Top MUST-VISIT Places while you are in ‘The City of Lakes’, Udaipur

It is good if you have been to Venice, but if not and would still like to feel how lovely that atmosphere would be, hurry up and catch a flight to ‘The City of Lakes’, Udaipur. A small city in Rajasthan is perfect mélange of culture, history and royal traditions. This beauty around the city makes Udaipur a perfect honeymoon destination, cultural center and the showstopper of Rajasthan. The palaces built in the city reflects the architectural grandeur which prevailed during the period of Maharanas. On the other side, the dawns at lakeside show how mesmerizing nature can be.

We wouldn’t be wrong if we label Udaipur as one of the most romantic places in India. Udaipur is a pretty face of the brilliant architecture built by the Mewars. These clever rulers literally created an oasis amidst the desert. There is so much that one can see in Udaipur, so let’s narrow it down with the best ones.

Presenting you the list for the TOP Must-Visit Places while you are in UDAIPUR:

City Palace: The true reflection of the splendor of Rajasthan, City Palace which belongs to the royal family of Mewars is a must visit. It has a number of features that attract tourists magically. Needless to say that the architecture is exquisite, also there are a few structures that leave the visitors enthralled.
City Palace, Udaipur
Lake Palace: Stunningly built on Lake Pichola, Lake Palace is one of the most visited places in Udaipur. Situated on Jagniwas Island is popularly known as Taj Lake Palace. Situated amidst the Aravalli Hills, Lake Palace is one of the most romantic places to stay in Rajasthan. Built by Late Maharaja Jagat Singh II, the palace is an example of exquisite architecture.

Lake Fatehsagar: The charm of Udaipur is incomplete without FatehSagar Lake, situated in the north of Lake Pichola. This lake is also one of the major tourist attractions in Udaipur. There are three islands situated in the lake out of which Nehru Park is the most famous one.

Saheliyon Ki Bari: ‘The Garden of the Maidens’, the literal meaning of the ‘Saheliyon ki Bari’ was constructed by Maharana Bhopal Singh. Located in the northern part of the city, this exquisite place was constructed for the maids who accompanied the Princess to Udaipur. Saheliyon ki Bari is one of those places where the maids used to cheer, sing, and dance for every festival celebrated around the city. The garden is decorated with well-maintained fountains, kiosks, elephants carved out of marble and a delightful lotus pool. Saheliyon Ki Bari is truly one of the most delightful places in Udaipur.

Ambrai Ghat: Located on the banks of Lake Pichola, Ambrai Ghat is a brilliant place for photographers. Overlooking City Palace and Lake Palace, this beautiful ghat, ensures that one gets an exclusive view of the two palaces from here. The Ghat often remains crowded with a large number of local couples in the evening as the place is quite romantic.

Sajjangarh Palace(Monsoon Palace): Located at a distance of about 9kms away from the Old City of Udaipur, Monsoon Palace is amongst the most favored destinations of the royal family during the monsoons. The palace is hung up on a hill and looks like one of those castles from a magical story that we all have heard in our childhood.

Forum Celebration Mall: Forum Celebration Mall, Udaipur, the first mall in the city offers world-class shopping and lifestyle experience under one roof. Built and designed in the ethnic architectural style. Forum Celebration Mall is one of the first iconic heritage malls build across the whole with a unique blend of ethnicity on the outside and modern conveniences within. It is considered a landmark of Udaipur, iconic and different.

Some famous and well-known brands in the Forum Celebration Mall are:

For Shopping:

For Men:

Top Men’s Wear brand at Forum Celebration Mall, Udaipur.

Top brands at Forum Celebration Mall, Udaipur.

For Women:

Top Women's brands at Forum Celebration Mall, Udaipur. — Top Women’s brands at Forum Celebration Mall, Udaipur.

Famous food outlets at Forum Celebration Mall, one can enjoy:

Top Food brands at Forum Celebration Mall, Udaipur.

Conclusion:

This city is full of surprises and still much left that you can discover in this gorgeous city. There are also some great places near Udaipur like Ranakpur, Ekling Ji, Nathdwara that one can visit, so make sure you go through this guide a bit more carefully before traveling to the city of lakes.

World Heritage Day 2019: Udaipur Heritage, the strings attached to past

In the year 1982, the International Council on Monuments and Sites decided to celebrate 18 April as World Heritage Day. It was a step taken towards spreading awareness about monuments and other sites which are a part of our history. Udaipur is one of the most prominent cultural heritage signatures of Mewar.

Future generations have the right to live history through these heritage sites and hence they should be preserved. Udaipur – The Venice of East, a beautiful city guarded by the Aravalli range, was founded in the 16th century by Maharana Udai Singh. Since it was a circular piece of fertile land in between Girwa valley, it was declared as the capital of Mewar. The prosperous cultural heritage legacy was received by the different generations of rulers. City Palace, Jagdish temple, Saheliyon ki Bari, Ahar Cenotaphs, Monsoon Palace, Bagore Ki Haveli and many such locations in Udaipur act like a bridge between the generations.

