Udaipur

The city of lakes is also known as the Venice of the East. The Lake Palace on Jog Niwas is a perfect example of this. Udaipur , meaning the city of sunrise is also the center for crafts, famed paintings and performing arts. It was founded by Maharaja Udai Singh-II in 1568. Set in the Girwa valley amidst the Aravalli hills, it is often regarded as the most romantic city in India. It is the historic capital of the former kingdom of Mewar, and the administrative headquarters of Udaipur District. Stand in a valley, amid green hills on the banks of the wide blue lake Pichola, Udaipur realize your meaningful vacation tour.

Historically, Udaipur was the capital of the Rajput kingdom of Mewar, ruled by Ranawats of the Sisodia clan. The ancient city of Mewar was Chittor, located on the Banas River. After India gained its independence in 1947, the maharaja acceded to the Government of India and hence Mewar was integrated into the Rajasthan state. Interesting and amazing historical legends concerned with beautiful destination Udaipur attracts tourists for wonderful vacation here.

Climate

Summers: Max 28.3 degree C; Min. 38.8 degree C
Winters: Max 11.6 degree C; Min. 28.3 degree C


Fair & Festivals

Mewar Festival (next 8th to 10th April, 2008): This Festival is celebrated to welcome the advent of spring. It coincides with the festival of Gangaur in Udaipur , which is very significant for women of Rajasthan.

How to reach

Air: Dabok 24 kms from Udaipur city is the closest airport. Linked by daily air service from New Delhi, Jaipur, Jodhpur, Ahmedabad, Aurangabad and Mumbai.

Train: Udaipur is connected to and from Chittrogarh, Ajmeri, Jaipur, Delhi and Ahmedabad.

Road: A wide network of bus services link Udaipur from various destinations like Ahmedabad, Ajmeri, Delhi, Jaipur , Chittrogarh, Indore, Kota, Mount Abu and Mumbai.

PLACES TO SEE

Pichola Lake
Surrounded with lakes, gardens, havelis and temples, Lake Pichola is the scenic focus of Udaipur . It derives it name from the Pichola village. It is 4km long and 3km wide. The lake encloses the Jag Niwas Island and Jag Mandir. It was extended by Maharaja Jai Singh after he founded the city. In spite of its width and length, it is very shallow and it can actually dry up during the summers. It is believed that a few crocodiles inhabit the far side of the lake.

City Palace
It towers over the Pichola Lake. The construction of the palace was started by Maharana Uday Singh but succeeding Maharanas added several palaces and structures to it. The entry to the palace is from the Hati Pol or the Elephant gate. There are several rooms in the palace, which are superbly decorated with mirror tiles and paintings. Manak Mahal or the Ruby Palace has some lovely collection of glass and mirror work, while the Krishna Vila displays a large collection of some of the most beautiful miniature paintings.

Jag Mandir
This is yet another island palace in Lake Pichola, and it was constructed by Maharana Karan Singh ji. This has some carvings including a row of elephants, which looks like they are guarding the island. Apart from it, there is another monument which stands proudly just besides the Jag Mandir, it is the Jag Niwas, while on the shore of the Lake Pichola stands the City Palace.
Present in the Jag Mandir,are some of the minutely carved 'chattri' made of beautiful blue and gray stones, while the Jag Mandir royal palace is made of red sandstone. One can take a relaxed stroll on the spacious courtyard. In this huge palace, there is also a temple called the Jagdish temple, and it is believed that the name of the Jag Mandir was derived from it. During 1623-24, the great Mughal emperor, Shah Jahan took refuge in it. And it is also believed that he got the idea to build the Taj Mahal from Jag Mandir. Later on many additions were made to the Jag Mandir by Maharana Jagat Singh.

Lake Palace
This is yet another palace which is located in the middle of the Pachola Lake. It is located on the Jag Niwas Island and covers 1.5 hectares of the island. It was built in 1743 by Maharana Jagat Singh Ji. The palace contains some intricate craftsmanship, which highlights the beauty of this palace, which is simply beyond comparison.The rooms in this palace are decorated with cusped arches, stones of pink, green lotus leaves and painted mirrors. Its beauty is further enhanced by the apartments like the Bada Mahal, Kush Mahal, Ajjan Niwas, Phool Mahal and Dhola Mahal. There are various facilities available here as well, like, swimming pool, conference hall and a bar.

Durbar Hall
The Durbar Hall at the Fateh Prakash Palace is one of the most lavish Durbar Halls in India It contains paintings of Maharanas and various weapons adore the walls. The foundation stone for the hall was laid down by Viceroy of India, Lord Minto in 1909.

Crystal Gallery
It is located in the Fateh Prakash Palace and is a grand collection of crystals. These were ordered from England by Maharana Sajjan Singh. The various crystal items include tables, sofa sets, dining table, dressers, fountains, washing bowls, perfume bottles to even beds.

HOTELS

Heritage Hotels:

• Lake Palace Hotel
  
• Fateh Prakash Palace.
  
• Shiv Niwas Palace.
  
• Lake Pichola.
  
• Trident (Oberoi/Hilton)

Budget Hotels:

• Raj Palace
  
• Amet Haveli
  
• Wonder View
  
• Jagat Niwas

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