Udaipur India Travel Guide

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Udaipur History and Geography

Udaipur is one of the most beautiful cities in Rajasthan, and a perfect destination for a romantic India vacation. Rajasthan travel is incomplete without a visit to this City of Lakes, popularly known as such because of the large number of lakes adorning it. Udaipur is famous for its marble palaces, beautiful gardens and of course its beautiful handicrafts.As per the fable Udaipur was founded by Maharana Udai Singh, who had to shift from his old capital Chittaurgarh to the banks of Lake Pichola due to constant attacks by the Mughal armies. This city, on banks of Lake Pichola was later named Udaipur after the ruler, Maharana Udai Singh, and literally means “Udai City”.

Udaipur Attractions and Things To Do

Udaipur is very famous for the City Palace, which is situated overlooking the Lake Pichola. The great marble and granite craftsmanship in this wonderful monument make it a must see for Rajasthan travel. The City Palace is the largest palace in Rajasthan. The palace is a composite structure consisting of three Mahals, namely the Baari, Dilkhush, and the Moti Mahal. The Mor Chowk, the Suraj Gokhda, the Shrine of Dhuni Mata, and the Museum of Rana Pratap are the other highlights of the City Palace. Adjacent to the City Palace is the Jagdish temple and not far away from it is the famous Sahelion-ki-bari, or The Garden of the Maidens. The Jagdish temple is the temple of Jagnnath Rai popularly known as Jagdishji. It is a major monument in Udaipur and was built by Maharana Jagat Singh I in 1651 A.D. This monument is a striking example of Indo-Aryan architecture.Sahelion-ki-bari is a fine example of why Udaipur is called the city of lakes and gardens. This small garden was made in order to provide a relaxing spot for the royal ladies, where they would stroll and enjoy the Rajasthan weather. The Bari, or garden, has ornamental fountains in its four pools, which are decorated with chiseled kiosks and marble elephants.Other major tourist attractions of Udaipur include Ahar Museum, Pratap Museum, Dhoodh Talai, Gulab Bagh and the Zoo, Sajjangarh (monsoon palace), Fateh Sagar Lake and the Nehru Park.Also worth a visit is the Bhatiya Lok Kala Mandal which has an interesting collection of Indian folk arts and includes folk dresses, ornaments, puppets, masks, dolls, folk musical instruments, folk deities and paintings.The West Zone Cultural Center, one of seven zonal cultural organizations created by the Indian government, has also set up an artisan's village in Udaipur called Shilpgram. It is very popular among tourists and locals alike. The Terracotta Museum, the museum of masks, folk and musical instruments also attract a fair amount of tourist attention.

Udaipur Getting There and Around

Udaipur is well connected by air, rail and road transport systems. Dabok Airport is 24 Km from the city centre. Daily Indian Airlines flights connect Udaipur with Jodhpur, Jaipur, Aurangabad, Mumbai and Delhi. Udaipur is also linked directly by rail to major Indian cities like Himatnagar, Delhi, Sarai, Rohilla, Jaipur, Ajmer and Chittaurgarh. A wide network of bus services also link Udaipur to several destinations. There public as well as private travel options available from the major cities. Unmetered taxis, autorikshaws, tongas and city buses are easily available for local transportation.

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