A sense of royalty can be felt through the architecture of such sites. With each passing day, each monument of the city repeats the story to every visitor and this story needs to be conserved. Safeguarding of heritage sites is very important because they give a sense of identity and continuity in a fast-changing world to the coming generations. Heritage sites basically reflect the culture of the city.

Let’s go on a roller coaster ride through the heritage sites of the city or wait, rather, let’s walk together across the city. While walking towards the old city you see Gulab Bagh on your left and vintage car museum on your right. The transition from new to the old city is worth noticing and can be seen through the gates and architecture of houses. When the lanes start to narrow down, it means you are close to witnessing something magical.

City Palace:

The palace complex situated on the east bank of Lake Pichola was constructed over a period of 400 years when the capital was shifted from Chittor district. The palace constantly got several modifications by other rulers of the dynasty. It was mostly constructed in Rajasthani style with a touch of Mughal architecture. It is designed so beautifully that it overlooks several other historical sites such as Lake Pichola, Jagdish Temple, Monsoon Palace and a perfect view of the entire city. Crystal gallery is the major attraction in this complex.

Jagdish Temple:

Moving ahead, when the streets will shrink further, a treat to eyes is guaranteed. On a junction of three roads, Jagdish Temple is situated. Jagdish temple was made by Maharana Jagat Singh in 1651. Maharana Jagat Singh ruled Udaipur for 25 years from 1628 to 1653. The temple is dedicated to the preserver of the universe Lord Vishnu. It is the largest temple in the city. After 28 years of the construction of the temple, Mughal ruler Aurangzeb wanted the temple to get destroyed and sent his army to do so. But the army of Maharana Raj Singh (ruler of Udaipur back then) didn’t let them succeed. Thank god a unique specimen of architecture was saved for us.

Saheliyon ki Bari:

Tired already? Let’s take an auto to Saheliyon ki Bari which is approximately 4 Kms away from the core of the city. Saheliyon ki Bari’s heritage talks about a group of forty-eight young women attendants who came with the princess as a part of her dowry. It is a major garden of the city and was built in the year 1710 by Maharana Sangram Singh for the royal ladies. Imagine a historic garden built for a queen. Royalness of this place is refreshing.

Ahar Cenotaphs:

Now moving toward the destination where these great creators of this dynasty are buried. It has a total of 372 cenotaphs of around 19 Maharanas who once ruled the city. This spectacular field of domes was built approx. 400 years back. Most attractive cenotaph that you will be able to spot will be of Maharana Sangram Singh, go look for it and the newest was built in the year 2004 of Udaipur’s last Maharana, Bhagwat Singh. After a walk of 150 m from Ahar Cenotaphs, you can find Ahar government museum which contains copper and pottery objects that are around 3300-years-old.

Tip: Observe the silence here.

Monsoon Palace or Sajjan Garh:

We can’t walk to next destination but I bet the way to that place is an adventure in itself. The monsoon palace, also called Sajjangarh palace is a hilltop palace at a distance of around 7 km from the city. It was built by Maharana Sajjan Singh in the year 1884. It is said that from there monsoon clouds could be seen coming towards the city. It was originally constructed by the royal family of Mewar and is now owned by the forest department of the government of Rajasthan but you don’t need to worry about that. The beautiful palace gives you a mind-blowing view of the sunset and is supposedly called monsoon palace because it seems like the palace is floating in heaven during Monsoon.

There are many such locations around which will take you back in time. On every location, one can stand and feel that the place has been standing there for a long time and knows the secrets that you might be interested in.

On this World Heritage Day, let’s take a pledge of preserving these locations on our part. Engraving names of your loved ones won’t make you a hero but preserving cultural heritage can make you one. Also, good knowledge to have, there are dustbins around these locations, please use them and don’t litter. Not just one day, make every day as Heritage Day. Come and celebrate this auspicious day like a festival because these monuments are none less than time travel machines.

प्राचीन उदयपुर का शासन प्रबंध

उदयपुर का इतिहास व्यापक है| इसके कुछ पहलू अब तक अन-छुए हैं| इनमें से एक पहलू ऐसा है जिनके बारे में शायद हम सब ने कभी ना कभी ज़रूर सोचा होगा कि प्राचीन समय में उदयपुर व राजा के महल में शासन प्रबंध किस प्रकार रहा होगा| किस प्रकार उदयपुर के कारखाने व न्यायालय कार्य किया करते होंगे| इसका कुछ हाल महामहोपाध्याय कवि राज श्यामल दास द्वारा रचित मेवाड़ के इतिहास की प्रसिद्ध किताब “वीर विनोद” में मिल जाता है| वह हाल कुछ इस प्रकार है-

“कपड़े का भंडार– कुल राज्य में जितना कपड़ा खर्च होता है वह सब इस कारखाने में से ख़रीद कर जमा होता है| कपड़े के मामूली खर्च के सिवा अगर विशेष खर्च हो तो यह अधिकारी के हुक्म से होता है

कपड़े द्वारा– इस कारखाने में खास महाराणा साहिब के धारण करने के वस्त्र रहते हैं|

रोकड़ का भंडार– यह राज्य का मामूली ख़ज़ाना है| कुल राज्य में रोकड़ का खर्च यहां से होता है|

