Udaipur - City of Palaces & Lakes

Published in "Hi Fliers"


Of Lakes and Palaces


A cool mist licks my face as I enjoy the steaming cup of tea, sitting in the balcony of our hotel room, overlooking Lake Pichola. I observe from my vantage point the several houses and temple structures stretching out around the lake in a motley of colours. I gather that this is all part of the old city. The day still smells of dawn as I set out on my explorative journey of Udaipur, the fairy tale city of marble palaces, havelis, and rolling hills descending into glassy aquamarine lakes. Narayan chauffers us in and around Udaipur during our three-day sojourn, regaling us with his own little tales from time to time.

We begin our tour of Udaipur by visiting the Lake Palace which is a profusion of art, architecture and colour, built in 1746 by the then ruler of Mewar, Jagat Singh. The magnificent structure appears scintillatingly suspended in water, shimmering and floating out of the crystal blue waters of Pichola, doing its own little jig. Palace and lake both take on a spectacular glow with the illuminations at twilight, leaving us entranced with their almost ethereal beauty. It is claimed that the eight marble porticos of the Palace, commonly referred to as Jagat Niwas, mark the spot where the kings of Mewar were weighed in gold, the equivalent of which was then distributed to the poor! The Palace today is a luxury hotel, yet maintaining its breathtaking grandeur.

As we skim past it various alleys and broad roads – well, it does boast a few wide roads, we are in awe of this romantic city with its breathtaking hilltop fortress and mind boggling palace structures, and more importantly, its polite and hospitable people. That the land gave birth to sons who were known for their courage and valour is amply evident from the numerous architectural works that speak volumes of the famed Sisodia Rajputs and their acts of bravery.
While on the Lake Palace and the city of Udaipur itself, let me digress a little to allow you to have a quick historical recap of the city. It is a part of the Aravalli Hills, and was founded in 1559 by Maharana Udai Singh. Nicknamed Jewel of Mewar, it was ruled by the India’s oldest dynasties, the Sisodia dynasty, back in 566 AD. The actual history of Udaipur it is believed began with the construction of Nouchouki Palace on the banks of a pond dug by a gypsy in the 15th century. Udai Singh is supposed to have extended this pond and created a mammoth manmade lake that he named Pichola after a small hamlet Picholi, located nearby.

Legend has it that Maharana during one of his hunting expeditions chanced upon a sage who was meditating on the hills overlooking Lake Pichola. He blessed Maharana and asked him to build a palace at that very spot as it would be well protected. Thus was born Udaipur, in 1559 A.D, along the shores of Lake Pichola, a kaleidoscope of fairy tale palaces, lakes, temples and gardens. It is recorded that Udai Singh built the Dhuni Mata shrine at that very spot to commemorate this historic meeting.

Coming back to the present, we snake through several alleyways, amidst bustling shopping areas and come upon another of the city’s landmarks. That nature and architecture blend in a harmonious whole is amply seen as we enter the expansive Sahelion Ki Bari or “Garden of the Maids of Honour” with its plush mosaic pools and ornamental fountains. It is said that the garden was built for a queen of Udaipur whose dowry included forty eight maids!

Our visit to the City Palace, a masterpiece in marble and granite, is a revelation – a revelation of architectural beauty and bounty, keeping in step with its grounds that is veritably modernity blending into a historical era. Manek Chowk the palace grounds is ornately landscaped and dotted with shops and emporia, vending colorful souvenirs and other wares symbolic of this romantic city, referred to as the Venice of the East. We come upon a maze of corridors, inter-connected courtyards and rooms in the City Palace, a major section of this being now converted into a museum for public viewing. Needless to say the museum, a treasure trove of art, showcases the heritage of Mewar. The scalloped arched windows with colored glass panes, sculptured bas relief embellishments including the dancing peacocks in Mor Chowk, the aesthetic inlaid-mirror worked walls, the elegantly sculpted Torans signifying manav dharm of the House of Mewar on the eastern wall, are particularly spellbinding. The richly bedecked balcony of Mor Chowk with ornate pillars and delicate glass-inlay work, and a trio of imposing peacocks crafted from blue glass and mirrors, is a landmark, beyond compare. The Mor Chowk itself was built during the reign of Maharana Sajjan Singh and served as an assembly hall on several occasions. Another prominent feature in the City Palace is the Surya Gokhda, the emblem of Surya the Sun God from whom were descendant, the rulers of Mewar.

