|
Lake Palace, Udaipur |
|
City Palace, Udaipur |
|
City Palace, Udaipur |
|
Jag Mandir, Udaipur |
The city of Dawn,
Udaipur is a lovely land around the azure water lake, hemmed in by
the lush hills of the Aravallis. A vision in white drenched in
romance and beauty, Udaipur is a fascinating blend of sights,
sound and experiences and inspiration for the imagination of
poets, painters and writers. Its kaleidoscope of fairy-tale
palaces, lakes, temples, gardens and narrow lanes strewn with
stalls, carry the flavor of a heroic past, epitomizing valour and
chivalry. Their reflection in the placid waters of the Lake
Pichhola is an enticing sight. Udaipur is the jewel of Mewar-a
kingdom ruled by the Sisodia dynasty for 1200 Years. The
foundation of the city has an interesting legend associated with
it. According to it, Maharana Udai Singh, the founder, was hunting
one day when he met a holy man meditations on a hill overlooking
the Lake Pichhola. The hermit blessed the Maharana and advised him
to build a palace at this favorable located spot with a fertile
valley watered by the stream, a lake, an agreeable altitude and an
amphitheatre of low mountains. Maharana followed the advise of the
hermit and founded the city in 1559 A.D. Overlooking the
aquamarine expanses of the Lake Pichhola stands the splendid City
Palace-a marvel in granite and marble. Of the original eleven
gates of the Udaipur City, only five remain. The Suraj Pol the
original 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 splendor. Several places of
interest around Udaipur, including the majestic, Chittaurgarh, the
mountain fortress of Kumbhalgarh, beautiful Jain temple of
Ranakpur, Eklingji and Nathdwara and the cool retreat of Mt. Abu,
make the visit to Udaipur a memorable one.
TOP
Ý
PLACES OF INTEREST ARE:
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 main entrance is through the triple arched gate, the 'Tripolia'
with eight marble porticos. The Maharana were weighed under the
gate in the gold, the equivalent amount of which was distributed
among the populace.
The Suraj Gokhada, the balcony of the sun, is where the
Suryavanshi Maharanas of Mewar presented themselves to the people
in time of trouble to restore their confidence. 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.
Lake Pichhola: The picturesque lake that entranced Maharaja
Udai Singh. It was later enlarged by the founder. The lake is
surrounded by hills, palaces, temples, bathing ghats and
embankments. Two island palaces, Jag Mandir and Jag Niwas (Lake
Palace) on the lake are of breathtaking.
Jag Mandir:
In the middle of Lake Pichola is the island palace where Prince
Khurram (Shah Jahan) sought refuge from his father, the Emperor
Jehangir.
Jag Mandir (1651
AD) with its tower of yellow sandstone is lined within with
marble. it is three stories in height and is capped by a dome and
the flooring is done is striking back and white marble tiles. The
temple with the palace precints is dedicated to the Lord of the
World and is named after him.
Jagdeesh
Temple: The temple of Jagannath Rai, now called Jagdishji, is
a major monument of and should be seen carefully. Raised on a tall
terrace and completed in 1651, it is a tribute alike to the
tenacity of its builders and the resilience of the art tradition
in represents. It attaches a double storied Mandapa (hall) to a
double storied, Saandhara (that having a covered ambulatory)
sanctum.
The Mandapa has another storey tucked within its pyramidal
Samavarna (bell roof) while the hollow clustered spire over the
sanctum contains two more, non-functional, stories. Lanes taking
off from many of the gates of the Sheharpanah (city wall) converge
on the Jagdish Temple and walking leisurely through them brings
you face to face with the many layers of the cultural palimpsest
that Udaipur is.
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,
chiseled kiosks and marble elephants.
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.
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 of the Maharana.
Fateh Sagar:
A beautiful lake, overlooked by a number of hills on the 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 café accessible by an enjoyable
boat ride.
Sajjan Garh:
Dominating the city's skyline is the monsoon palace of Sajjangarh.
It offers a panoramic overview of the city's lakes, palaces and
the surrounding countryside.
