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From Localities to Tourists, this Udaipur travel guide is your savior this monsoon

Monsoons around Udaipur, if defined in words can be described as actual freedom from scorching hot summers. Light rain showers are boosting for us, and a pleasant welcome to the upcoming joy and pleasure. Late, but Monsoons have arrived in our beautiful Lakecity, and we Udaipurites are all set to welcome them with a warm heart. The scorching summer is finally coming to its drastic end.

PC: Siddharth Nagar

Udaipur looks best in the monsoon season and masses, including national and international tourists arrive in the city of lakes to enjoy the beauty of Udaipur which increases fourfold right now.

Here’s a quick and complete Udaipur Travel Guide on how to enjoy Monsoons:

Places to Visit:

  • Monsoon Palace: Sajjangarh Fort or so-called Monsoon Palace become the hotspots for all the tourist visiting Udaipur during the rainy season. The picturesque view of the city from the top is enthralling.
Pc: Siddharth Nagar

 

  • Fatehsagar Lake and Ambrai Ghat: As soon as the drops from the first rain touch the city, these two places get flooded. With water too, but more with people!

PC: Siddharth Nagar
  • Bahubali Hill: If you wish to witness Sunrise and a Sunset in utmost peace, Bahubali Hill is the way to go for you. The place is situated in the Aravali Ranges surrounding our lake city.
PC: Siddharth Nagar

 

  • Rayta: Majorly known for the sharp curves, surrounded by the natural valleys and greenery, Rayta gives a magnificent and unseen view of the city. A drive to this place gives a blissful view of Udaipur.

  • Keleshwar Ji: Situated just a few kilometers away from Pipliya Ji, Keleshwar Waterfall becomes a paradise for all the nature lovers. A bike ride to this place is equally refreshing and rejuvenating as a hot mug of coffee is for a caffeine addict.

 

The above-listed locations are just a few, we have listed below a few more places that are a must-visit during Monsoons:

  1. Nandeshwar Ji
  2. Madaar Dam
  3. Chandni Village
  4. Jhameshwar Ji
  5. Kundeshwar Mahadev Ji
  6. Kavita Village

 

Food to eat:

  • ·Pakode (पकोड़े): Whenever we talk about rains in this city, the first thing that’ll ever cross an Udaipurites mind is ‘Pakode’. We won’t be wrong if we call ‘Pakode’, the staple food for the monsoon season.
PC: Dimpy Chundawat

 

  • Vegetable Maggi: Hot and freshly cooked Maggi fully loaded with veggies is the perfect food for all the foodies who wanna enjoy great taste instantly.
PC: Fooodsnifffer

 

 

  • Chai: For all the chai-holics, tea has always been an inseparable part of the daily routine life. Chai becomes of utmost importance while it’s raining out there during.
PC: Spoon n Snap

 

  • Bread-Bada: Hot Bread-Bada or Bread-Pakoda are seriously a must-try while you are enjoying the monsoons in Udaipur.
PC: Dimpy Chundawat
  • Corncob (भुट्टा): Bhutta’ is the most enjoyed food when it comes to haveing some light snacks in the rainy season when you are at Fatehnagar. Various stalls and vendors can be spotted near the famous tourist destinations selling sweet corn and corn cobs. These are specially prepared on coal which gives the corncobs a natural taste and aroma.
PC: Dimpy Chundawat
  • Sandwich:  We all are mad about cheesy sandwiches filled with our favorite creamy veggies, topped up with lots of cheese and that too in monsoons, wouldn’t it be the best thing ever?
    PC: Spoon n Snap

     

 

A guide for safety while you are enjoying Monsoons out there:

  • Take out your raincoats, umbrellas, waterproof shoes and always keep plastic bags handy to avoid your belongings from getting wet.
  • A shower after you get wet in the rains is a must.
  • Avoid wearing wet clothes without proper cleaning.
  • Before cooking green veggies, firstly wash them thoroughly.
  • Carry and drink boiled and purified water, juices and soups prepared at home only.

