Udaipur, which was once the capital of the Mewar Kingdom, is a town in the western state of Rajasthan. Premised by Maharana Udai Singh II in 1559, it is situated around a series of artificial lakes and is known for its magnificent royal residences. City Palace, admiring Lake Pichola, is a momentous complex of 11 palaces, courtyards, and lawns, famous for its sophisticated peacock mosaics.
Jagdish Temple
Jagdish Temple is a large Hindu temple in the middle of Udaipur in Rajasthan, just outside the royal palace. It has been in continuous worship since 1651. A big tourist attraction, the temple was originally called the temple of Jagannath Rai but is now called Jagdish-ji. It is a major monument in Udaipur.
City Palace
City Palace, Udaipur is a palace complex situated in the city of Udaipur in the Indian state of Rajasthan. It was built over a period of nearly 400 years, with contributions from several rulers of the Mewar dynasty. Its construction began in 1553, started by Maharana Udai Singh II of the Sisodia Rajput family as he shifted his capital from the erstwhile Chittor to the new found city of Udaipur. The palace is located on the east bank of Lake Pichola and has several palaces built within its complex. The City Palace in Udaipur was built in a flamboyant style and is considered the largest of its type in the state of Rajasthan. It was built atop a hill, in a fusion of the Rajasthani and Mughal architectural styles, providing a panoramic view of the city and its surroundings. Overlooking Lake Pichola, several historic monuments like the Lake Palace, Jag Mandir, Jagdish Temple, Monsoon Palace, and Neemach Mata temple, are all in the vicinity of the palace complex. Nestled within the Aravali mountain range, these landmarks are associated in popular culture with the filming of the 1983 James Bond movie Octopussy.
The City Palace Museum
The City Palace Museum, Udaipur is housed within the very iconic, 450 year old Palace, the former abode of the rulers of Mewar. It was formally declared as a Museum open to the public in 1969 through the efforts of Maharana Bhagwat Singh of Mewar (r. 1955-1984 CE). The Mardana Mahal and Zenana Mahal of The City Palace, Udaipur was bequeathed to the Maharana of Mewar Charitable Foundation (MMCF), a trust established by Maharana Bhagwat Singh himself. With it, he also provided a major endowment for the cause. Thus, The City Palace Museum, Udaipur came into being. Fifty years hence; The City Palace Museum has grown immensely and continues to draw visitors in increasing numbers from all across the globe.
Crystal Gallery
Crystal Gallery – The world’s single largest private collection of crystal under one roof Housed in the Fateh Prakash Palace is the world-famous Crystal Gallery; it’s spread across the upper-gallery of the glittering The Durbar Hall Sabhagaar.
Crystal Gallery has been hailed as probably the single largest private collection of crystal anywhere in the world. The visitors here are privy to one of the most exclusive and exquisite crystal collections. It was in 1877 that Maharana Sajjan Singh (period of reign: 1874-1884) ordered the crystal collection from the Birmingham-based F&C Osler company. The collection includes a bewildering number of objects d’art, dinner sets, perfume bottles, decanters, glasses, washing bowls and even furniture. The Crystal Gallery also houses the only crystal bed in the world! The collection has been customised for the House of Mewar; the Crest of Mewar being delicately etched on the crystal, adding yet another amazing facet.
The Durbar Hall Sabhagaar, which adorns the Fateh Prakash Palace, is of historical significance. In 1909, Lord Minto the Viceroy of India, laid its foundation stone and, in his honour, the hall was originally called Minto Hall. Today its opulent interiors – with huge chandeliers and special lights, portraits of the Maharanas of Mewar, royal artifacts and the legendary armory of the Mewar dynasty – transport you to times past when the Maharanas held forth in The Durbar Hall Sabhagaar.
Lake Pichola
Lake Pichola, situated in Udaipur city in the Indian state of Rajasthan, is an artificial fresh water lake, created in the year 1362 AD, named after the nearby Picholi village. It is one of the several contiguous lakes, and developed over the last few centuries in and around the famous Udaipur city. The lakes around Udaipur were primarily created by building dams to meet the drinking water and irrigation needs of the city and its neighborhood. Two islands, Jag Niwas and Jag Mandir are located within Pichola Lake, and have been developed with several palaces to provide views of the lake. There are four islands on the lake: Jag Niwas, where the Lake Palace is built. Jag Mandir, with the palace of the same name. Mohan Mandir, from where the king would watch the annual Gangaur festival celebration. Arsi Vilas, small island which was an ammunition depot, but also a small palace. This one was built by one of the maharanas of Udaipur to enjoy the sunset on the lake. It is also a sanctuary catering to a variety of birds, including tufted ducks, coots, egrets, terns, cormorants and kingfishers.