Ahar: The
ancient capital of Sisodias, 3 km from Udaipur, 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.
Bagore Ki
Haveli: Situated on the bank of Lake Pichola & incorporating
the majestic Gangaur Ghat, this haveli was built by the then Prime
Minister of Mewar in the second half of the 18th century. The
property fell into a dilapidated state until restoration by the
West Zone Culture Centre began in 1986. There are 138 rooms,
balconies, courtyards & terraces. The Chambers of the Royal Ladies
contain fine fresco paintings, and the glass & mirror inlay work
in the Haveli is marvelous.
TOP
Ý
MUSEUMS & ART GALLERIES:
Archaeological Museum, Ahar: The museum at Ahar has a
varied collection of findings from excavations at the mount of
Dhulkot. It is believed to be the site of 4,000 year old township.
The major exhibits of the museum are the Skim scrubber (1st
century BC) seals (1st century BC) grain pot (1st century BC)
animal figures, stone weights and balls. Some beautiful Hindu and
Jain icons are displayed in one gallery, the most prominent being
the metallic image of the Jain Trithankara (saint). Among the
collection of sculptures, there is a statue of Vishnu-Nag-Nathan
belonging to the medieval period in which snakes are enwinding all
around the deity.
City Palace
Museum: The huge City Palace, towering over the Pichola Lake,
is the largest palace complex in Rajasthan. Construction of this
palace was started by Maharana Udai Singh, the founder of city.
The main part of the palace is now preserved as a museum with a
large and varied collection. It was established in 1890 and is one
of the earliest museums of the state. The museum includes the Mor
Chowk with its beautiful peacocks in mosaics. The Manak (Ruby)
Mahal has glass and porcelain figures while Krishna Vilas has a
remarkable collection of miniatures. Bhim Vilas has a boldly
striped floor and scenes from the Radha-Krishna stories are
painted on the walls. In the Bari Mahal, there is fine central
garden. More paintings can be seen in the Zenana Mahal. The Moti
Mahal has beautiful mirror work and the Chini Mahal is covered in
ornamental tiles. The museum has the armour of Maharana Pratap and
the drums and bugles of the ruler of Mewar, Rana Sanga.
Crystal
Gallery: The Crystal Gallery located in Fateh Prakash Palace
(part of the Grand City Palace Complex) was opened to the public
in 1994. Overlooking the Durbar Hall, the Crystal Gallery has a
grand collection of more than 600 rare objects collected from
different parts of the world. inspired by the showroom of the
Birmingham based company F&C Osler in Calcutta, this unique
collection of the gallery was ordered by Maharana Sajjan Singhji
in the year 1877. From lamps to washing bowls, perfume bottles to
paperweights & writing instruments, the collection has it all. The
Crystal Gallery also boasts a crystal bed, the only one of its
kind in the world. Besides these, other fascinating objects
include a sofa-set, a dining table, fountains, various coloured
crystal objects, mirrored tabletops, exquisite decanters & a
fabulous jewel-encrusted carpet.
Government Museum: The Government Museum of Udaipur was
originally located in Gulab Bagh and was called the Victoria Hall
Museum. It has now been shifted to Karan Vials Mahal within the
precincts of the City Palace. This museum highlights the culture
and heritage of Rajasthan through its extensive collection of
excavated and handicrafts. The inscriptions exhibited at eh museum
range from those of 2nd century BC to 17th century AD. The
antiquities of the plastic art of Mewar add to the attraction. The
sculpture gallery, spread over a big hall, contains some unique
and valuable specimens. Inscriptions exhibited at the museum date
back to as early as 200 BC. The most remarkable collection is that
of more than nine thousand miniature paintings of Mewar School
from the period of Maharana Jagat Singh (1628 - 1652 AD) to
Maharana Swaroop Singh (1842 - 1861 AD). It has a Natural History
section called the Children Gallery which has models of animals
like tiger, deer etc. the museum also has collection of colourful
Mewari turbans.
