Ahar boasts of a profusion of royal cenotaphs of the rulers of Mewar. A rare collection of antiquities, including earthen pots, iron objects and other art items, excavated in the region, are displayed in a small Govt. museum.

JAGAT - The splendid and well-preserved 10th century temple of Ambika Mata, is known for its intricate carvings in the outer walls. Popularly known as the Khajuraho of Rajasthan.

KANKROLI - An important Vaishnava temple, popularly called Dwarikadhish. It is the most important temple of the vallabhacharya sect, built to resemble the famous Nathdwara shrine.

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