Welcome to Udaipur
Having visited the other gloriously sun-soaked Rajasthani regions of Ranthambore, Jaipur, Jodhpur; I made my way to the great southern city of Udaipur. Known by many names, including “City of Lakes” and the “Venice of the East”, Udaipur is perhaps the most beautiful of all the cities in Rajasthan.
Founded in 1553 by Maharana Udai Singh, one of the richest of all of India’s kings, Udaipur was geographically situated ideally to defend itself from Mughal attacks. Hence, the city was never conquered by the Mughals and the ‘Maharana’ was never forced to take the Mughal title of ‘Maharaja’.
Image of The Hindu ‘Sun-god” of Udaipur
Sahelion Ki Bari Garden Park
The drive from Jodhpur to Udaipur was pleasant, mostly along scenic winding desert roads that progressively got greener as we headed south, until rivers and fertile farmlands replaced the dry deserts.
Upon entering the city, the first stop was the Sahelion Ki Bari garden park.
The park is notable for its fountains, ponds, and lush floral vegetation – making for a perfect and popular getaway for local families to escape the afternoon heat.
Udaipur City Palace
The main landmark attraction in Udaipur is the City Palace, built in 1559. According to legend, the Maharana met a hermit that was out hunting who blessed the king and led him directly to the spot where he would build his City Palace.
Charging Elephant deterrents
Inside the palace courtyard and museum
View of the city from the Palace
Royal tiger cage
Lake Pichola
A must-do activity is the popular sunset cruise of the Lake Pichola.
The Lake Palace (now a luxury hotel)
The Monsoon Palace (on the mountain top)
The City Palace at sunset
Picture-perfect sunset on Lake Pichola
Jagdish Hindu Temple
Located just outside of the City Palace’s north gate is the Jagdish Temple. This temple is famous for its painstakingly detailed temple carvings.
It is an active Hindu Temple, and we were lucky enough to catch – and participate in – a Hindu prayer ceremony. This was one of the more profound religious experiences I witnessed in Rajasthan.
Man fighting off an Asian Lion
It is definitely worth a visit to this temple, just know you must take your shoes off and always be respectful of the religious practicing their faith.
Final Thoughts on Udaipur
Of all the cities I had visited in India, Udaipur is the only city I would consider visiting (or living in) for an extended period of time. It is simply captivating, exotic, and exciting all at once. Like other cities in Rajasthan, it breaks the ‘dirty & polluted’ [unfair] stereotype of India. Udaipur is especially clean and had a climate and feeling to it not unlike Phoenix, Arizona. The “City of Lakes” is a place Indians go for vacation.
The people were very friendly and the town was especially walkable as far as Indian towns go. There were many great food options and rooftop restaurants with stunning views of the lakes. Shopping here was great too, as the stores seemed to carry better quality items than those found in other Indian tourist towns. I really enjoyed Udaipur and will definitely be going back.
Cheers!
