I
have been writing about my travels around Rajasthan India over the last few
months. Our next stop after Jaipur and Jodpur was the beautiful city of Udaipur.
We had a total of two full days to spend in Udaipur. We stayed at the Ramada Udaipur Hotel and Spa, it is outside the city center away from the hustle and bustle. The hotel is beautiful and has a very heritage feel to it.
We had a total of two full days to spend in Udaipur. We stayed at the Ramada Udaipur Hotel and Spa, it is outside the city center away from the hustle and bustle. The hotel is beautiful and has a very heritage feel to it.
We arrived very late to Udaipur so we spent the evening relaxing in the hotel. After a delicious Rajasthani dinner, we enjoyed a lovely Rajasthani Folk show that the hotel had arranged for the guests. It was beautiful and we joined in with the dancing too.
There are many historic and religious places you can visit in Udaipur however if you are limited for time like we were, I would suggest to pick 2-3 key places to visit and enjoy them thoroughly.
The next day after a hearty breakfast, we visited the City palace and Museum in the morning and then took a boat ride on the Lake Pichola with a stopover for lunch/ afternoon tea at Jagmandir palace hotel.The evening we took advantage of the light show before enjoying dinner at a lakeside restaurant.
I
am sharing with you a little about the places we visited:
City Palace and Museum:
Built
over a period of nearly 400 years, City Palace is situated in the city of
Udaipur, Rajasthan. It is a magnificent palace which looks beautiful from
outside and is equally interesting from inside. The palace boasts wonderful architecture
heritage from the Mewar Dynasty, its traditions, the interior have walls carved
with beautiful designs using marble and glass.
Within the palace is a government museum. On show are many antic artefacts, beautiful paintings, rare musical instruments, and exhibits of ancient Gods, silver and gold ornament displays, glass works and much more. To fully understand and enjoy the Mewar history it is recommended to take a guided tour of the palace. Alternatively there is audio tour available in various languages too.
Within the palace is a government museum. On show are many antic artefacts, beautiful paintings, rare musical instruments, and exhibits of ancient Gods, silver and gold ornament displays, glass works and much more. To fully understand and enjoy the Mewar history it is recommended to take a guided tour of the palace. Alternatively there is audio tour available in various languages too.
The
ticket price for the palace entrance is 30 rs, however there is an additional
charge for the museum entrance and you have to pay extra to take
cameras and videos.
The
ticket prices are:
Adult
250 rs
Child
100 rs,
Additional
charge for camera/video 250 rs,
Guide
250 rs,
Audio
guide 200rs
The
palace opening times are 9.30am-5.30pm, last entry 4.30pm
In
the evening there are two sound and light shows at the palace between 7-8 and
8-9 pm. One is in Hindi and the other is in English, prices vary according to
which one you go to, the English one more geared to tourists is more expensive.
The charges are:
Adult/Child
150-500rs /100-200rs
Lake
Pichola
Lake
Pichola is situated in Udaipur city in the Indian state of Rajasthan. It is named
after the nearby Picholi village. The lake is an artificial fresh water lake,
created in the year 1362 by Pichhu Banjara during the ruling period of Maharana
Lakha. It is set with the perfect backdrop of lush green hills and has and The
City Palace of Udaipur stretching along the eastern banks of this lake.
Along the lake you can also visit the Mohan Mandir which is situated in the north-east corner of Lake Pichola. The picturesque lake is surrounded by hotels and many small rooftop cafes and guest houses. The lake is encased by ghats such as Gangaur Ghat, Lal Ghat, Hanuman Ghat, Ambrai Ghat and many others Ghats. In the southern part of this lake, there is a hill that is known as Machhala Magra and you can see glimpse of Eklinggarh Fort from here.
Along the lake you can also visit the Mohan Mandir which is situated in the north-east corner of Lake Pichola. The picturesque lake is surrounded by hotels and many small rooftop cafes and guest houses. The lake is encased by ghats such as Gangaur Ghat, Lal Ghat, Hanuman Ghat, Ambrai Ghat and many others Ghats. In the southern part of this lake, there is a hill that is known as Machhala Magra and you can see glimpse of Eklinggarh Fort from here.
Lake Pichola comprises of several islands that accompany the calm waters of the lake. On Jag Island you will find the well-known Taj Lake Palace Hotel and also the nearby Jagmandir Island where you will find the Jagmandir Palace, which is now a hotel. Both hotels are beautiful inside and out and are also used as destination wedding venues by the rich and elite.
Above all, a trip to Pichola Lake would be incomplete with a boat ride.You can take a boat ride at any time of the day and there is an option to stop off at Jagmandir Island Palace Hotel before returning back to the city palace. The boat ride is INR 400 before 2 PM and INR 700 per person after 2 PM.
Time
permitting, there are many other sightseeing places you can visit in Udaipur
some of them are:
Temples:
Eklingji
Temple
Srinathji
Temple
Saas-Bahu
Temple
Rishabhdeo
Jain Temple
Palaces:
Fateh
Prakash Palace
Kumbhalgarh
Fort
Lakes:
Lake Fatehsagar
Jaisamand Lake
Wild
life and Parks:
Sajjangarth
Wildlife Sanctuary
Museums:
Bagore
ki Haveli
Maharana
Pratap Museum
Crystal
Gallery
We
spent our second day in Udaipur shopping. You will find beautiful Rajasthani meenakari item, colorful textiles, gemstone
paintings, oxidized silver & copper items, Pichwai & miniature
paintings, sculptures, panels, paintings, and other item in marble stone.
Costume jewellery, lac bangles and jhoothis (embroidered shoes) are a must
purchase as they are beautiful. We particularly like the mirror work cushions
and bed spreads and also the colorful Bandani sarees and ethnic wear. There are
many bazaars and markets dotted around and you will be mesmerized with the
beautiful and colorful Rajasthani artefacts and the shopping experience is one not
to be missed.
Our next destination from Udaipur is Mount Abu
which I will feature in my next post.
To read about my other posts in the India Travels series see the links below.