हुक्म खर्च- यह कारखाना खास महाराणा साहिब के जेब खर्च का है| प्रतिदिन जो खर्च महाराणा साहिब के ज़बानी हुक्म होता है, उसके हिसाब पर दूसरे दिन खुद महाराणा साहब अपनी मुहर कर देते हैं|

पांडे की ओरी– (“ओरी” हमारे यहां मेवाड़ी में छोटे कमरे को कहा जाता है|) इस कारखाने में पहले तो बहुत ही प्राचीन चीजें रहती थी लेकिन उसके हिसाब किताब और जमा खर्च में गड़बड़ देखकर महाराणा शंभू सिंह जी ने कुल ख़ज़ाने की मौजूदा चीजों को मुलाहज़ा फरमाने के बाद जो चीज जिस कारखाने के लायक पाई गई उसको वहां पहुंचा दी और जो चीजें नीलामी वह बख़्शीश लायक थी, उन्हें बख़्शीश दे दी गई| महाराणा साहिब के पहने हुए जेवर और तस्वीरें भी इस कारखाने में रहती है|

सेज की ओरी – इस कारखाने में महाराणा साहिब के खास आराम करने के पलंग वगैरह की तैयारी रहती है|

रसोड़ा– इस कारखाने में सभी राजसी जन के लिए भोजन तैयार होता है| पुराने समय में वही पर भोजन किया जाता था| जिसका रिवाज़ इस तरह था की राणा साहब अपने चौकी पर विराजमान होकर भोजन करते थे| रिवाज़ तो बना लेकिन उसके बाद किसी कारण से उस कारखाने में भोजन करना बंद हो गया| वर्तमान समय में महाराणा अपनी इच्छा अनुसार पासवानों को अपने सम्मुख पंक्तियों पर बिठा कर भोजन करने की आज्ञा देते हैं|

पनेरा– इस कारखाने में महाराणा साहिब के पीने का जल, खुश्क, और तर मेवा, नाथद्वारा व एकलिंगेश्वरजी वगैरह देवस्थानों का महाप्रसाद और दवाखाना वगैरह रहता है|

सिलहखाना– इस कारखाने में तलवार, बर्छी और तीर- कमान वगैरह कई प्रकार के शस्त्र रहते है, जिनमे खड्ग भी है। इसके अतिरिक्त, वह तलवार भी है जो बेचरामाता ने शार्दूलगढ़ के राव जशकरन डोडिया को और उन्होंने महाराणा लक्ष्मणसिंह को दी थी। इस तलवार को बाँध कर महाराणा हमीर सिंह ने किला चित्तौडग़ढ़ मुसलमानों से वापिस लिया और इसी तलवार से महाराणा प्रताप अव्वल ने अकबर बादशाह के साथ कई लड़ाइयां लड़ी। उपरोक्त शस्त्रों के अलावा कई प्रकार की ढाले, तोप, कवच वगैरह भी है।

बंदूकों का कारखाना– इस कारखाने में कई प्रकार की तोड़दार बंदूक और जुजावले रहती है, इनके अलावा नए फैशन की कई तरह की टोपीदार व कारतूसी बंदूके और पिस्तौलें वर्तमान महाराणा साहिब (महाराणा सज्जन सिंह जी) ने इकट्ठी करी है। पहले यह कारखाना बाबा चंद्र सिंह के निगरानी में था और अब प्रताप सिंह की संभाल में है।

छुरी कटारी की ओरी– इस कारखाने में कई प्रकार की छुरी व कटारियां रहती है।

देवस्थान की कचहरी– इस कारखाने में कई छोटे-मोटे देव-स्थानों के जमाखर्ची का प्रबंध है, जिनके पुजारियों के लिए कुछ ब्न्धात नियत कर दिया गया है, जो कुछ उनको इस कचहरी के द्वारा मिलता रहता है। जो कुछ बचत जिस मंदिर की आमदनी से होती है वह उसी मंदिर की समझी जाती है। केवल निगरानी मात्र राज्य की ओर से मालिकाना तौर पर रहती है। यह कचहरी महाराणा स्वरूपसिंह जी के समय से जारी है।

Shambhuniwas [Shambhu Niwas] Palace, Udaipur

शंभूनिवास– महाराणा शम्भुसिंह जी ने शंभूनिवास नामी अंग्रेजी तर्ज़ का एक महल बनवा कर उसकी तैयारी व रौशनी वगैरह का सामान तथा बहुत सी किस्म की प्राचीन चीज़ें इसी महल के दरोगाह रत्नलाल के सुपुर्द कर दी थी, जिससे यह एक बहुत बड़ा कारखाना बन गया।

जनानी ड्योढ़ी – यह कोई कारखाना नहीं है, बल्कि एक अलग ही सरकार है। सैंकड़ो औरत व मर्द इस ड्योढ़ी से परवरिश पाते है। ड्योढ़ी का कुल काम महता लालचंद व प्यारचंद की निगरानी से होता है और इनके त्तहत में महारानियो के कामदार, मौसल, और दास, दासिया वगैरह सैंकड़ो मनुष्य है|