Jag Mandir
Jag Mandir is a palace built on an island in the Lake Pichola. It is also called the “Lake Garden Palace”. The palace is located in Udaipur city in the Indian state of Rajasthan. Its construction is credited to three Maharanas of the Sisodia Rajputs of Mewar kingdom. The construction of the palace was started in 1551 by Maharana Amar Singh, continued by Maharana Karan Singh and finally completed by Maharana Jagat Singh I. It is named as “Jagat Mandir” in honour of the last named Maharana Jagat Singh. The royal family used the palace as a summer resort and pleasure palace for holding parties. The palace served as a refuge to asylum seekers on two separate occasions.
Saheliyon-ki-Bari
Saheliyon-ki-Bari is a major garden and a popular tourist space in Udaipur in the Indian state of Rajasthan. It lies in northern part of the city and has fountains and kiosks, a lotus pool and marble elephants. It was built by Rana Sangram Singh. There is also a small museum here. The museum is nice and has much information about Indian history.
Moti Magri
Moti Magri is a hill in India. It overlooks the Fateh Sagar Lake in the city of Udaipur, Rajasthan. Atop the Moti Magri or Pearl Hill is the memorial of the Rajput hero Maharana Pratap, which has a bronze statue of the Maharana astride his favourite horse “Chetak”.
Ahar Museum
Ahar Museum – The Ahar Cenotaphs are a group of cenotaphs located in Ahar, Rajasthan, about 2 km east of Udaipur, in Rajasthan, India. The site contains more than 250 cenotaphs of the Maharanas of Mewar that were built over approximately 350 years. There are 19 chhatris that commemorate the 19 maharajas who were cremated here. The group of cenotaphs is also known as the Mahasati.
Sukhadia Circle
Sukhadia Circle is a popular recreational centre in Udaipur in Indian state of Rajasthan. It is a large roundabout in the city’s northern suburb of Panchwati, on the road to Ranakpur and Mt. Abu. It providing options for fast food centers, camel and horse rides, boat ride and kids play zone areas.
Bharatiya Lok Kala Mandal
Bharatiya Lok Kala Mandal is a cultural institution based in Udaipur in Rajasthan state in India engaged in studying folk art, culture, songs and festivals of Rajasthan, Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh and to popularise and propagate folk arts, folk dances and folk literature. It was founded by Padam Shri Late Devi Lal Samar in the year 1952. The institution has a museum that exhibits collection of folk articles from Rajasthan like rural-dresses, ornaments, puppets, masks, dolls, folk musical instruments, folk deities and paintings. There is puppet theater too where puppet shows are held at regular intervals.
Vintage and Classic Car Museum
The Vintage & Classic Car Collection, The Palace Udaipur was unveiled in its entirety to the general public. This inauguration allowed visitors to appreciate this astonishing collection of cars for the first time. The Vintage & Classic Car Collection is a car collection and a museum with a difference. All the vehicles on show have belonged to the Maharanas of Mewar both past and present. Despite some vehicles being over seventy years old, each one has been painstakingly restored so that they are in working order. The collection is housed in the original former Mewar State Motor Garage, a glorious setting for such a fine assortment of vehicles. The bougainvillea – coated Garden Hotel and Restaurant, a property of HRH Group of Hotels, Udaipur, is also contained within the garage’s grounds. The semi-circular motor garage with its forecourt is housed within a greater courtyard, creating a pleasant hideaway from the bustle of the streets.
One of the original Shell petrol pump is not only still standing, but also in a usable condition. The motor garage itself was built at a time when the only cars in town belonged to the Mewar State Motor Garage and the present day surroundings make this garage as wonderfully stylish as it must always have been.
Under The Sun Aquarium
Under The Sun Aquarium is the biggest Public Aquarium Gallery in India. It is the latest tourist attraction in the alluring City of Lakes.
Under The Sun is the largest public aquarium gallery in terms of gallons of water, numbers, and species of fish in the entire Nation. Inaugurated on 21st October 2017 by the home minister of Rajasthan, Gulab Chand Ji Kataria, the place has approximately 180 species of fish both from marine and fresh water. Photography is permitted inside the fish aquarium which makes it even more exciting as visitors can carry memories with them.