Udaipur, we realize is more climate friendly than other parts of Rajasthan. Of course we are visiting the city in January when a pleasant winter breeze, interspersed now and then with a misty glow in the early hours of the morning, allows us to explore it with great gusto, keeping us energized through the day. The city has a tropical climate and we learn that the mercury ranges between 28 to 39 degrees Celsius in summers and 28 to 11 degrees Celsius in winters, making this one of the best times to jaunt around.

We finish our first day in Udaipur with a visit to the Jagdish Mandir, which is a couple of yards away from the City Palace. Yet another remarkable structure that dots the city’s skyline with its marble dome.

On our second day of stay at Udaipur, we visit Chittorgarh, the pride and glory of Rajasthan, about 100 km from the Lake city. The capital of the Sisodia dynasty was Chittor till the 6th century, when it was moved to Udaipur. The once formidable citadel, sprawled over an area of 279 hectares, replete with historical monuments, towers and palaces, is now in ruins. Yet one can hear in its silence, the rumbles of battles, of clashing weapons that the mighty stalwarts Rana Sangha and Maharana Pratap fought with the marauding Mughul invaders to recapture their erstwhile capital. Close by to the fort is an aesthetically built Jain temple that we notice attracts visitors by the droves for its sheer architectural brilliance.

On the last day of our stay in Udaipur, we make a kind of pilgrimage tour, offering prayers at Eklingji, and Nathdwara temples, finishing the trip with a flourish by visiting the picturesque Rajsamand Dam and Lake, an area of entrancing calm and serenity. The pilgrimage town of Eklingji, 22 km from Udaipur, is nestled in a deep valley of the Aravali ranges, containing the Eklingji Lake. Photography of the 50 feet high temple, unfortunately, is strictly prohibited, though I manage to sneak a couple of snaps by climbing over the hillocks surrounding the temple area, ably assisted by Narayan. Devoted to Lord Shiva, the temple is a two-storeyed marble structure, built as the royal temple of the Mewars in 734 AD and reconstructed again in the 15th century. The temple, Narayan tells us is most famed for its Nandi built of silver, facing the black marble statue of the four-faced shrine of Lord Eklingji. The western, northern, eastern and southern faces enshrine Lord Brahma, Vishnu, Surya and Rudra in that order with the Shivling being placed among these four faces.

The Krishna temple at Nathdwara, 48 km from Udaipur, famous by the name of Shrinathji is believed to be the most revered and richest 17th century shrine. Once again I am disappointed that photography is not allowed here and all I manage to capture is the alleyway leading to the temple, with hawkers peddling an assortment of wares including antique weapons and the renowned Pichwal paintings for which Nathdwara is famed.

Nature and architecture compete at Rajsamand, the site of a magnificent dam, 66 km from Udaipur, built during the reign of Maharana Raj Singh in 1660. The jewels in the crown of Rajsamand are the carved chhatris and Torans on the embankment.

No visit to a place is complete without bringing back a couple of memorabilia and Udaipur has plenty to offer by way of its ethnic, indigenous artefacts. Pichwai paintings in traditional bright hues, mostly of Lord Krishna, Phad paintings, tie and dye wears, silver and kundan jewelry, marble ware and handiworks in marble and wood, paintings from precious and semiprecious stones, are some of the items that shoppaholics can carry back with them as gifts and souvenirs from Udaipur. Some of the famous shopping areas we visit, more out of curiosity than to bring back bargains are Bada Bazaar, Hathi Pol and Chetak Circle. The places are abuzz with people, most of them tourists, looking to walk away with prize catches.

In terms of cuisine, Udaipur, like the rest of Rajasthan caters to people of varied tastes, ranging from the authentic South and North Indian dishes to the Chinese, Continental and Western, besides its local Rajasthani fare.

While Udaipur is well connected through air, rail and road to most of the important cities of India, travel within Udaipur is best done by hiring a car from one of the many rentals, or moving around in autorickshaws, which like in most of India, have meters that remain dysfunctional!


*****************