फ़िलख़ानाह– इस कारखाने के निगरान पहले बाबा चन्द्रसिंह हुए, बाद में महाराणा स्वरुपसिंह जी ने इसकी बागडोर ढीकडियां राधाकृष्ण के हाथों सौंप दी जो उनके बाद उनके बेटो ने बखूबी संभाली। इस कारखाने मैं पैंतीस से लेकर पचास हाथी रहते है।

घुड़शाला– इस कारखाने में ख़ास महाराणा साहिब की सवारी के और सभ्यजनों के घोड़े तथा बग्घियों के घोड़े-घोड़िया रहती है।

फर्राशखानह– इस कारखाने मे राज्य के कुल डेरे, सरायचे, कनाते, परदे, फर्श वगैरह व महलो का सामान रहता है।

छापाखानह– यह कारखाना बैकुण्ठवासी महाराणा सज्जनसिंह जी ने कायम किया था। इसमें “सज्जन कीर्ति सुधारक” नामक अखबार, अदालतों के इश्तिहार, समन वगैरह कागज़ात छपते है। आपको बता दे की यह किताब (वीर विनोद) भी इसी कारखाने में छपी है।

पुस्तकालय– इस राज्य में दो मुख्य पुस्तकालय है, एक नवीन पुस्तकालय जिसका नाम “श्री सज्जनवाणी विलास” है, जिसका महाराणा सज्जनसिंह साहिब ने निर्माण किया है और दूसरी प्राचीन “सरस्वती भण्डार” के नाम से प्रसिद्ध है। इनके अलावा मदरसे व विक्टोरिया हॉल का पुस्तकालय अलग है।

ऊँटो का कारखाना– रियासत में ऊँटो के दो कारखाने है। एक ढिकड़िया नाथूलाल के त्तहत में है जिसमे नौकर ऊंट और हज़ार-बारह सौ सरकारी ऊंट है। और दूसरा मेरे (कविराज श्यामलदास) त्तहत है जिसमे 40 ऊंट और 10 घोड़ियां है। यह चौकी के उन पचास सरदारों की सवारी के लिए है जो मेरे त्तहत में है। इन सरदारों की नौकरी ख़ास महाराणा साहिब के हुक्म से ली जाती है।

विक्टोरिया हॉल– यह कारखाना महाराणा साहिब ने अपनी क़द्रदानी और महारानी क्वीन विक्टोरिया की यादगार ज्युबिली के निमित्त सज्जन निवास बाग में एक बहुत अच्छा महल बनवा कर कायम किया है। इसमें दो और भाग है- एक संग्रहालय और दूसरा पुस्तकालय।

टकशाल– पहले राज्य में दो टकशाले थी- एक चित्तौड़ में और दूसरी उदयपुर में। फिरहाल उदयपुर की टकशाला ही जारी है जिसमे स्वरूपशाही अशर्फिया और स्वरूपशाही, उदयपुरी और चांदोड़ी रुपया बनता है।

जंगी फ़ौज– यह क़वायदी फ़ौज है। इसकी बुनियाद महाराणा शम्भुसिंह जी के समय पड़ी थी। लेकिन महाराणा सज्जनसिंह जी ने इसको बढ़ा कर और भी दुरुस्त कर दिया। इसमें क़वायदी पल्टने, रिसालह, तोपखाना, और बैंड-बाजा वगैरह शामिल है।

मुल्की फ़ौज– इस फ़ौज से मुल्क़ी पुलिस का काम लिया जाता है।

महकमे ख़ास के सभी कारखानों का बयान तो हम ऊपर लिख चुके है, अब दूसरा भाग अदालती रहा। उसका वर्णन कुछ इस प्रकार है-

महद्राज सभा– इसे मेवाड़ की “रॉयल कॉउन्सिल” समझाना चाहिए। दो बैठके मिलकर फैसलानामा बनाती है जो महाराणा साहिब के सामने पेश किया जाता है फिर उनकी मंजूरी के अनुसार ही फैसले जारी किये जाते है।

महकमह स्टाम्प व रजिस्ट्री– इसमें स्टाम्प छप कर जारी होते है। मकानात व ज़मीन जायदाद की खरीद फरोख्त के विषय में रजिस्ट्री की कार्रवाई भी यही होती है।”

गौरतलब है की पुरातन शासन प्रबंध आज के उदयपुर का आधार है। शान्ति और एकता हमेशा से ही यहाँ बसी है और आशा है की उदयपुर युहीं दुनिया में अपनी पहचान बनाये रखेगा।

उदयपुर के कुछ और प्राचीन और रौचक तस्वीरें देखने के लिए यहाँ क्लिक करें-

76 Superb Classic Photos of Old Udaipur

Museums in Udaipur

Udaipur has a very interesting history and the city is quite different from the rest of the Rajasthan. Udaipur has a great system of lakes, Ahar river passes through the city, and the entire city is encompassed by lush Aravali hills. The terrain, the history, and the culture make the city an amazing one. The relics of the bygone era are preserved in the Museums in Udaipur and is something every local or tourist must pay a visit to.