Bharatiya Lok Kala Musuem: The interesting collection
exhibited by this Indian folk arts museum includes folk dresses,
ornaments, puppets, masks, dolls, folk musical instruments, folk
deities and paintings and the high point of the exhibits puppets.
Shilp Gram:
It is located on Fateh Sagar, 6 km from the City Palace. A village
has been created with 26 replica huts. This museum has a wide
collection of folk art and it also gives a glimpse of the tribal
life of Rajasthan.
TOP
Ý
EXCURSIONS:
Nagda (23 km): The ancient site dating back to the 6th
century A.D. is renowned for the Sas-Bahu temples (9t - 10th
century A.D.) with interesting architecture and carvings. The
splendid Jain temples of Adbudji are also worth a visit.
Haldighati (40
km): A historical site, witness to the great battle fought
between Maharana Pratap and Mughal Emperor Akbar in 1576 A.D. The
Chhatri of Maharana's horse-Chetak is noteworthy.
Kumbhalgarh
Fort (84 km): The second principal fortress in Rajasthan after
Chittaurgarh, it is perched atop the Aravallis. Built in the 15th
century by Maharana Kumbha, it extends over 12 km and enclose many
temples, palaces and gardens. The fort renovated in the 19th
century. The Badal Mahal or Cloud Palace offers a spectacular
bird's eye view of the surrounding countryside. Close by is the
Kumbhalgarh Wildlife Sanctuary with a rich variety of wildlife.
The Fort is accessible only by jeep from Kelwara through the seven
gates.
Jagat (58 km):
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.
Jaisamand Lake
(48 km): A stunningly situated artificial lake, built in the
17th century A.D. by Maharana Jai Singh 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. Jaisamand Island Resort is also worth visiting.
A trip to
Jaisamand Wildlife Sanctuary allows a close encounter with the
rich wildlife in their natural habitat. The fauna includes
panther, wild boar, deer, four honed antelope, mongoose and
various species of migratory birds.
Ranakpur (90
km): 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. Two Jain temples dedicated to
Neminath and Parsvanath and a Sun Temple a little distance away,
are also noteworthy.
Nathdwara (48
km): The most revered 17th century shrine, dedicated
Shrinathji or Lord Krishna, 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.
Kankroli (65
km): An important Vaishnava temple popularly called
Dwarikadish. It is the most important temple of the Vallabhacharya
sect, built to resemble the famous Nathdwara shrine.
Rajsamand Lake
(66 km): Close to Kankroli is the dam built by Maharana Raj
Singh in 1660 A.D. Many ornamental arches and Chhatris adorn the
embankment.
TOP
Ý
FAIRS & FESTIVALS:
Mewar Festival, Udaipur: The Mewar Festival is celebrated
to welcome the advent of spring. It coincides with the festival of
Gangaur in Udaipur, and has a unique charm about it. The festival
of Gangaur is very significant for women of Rajasthan. It is a
time for them to dress up in their best clothes and participate in
the festival. They gather to dress the images of Isar and Gauri
and then carry them in a ceremonial procession through different
parts of the city. The procession winds its way to the Gangaur
Ghat at Lake Pichhola. Here the images are transferred to special
boats amidst much singing and festivity. Once the religious part
of the festival is over, it is time for cultural events where
Rajasthani culture is portrayed through songs, dances and other
programmes. Like other fairs and festivals celebrated throughout
the State, there is a lot of activity which keeps the participants
in a joyful frame of mind, eager to enjoy every moment of the
celebrations.
SHOPPING:
Udaipur has countless shops and many
interesting local crafts that make it a one-of-its-king shopping
experience. A plethora of items like folk toys, colourful
tie-and-dye-sarees and clothes, turbans, hand painted fabric,
silver jewellery, wall hangings and miniature paintings in Rajput
style are the favourite buys. The beautiful images of gods and
goddesses made in the nearby Mollela village near Nathdwara are
not to be missed. The shopping spots include a cluster of stalls
on the Lake Palace Road next to the Rang Niwas Palace Hotel and
others around the Jagdish Temple. |