We hope this guide will help you to stay fit, healthy and enjoy the refreshing monsoons while you are in the Lakecity.

UdaipurBlog wishes everyone a very HAPPY, HEALTHY and UNFORGETTABLE MONSOON.

 

 

 

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Places to Visit

City Palace – A Scintillating Royal Wonder Of Eternal Mewar

City Palace

A Scintillating Royal Wonder Of Eternal Mewar

Udaipur City Palace

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.

Front view of City palace, Udaipur by Nelesh Mehta

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 decoration

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.

City Palace by Yogesh Jain

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.

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Places to Visit Top

5 Must Visit Places in Udaipur

5 Places to Visit in Udaipur

 

Whenever we plan to visit any city as a tourist; the very first thing that strikes is, what to see there? And if your dream destination is Udaipur then of course there are places that you must visit, or else you can also plan according to your interest. Let’s explore the top five destinations of Udaipur.

 

Fateh Sagar:

fatehsagar udaipur

Udaipur city is famous as Lake City or City of Lakes and it is also known as Venice of the East. Your visit to Udaipur is incomplete till you have not enjoyed the heart throbbing views of its lakes. Fateh Sagar is one such kind of a place in Udaipur. Not only tourists, even the local residents of Udaipur always enjoy most of their time at Fateh Sagar. For a few their day doesn’t complete if they do not visit and spend some time at the lake side. This is the magic of the place. You can pass several hours sitting beside it and watching hilarious beauty of the lake. Mumbaiya Bazar would certainly catch your attraction at Fateh Sagar.

 

Gulab Bagh:

gulab bagh udaipur

Gulab Bagh is the perfect place for nature lovers. If you really want to enjoy the greenery of Udaipur then visit this place. It is situated at the center of the city. Gulab Bagh is the life line of Udaipur; it is the Green Heart of the city which provides clean and fresh air to the residents of Udaipur. The two major attractions of Gulab Bagh which would certainly grab the sight of kids are the Gulab Bagh Zoological Garden and the Mini Train. Since Gulab Bagh is quite spread in very large area, it would be a better idea to enjoy the Mini Train Ride which would cover the entire circumference of Gulab Bagh. The train ride would make your Gulab Bagh visit memorable.

 

Dudh Talai:

dudh talai

Like Fateh Sagar, Dudh Talai is another place in Udaipur which would offer of enjoying the lake side view. This place is situated near the famous Pichhola Lake. Unlike Fateh Sagar you won’t find enough space to roam around the confines of the lake Pichhola. Still you can enjoy boating and camel ride over here. This is not the end, yet there is one more adventure to go. Just near Dudh Talai there is a rope way to visit Karni Mata Temple on a small hillock. The rope way offers an amazing view of the entire Pichhola Lake, City Palace and Jagmandir. The view from the top is amazing at day and as well as at night. At the top of hillock at temple you could see the entire Udaipur city spreading its wings. The sunset point won’t allow you getting back to your home.

 

Sajjan Garh:

sajjan garh udaipur

The Sajjan Garh is a hilltop extravagant place in the Udaipur overlooking the Pichhola Lake. It was named after Maharana Sajjan of the Mewar Dynasty and was built 1884. For nature and wild life lovers it is the perfect place look upon. The Sajjan Garh offers a panoramic view of the city’s surrounding and its lakes. The place has been taken under control of the Forest Department and has been open for public over past few years. The place provides a magnificent view of Sun Set and it is very famous for it. The area of the Sajjan Garh has been developed as a wild life sanctuary. Wild animals like panther have been watched many times in the area by the local villagers of the nearby area.  Sajjan Garh is also known as Monsoon Palace.

 

City Palace:

city palace udaipur

City Palace is located at the heart of Udaipur and it was built by Maharana Udai Singh Ji. The palace is situated at the bank of Pichhola Lake. It is certainly would be a place to visit who has a keen interest in history of Rajasthan. The famous Jagdish Temple is close to it and from the Palace one 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.