Here is a list of Museums in Udaipur

City Palace Museum

The most celebrated museum in Udaipur is the City Palace Museum, which was set up in 1969 by Maharana Bhagwat Singh ji. It was to preserve the culture, heritage, and traditions of the people of Mewar. The museum contains relics including miniatures paintings, silver artifacts, recreational items of the royals, swords, and artillery and so many antiques.

Timings: 9:30am – 5:30 pm

Tickets:

Adult: Rs 250

Child: Rs 100

Camera: Rs 250

Guide: Rs 250

Audio Guide: Rs 200

Location:

Ahar Archeological Museum

museums in udaipur — Source: UdaipurBlog

The museum contains copper and terracotta pottery objects that are more than 3000 years old. It also houses sculptures of Hindu gods and ‘tirthankars’ (Great Jain teachers) from the 8th to 16th centuries AD. Here you can see earthen pots, iron objects and other artifacts that were a part of the lifestyle of prehistoric people. Some things are acknowledged to belong to 1700 B.C. Two of the main attractions are the metal statue of Lord Buddha and a statue of “Vishnu-Nag-Nathan” which are a great wonder to watch.

Timings: 10:00 am – 5 pm, Closed on Fridays

Tickets: Rs 20

Location:

The Vintage and Classic Car Museum

Introduced in 2000, the Collection Includes 22 Splendid Cars. You can also have lunch at the adjoining Garden Hotel. Some of the cars are more than 70 years old. The collection embraces Rolls-Royce, MG-TC convertible, Cadillacs, Vauxhall-12, Ford-A Convertible, Mercedes – Benz, Chevrolet bus and other beautiful vintage cars.

Timings: 9:00 am – 5:00 pm

Ticket: Rs. 250

Location:

Bagore ki Haveli Museum

West Zone Cultural Centre decided to restore as well as renovate Bagore ki Haveli in the year 1992 and set up a museum to restore its architecture. One can find, jewelry boxes, dice-games, hukkahs, pan boxes, nutcrackers, hand fans, rose water sprinklers, copper vessels and other household objects of the everyday life of the bygone era. The museum showcases the chambers of royal ladies, their dressing rooms, bathrooms, living rooms, bedrooms, worship rooms and recreation rooms as well.

Timings: 9:30 am – 5:30 pm

Tickets:

Foreigner (Adult/children): Rs. 100/-

Indian (Adult): Rs. 50/-

Indian Children (Age between 5 to 12): 25/-

Camera/Video: Rs. 50/-

Location:

Moti Magri Museum

There are paintings of Rajput kings and royal queens and models of the Haldi Ghati Battle and Chittorgarh fort. This museum also contains an exhibition of the arms and weapons used in ancient fights by soldiers. The Pearl hill or Moti Magri is a great spot to visit, overlooking the lake Fatehsagar in the front and Pichola-Swaroop Sagar from the back.

Timings: 7:00 am – 8:00 pm

Tickets:

Adult: Rs 50

Child: Rs 15

Location:

The Crystal Gallery

The Gallery contains artifacts created by F. & C. Osler in the year 1877. These are furniture and cutlery, exclusively ordered by the Maharana Sajjan Singh and consist of Crystal chairs, tables, beds, sofas, dinner sets, perfume bottles, decanters, glasses, plates etc. The Maharana died before these crystals arrived so these were kept packed and intact for 110 years. In the year 1994, the gallery became open for public.

Timings: 9 am – 7 pm

Tickets:

Adult: Rs 550

Children: Rs 350

Location:

Bhartiya Lok Kala Mandal Museum

The Bhartiya Lok Kala Mandal museum displays a remarkable collection of ‘Lok Kala’ or Folk Art. It was founded by Padma Shri Devi Lal Samar in 1952. The museum houses folk heritage of India, traditional attires, ornaments, miniature paintings and many other art objects. In other words, one can say that the museum is devoted to the culture and folk art of states of Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and Gujarat. Artifacts found here consist of wooden articles, old musical instruments paintings, masks, puppets, pottery, rural dresses etc.

Timings: 10 am – 6 pm

Tickets:

Adults: Rs 40 and other tickets include video/audio cameras

Location:

Tribal Research Institute Museum (TRI’s)

It is one of the 18 Tribal Research Institute of the nation. MLV (Manikya Lal Verma) Tribal Research Institute provides awareness about Mewar’s tribal communities. The museum houses artifacts belonging to the tribal communes, along with a library on tribal life and issues. The museum also has multiple household articles, costumes, arms and armors, musical instruments, ethnic art and wall paintings, agricultural implements, grain containers, handicrafts, ornaments and so much more.

Timings: 10:00 am – 5:00 pm

Location:

Tribal Museum Shilpgram

A tribal museum was set up in 1995 inside Shilpgram. Here history, life, and cultures of the tribal communities like Bhil, Mina, Garasia, Kathodi, and Saharia have been exhibited with the help of photographs and ethnographic objects. Shilpgram or ‘Craftsmen Village’ is an initiative to promote the rural and tribal craftsmen by providing a platform to exhibit and sell their products. Shilpgram has about 26 huts which depict the lifestyle of the rural tribes.