Fateh Sagar Lake
Fateh Sagar Lake is situated in the city of Udaipur in the Indian state of Rajasthan. It is an artificial lake named after Maharana Fateh Singh of Udaipur and Mewar, constructed north-west of Udaipur, to the north of Lake Pichola in the 1680s. It is one of the four lakes of the Udaipur city; the other three being: the Lake Pichola, Udai Sagar Lake, 13 kilometres to the east of Udaipur, and Dhebar Lake or Jaisamand Lake, 52 km south east of Udaipur. Within the confines of the Fatah Sagar Lake, there are three small islands; the largest of these is the Nehru Park, which is a popular tourist attraction, the second island houses a public park with an impressive water-jet fountain, and the third island is the address for the Udaipur Solar Observatory. The Nehru park is accessible by inboard motor boats. The blue waters of the lake and the backdrop of the green mountains has given the soubriquet “the second Kashmir” to Udaipur. Udaipur Lake Conservation Society’s reports indicate that the lake supports and sustains ground water recharge, drinking water, agricultural use, industrial use, ecological water availability and provides employment to 60% population of Udaipur.
The Monsoon Palace
The Monsoon Palace | Sajjan Garh Fort, also known as the Sajjan Garh Fort, is a hilltop palatial residence in the city of Udaipur, Rajasthan in India, overlooking the Fateh Sagar Lake. It is named Sajjangarh after Maharana Sajjan Singh of the Mewar Dynasty, who it was built for in 1884. The palace offers a panoramic view of the city’s lakes, palaces and surrounding countryside. It was built chiefly to watch the monsoon clouds; hence, appropriately, it is popularly known as Monsoon Palace. It is said that the Maharana built it at the top of the hill to get a view of his ancestral home, Chittorgarh. Previously owned by the Mewar royal family, it is now under the control of the Forest Department of the Government of Rajasthan and has recently been opened to the public. The palace provides a beautiful view of the sunset. Its builder, Maharana Sajjan Singh, originally planned to make it a five-storey astronomical centre. The plan was cancelled with Maharana Sajjan Singh’s premature death. It was then turned into a monsoon palace and hunting lodge. High in the Aravalli Hills, just outside Udaipur, the Palace is illuminated in the evenings, giving a golden orange glow.
Sajjangarh Biological Park
Sajjangarh Biological Park is a zoological garden located in Udaipur, Rajasthan, India. This biological park is situated just beneath the Monsoon Palace, around 4 km from the city center.
Shilpgram
Shilpgram is a rural arts and crafts complex, situated 3 km west of the city of Udaipur, India. The center is spread over an undulating terrain of about 70 acres of land, surrounded by the Aravali mountains. Shilpgram is an ethnographic museum that depicts the lifestyles of the folk and tribal people of the region. With an objective of increasing awareness and knowledge about the rural arts and crafts, the Shilpgram provides opportunity to rural and urban artists to come together and interact through the process of camps and workshops.
Lake Badi
Lake Badi, situated in Udaipur city in the Indian state of Rajasthan, is an artificial fresh water lake. The lake was built in the village of Badi, about 12 km from the city of Udaipur, by Maharana Raj Singh I to counteract the devastating effects of a famine. He named it Jiyan Sagar after his mother Jana Devi. The lake covers an area of 155 km²., and has an embankment 180 m. long and 18 m. wide, which is graced by three artistic chhatris. During the drought of 1973, the lake supplied water to the people of Udaipur. Devoid of any commercial activity, the Badi Lake gives a view of a never-ending expanse providing a serene and calm atmosphere to the visitors. The lake is amongst the major tourist attractions of the city. One can easily reach Badi Lake either by taking regular buses or by hiring taxis from the city.
Neemach Mata Temple
Neemach Mata Temple is located on a hill on the banks of the Fateh Sagar Lake in the city of Udaipur, Rajasthan. This temple is located on a green hill in the Dewali area of Udaipur. It has both stairs and uphill slope walk way to climb, which is around 900 metres long. It enshrines the stone idol of Neemach Mata Devi. There is also an idol of Lord Ganesh and three west-facing lions of stone. One can have very beautiful view of whole city and its lakes from the temple as well as while climbing. The walk is pollution-free as no vehicles can enter in the hill boundary.
Shri Manshapurna Karni Mata Temple
Shri Manshapurna Karni Mata Temple is a Hindu temple located on the Machla Magra Hills, near the Doodh Talai Lake in Udaipur, Rajasthan. It enshrines the stone idol of Karni Mata. One can have very beautiful view of whole city and its lakes from the temple as well as while climbing. The walk is pollution-free as no vehicles can enter in the hill boundary.