Timings: 11am – 7pm

Tickets

Indian (adult and child): Rs.30

Foreign visitors: Rs.50

Location:

Zonal Anthropological Museum

Out of 19 government museums in the state, Udaipur division has four – situated in Ahar, City Palace, Dungarpur, and Chittorgarh. Udaipurites are lucky to have a special museum at the anthropological survey of India, Western regional center at Pratapnagar inaugurated in March 2018. The popularity of the museum was evident from the fact that it was visited by no less than 9000 persons in the very first year. The diverse ways of life followed by various communities such as Kotwalia, Naika, Varlui, Rebori, Marwara, Meghwal, Rathwara, Tadi, Bhil, Gameti, Ahir and Jat of Gujarat as portrayed in the museum, make it a special one.

As also communities such as Sahoria, Damor, Bhil, Brahman, Jain, Rajput, Dangi, Bhopa, Jogi, Langa, Lohar, Mangryar, Mudlim, Kumbhar, Prajapat, and Suthar of Rajasthan. Lifestyles of groups such as kali, Patel, Mahyavansh, Mitka, Halpati of Daman and Diu are presented in the museum so as to highlight the different socio-economic milieus with the help of specimens, sketches, charts, maps, and photographs. Specimens exhibited to help in the understanding of various cultural adaptation not only show their exotic appearance but also showcase the biocultural richness of the people of Western India.

Till date, the regional center has collected about 6000 ethnographic objects from different districts of Gujrat and Rajasthan from all communities including tribal. The specimens can be functionally classified as agriculture, hunting, fishing, etc. Bows and arrows, ornaments, musical instruments, crafts, objects, ritual, objects, pre-historical material and so on. The center arranged exhibitions on various themes at a different location such as Udaipur, Jaisalmer, Jaipur during Shilpgram Utsav and other occasions.

(Information by Ashok Mathur)

Location:

How many of these have you visited?

City Palace – A Scintillating Royal Wonder Of Eternal Mewar

City Palace

A Scintillating Royal Wonder Of Eternal Mewar

Moulded with exotic ingenuity, City Palace is a rich blend of Rajasthani and European architectural dexterity, which when entered, one can forget all his solace and wreath himself with bounties of the scenario. This majestic palace is located on the banks of serene Lake Pichola at 24.576°N 73.68°E, at an average elevation of 598 meters and provides a panoramic and breathtaking view of the city from its upper terraces. This majestic palace was built by Maharana Udai Singh II of Sisodia Rajput clan in 1559 and his successor Maharanas (76 generations) over a period of next 300 years. It comprises of 11 magnificent palaces, each built by 42 different rulers retaining a surprising uniformity to the design and is considered as largest palace complex in Rajasthan and is replete with history. It is often considered as ‘city within a city’.

In 8th century, the Sisodia rulers moved their capital to Chittor, where they ruled for 80 years. In 1537, Maharana Udai Singh II inherited the kingdom of Mewar at Chittor but soon faced defeat at the hands of Mugal Emperor Akbar. He then moved to Udaipur to establish his new capital. ‘Raj Angan’ or the Royal courtyard was the first royal structure built at the beginning of the complex. When Maharana Pratap took the reins of power, then he successfully defeated Akbar in the battle of Haldighati in 1576, which resulted to the peace and prosperity of Udaipur and simultaneously structures of palaces kept on augmenting on the crest of Lake Pichola. They were designed in a way to hinder enemy attacks. After independence Mewar Kings lost their opulent living and princely status. Now the successor Maharanas are running the palace by creating a trust, called the ‘Mewar Trust’. In 1969, the palace was opened to the public as the City Palace Museum. This was done in order to generate income so as to maintain the building.

The ‘Bari Poli’ or the big gate brings one to the entrance, which is the Tripola. It was custom that the Maharana would weigh himself under this gate in gold and silver, which was appropriated among common public.

‘Suraj Gokhada’ or Sun Balcony is a very famous place where the emblem of Surya Dev, is placed. This emblem is gold plated and is embedded with gems. It represents that the Maharanas, the Suryavanshi Rajputs are followers of Surya Dev and it was customary for the Maharanas to offer obeisance to the Sun facing east, every morning before taking breakfast.

‘Badi Mahal’ or the Garden Palace is situated on the highest point of the palace, 27 metres high. It consist of garden courtyard, fountain, swimming pool, which was then used for Holi festival. It is also known as Shiv Parsanna Amar Vilas.

‘Mor Chok’ or Peacock Courtyard forms the integral part of the inner courts. The design of the chamber consists of three peacocks of glass mosaic of green, gold and blue colours, depicting the three seasons of summer, winter and monsoon. These were built during the reign of Maharana Sajjan Singh.

‘Manek Mahal’ is an enclosure for public meetings and has stepped into the modern age now. It has a raised alcove inlaid completely in mirror glass. There are shops of books, clothing as well as Palki Khana restaurant and emporiums for populace. A sound and light show also is also held every evening.

Zenana Mahal, the Queen’s quarters is a part of City Palace Museum. The first floor has a picture gallery dedicated to Shri Arvind Singh Ji present Maharana of Mewar. The interesting exhibits of portraits are in display.

In 1716, Sheesh Mahal or Mirror Palace was built. It is considered as the oldest part of this royal palace.

Moti Mahal is resplendently decorated with mirrors and pearls. Maharana Rana Karan Singh had private residence in this palace. Bheem Vilas and Pitam Niwas are the two chambers of Moti Mahal.

Situated in the premises of City Place complex, Jagdish Temple is the biggest and most beautiful temple of Udaipur. This temple appeals to the aesthetic sense of the people . It is a large and aesthetically elegant temple where an idol of Lord Jagannath, a menifestation of Lord Vishnu made in black stone is deified in the sanctum. This place is now refered as Jagdish Chowk.

City Palace Museum is a place where granite and marble have been lent a soul. They seem to breathe a harmonious splendor. The palace looks rugged from exterior but inside the path leads to many enclosures with luxurious apartments sparkling white filigreed balconies and windows, ornate arches and cupolas atop attractive octagonal towers. The main entrance is through the ‘Tripolia’, the triple gate. Eight carved marble arches bow a welcome in their exquisite style. Museum stretches 33 metres high, 333 metres long, and 90 metres wide. The City Palace Museum comprises the Mardana Mahal (palace for the royal men) and The Zenana Mahal (palace for the royal ladies) and the other palaces are most frequently visited. The vast Museum collection ranges from photographic and painted materials to the architectural heritage encompassed within these structures.

In front of Dhuni Mata is a gallery devoted to the legendary warrior Maharana Pratap and his horse Chetak. In this gallery there are war ornaments, horse Chetak of Rana Pratap. His sword (weighed 25 kg) is in display. One big picture of Rana Pratap vertically killing a Mugal soldier along with his horse into two pieces in one stroke of his sword is displayed inside this gallery. The Museum is now managed by the Maharana Mewar Charitable Foundation.

The current custodian of this flamboyant structure, Shriji Arvind Singh Mewar, hasn’t merely been content with restoring the City Palace to its pristine glory. To develop the palace into a world class museum, approximate 20 projects are underway. The interior of the museum has beautiful artwork, which documents royal history before Udaipur got its first camera in 1857.

The Shiv Niwas Palace and the Fateh Prakash Palace were the latest addition to the complex and have now been converted into heritage hotels. A show named ‘The Legacy Of Honour’ from 19:00 hours to 20:00 hours shows the history of 1500 years in mere 57 minutes.

Every year City Palace, hosts the prestigious Maharana Mewar Foundation Awards. These awards honors the recognition of service of permanent value already rendered to society in which, eminent scholars, students and common citizens who, through their chosen field of study and activity, have been of benefit to society. Various celebrities and big personalities attends it and adds glory to it. The fund generated by the trust is used for running charitable hospitals, educational institutions and promoting the cause of environmental preservation.

Sound and light shows are organized during evening hours and separate entry tickets are available for this. The museum is open on Sundays and all public holidays except on the day of Holika Dahan in March. Visiting time for the museum is from 9:30a.m. to 4:30p.m.

Entry fee to visit the museum is Rs. 50 for adults and Rs. 30 for children, students in group it is Rs. 30. Camera fee is Rs. 200 for all types of cameras. The exquisite work of City Palace cannot be bounded in words, so one must visit this palace to capture the real picture of it.

Palaces & Forts of Udaipur

City Palace

City Palace was built by Maharana Udai Singh in 1559. It is situated at the eastern bank of Lake Pichhola and has many other palaces built within the City Palace. It is a must visiting place whoso ever wishes to travel Udaipur and has a keen interest in the history of Rajasthan.

Impressive Gateways or Poles pave access to the City Palace complex. The different poles of the City Palace include Bara Pole, Tripolia Pole, Toran Pole etc.

The other complexes which are made within the premise of the City Palace are Amar Vilas, Badi Mahal, Chinni Chitrashala, Choti Chitrashali, Dilkhusha Mahal, Darbar Hall, Fateh Prakash, Jagdish Mandir, Krishna Vilas, Laxmi Vilas Chowk, Manak Mahal, Mor Chowk, Rang Bhawan, Sheesh Mahal etc.

The famous Jagdish Temple is only 150 meters away from the Palace. From the Palace you can have the beautiful view of Lake Palace and Jag Mandir which are both located in midst of the Pichhola Lake. The major part of the City Palace has been converted into museum which displays a diverse range of preserved monuments and armor. The museum exhibits a wide collection of weapons, gears, clothes furniture etc.

Fateh Prakash Palace

This palace was constructed during the time of Maharana Fateh Singh who ruled during 1885 to 1935. The purpose of the venue was to serve the esteemed guests during the royal functions. Fateh Prakash Palace has also been converted into a luxury hotel which is now run & managed by the HRH group.

In 1909 the Viceroy of India Lord Minto laid down the foundation stone of the Darbar Hall henceforth the name was originally called as Minto Hall to respect the honor to the Viceroy. The interiors are decorated with royal artifacts, miniature painting, armor etc. which would take you to the legendary historical time of the Mewar dynasty.

The Darbar Hall, Crystal Gallery, Suites and Rooms are decorated with original paintings, furniture of the historic era and would take you to the journey of the authentic heritage of that time. The scenic beauty of Lake Pichhola through the decorative valued windows would soak you in real ecstasy. The Palace offers 21 Decorative Rooms and 45 Decorative Premier Suits and is equipped with period furniture, portraits and original miniature paintings, private sitting areas and facilities like air-conditioning, international direct dial telephone, satellite TV and a mini-bar.

Lake Palace

Lake Palace, the name is enough to draw a picture of Udaipur and Pichhola Lake. It is another epithet of the Udaipur after the City Palace. To most of us if asked anything about Lake Palace the first answer come out – it is a luxury hotel. Obviously it is a luxury hotel, but earlier to a luxury hotel it was a place to relax for the kings and had a lot of different interiors.

Lake Palace was formerly known as Jag Niwas. Lake Palace is built on a natural island of around 4 acres which was earlier called as Jag Niwas Island and it is surrounded by Lake Pichhola. It was built in year 1743 to 1746 by the Maharana Jagat Singh II of Udaipur. The Palace was built as a palace to spend summers. It was named after its founder Maharana Jagat Singh and hence was called as Jag Niwas.

In 1971 the Taj group took over the management of Lake Palace and the new name came out to be the Taj Lake Palace. Taj added another 75 rooms to it. Jamshyd D.F. Lam became the first General Manager of the Taj Lake Palace. Later in 2000 another restoration of the hotel was undertaken. Now Taj Lake Palace is certainly a luxury hotel surrounded by Lake Pichhola. The Lake Palace offers Luxury Rooms, Palace Rooms, Royal Suites, Grand Royal Suites and Grand Presidential Suites with all facilities like Spa, Bar, Fine Dinning etc.

Kumbhalgarh Fort

Kumbhalgarh is 82 kilometers away from Udaipur and lies in Rajsamand District and it is the birthplace of Maharana Pratap, the great warrior of the Mewar. It was built in the 15^th century by Maharana Kmbha. In the late 19^th century the fort was opened for the tourists. It is the important fort of mewar after Chittorgarh.

The fort is accessed through seven different gateways which are named as Aret Pole, Hanuman Pole, Ram Pole, Vijay Pole, Nimboo Pole and Bhairon Pole. All gates lead to the palace complex and some are built with additional structures at a later stage.

The different palaces built in the fort consist of Kumbha Mahal and Badal Mahal. Various religious temples include Hindu and Jain temples of different periods ranging from 13th century to the later stage. Various temples built and covered in the fort area consists Ganesh Temple, Vedi Temple, Neelkanth Mahadev Temple, Parshvanath Temple, Bawan Devi Temple, Golerao Group of Temples, Mamadeo Temple, Pitalia Dev Temple, Kumbha Palace.

Kumbhalgarh fort also has several memorials like Badva Bund, Lagan Baori, Gardens, Stores, Pleasure Pavilions and a Dam.

Chittorgarh Fort

Chittorgarh is situated in the southern part of Rajasthan and is 120 kilometers away from Udaipur. It is the midway between Delhi and Mumbai on the National Highway No 8. At Chittorgarh National Highways 76 and 79 intersect.

Chittorgarh Fort is the largest fort in India. Earlier it was capital of Mewar. The fort is spread in an area of 690 acres and situated at the height of 590 feet over a hill which lies in the bank of Berach River.

The Mewar Emperors lost the fort thrice to the Mughals in the battles which were fought in different periods. In 1303 Allauddin Khilji defeated Rana Ratan Singh, Bahadur Shah defeated Bikramjeet Singh in 1535 and Mughal Emperor Akbar defeated Maharana Udai Singh II in 1567 who left and founded Udaipur as his next capital of Mewar. Approximately 13,000 Rajput Ladies committed Jauhar after the successive defeats of Mewar Emperors.

A zigzag hill road of more than 1 kilometer in length from the new town of Chittor leads to the west end main gate of the fort which is known as Ram Pol. Within the fort a circular road provides access to all other the gates and monuments. The fort has seven gates or Poles and they are Padan Pole, Bhairon Pole, Hanuman Pole, Ganesh Pole, Jodla Pole, Laxman Pole and the main gate is known as the Ram Pole. A road within the fort provides access to the numerous monuments, ruined structures and temples in the fort. Once the fort had 84 water bodies and only 22 are left as of now. It were in the form of ponds, wells and step wells. These water bodies were filled during the rainfall. The various other historical monuments of interest at the fort include Vijay Stambh, Kirti Stambh.

Photo Credits: Yash Sharma, HRH Hotels, hoparoudindia.com

Maharana Mewar Foundation 31st Annual Awards Distribution Ceremony 2012

Today The Maharana Mewar Foundation 31st Annual Award Distribution Ceremony was held at The Manek Chowk, The City Palace Complex, Udaipur.

On this occasion, the Maharana of Mewar Charitable Foundation honoured not only eminent
personalities but also citizens from all over the country. The ceremony started with the presentation of
certificates to students from schools and universities in Udaipur and across the State of Rajasthan. This was followed by the main Ceremony when the awardees gathered on the dais to receive their awards from Shriji
Arvind Singh Mewar of Udaipur, Chairman and Managing Trustee of Maharana of Mewar Charitable
Foundation, Udaipur.

Here are some Photos of the Royal Evening ,