Udaipur is a southern city in Rajasthan, India. It is a beautiful city surrounded by Aravalli hills and water. This is the City of Lakes. It is a historical land founded in 1559 and was announced as the capital of Mewar by Maharana Udai Singh II. He was the son of Maharana Sanga, the ruler of Mewar Kingdom. Maharana Udai Singh II was the 12th ruler of Mewar.
The city is famous for its royal and traditional Rajput culture. It has various interconnected natural lakes. Tourists visit Udaipur to explore its Rajasthani style of architecture in the forts and city palaces. The forts and palaces here are made with white marble, which is why the city is named the “White City” in the country.
Major Attractions of Udaipur
There are numerous tourist attractions in the city. This city has various landmarks, royal palaces, lakes, viewpoints, and more. Udaipur is not only a historical destination in Rajasthan but also offers numerous picturesque views and amazing experiences.
- City Palace:- This palace is more than 400 years old. The formation of this palace was initiated in the year 1553 by Maharana Udai Singh II. This palace is constructed on the edge of Pichola Lake. It is the second largest palace in India, made with a combination of the Flamboyant style and Rajasthani style of architecture.
- Saheliyon ki Bari:- It is a garden on the bank of Fateh Sagar Lake. The garden was designed as well as commissioned for the Rani of Maharana Sangram Singh and her 48 maids. It is a beautiful garden with fountains, narrow walk lanes, and Malabar structures. This garden is a perfect relaxing location in Udaipur.
- Jag Mandir:- This palace is made in Lake Pichola on an island named Jag Island. This palace is basically a picture spot where tourists visit to capture some memorable moments between the lake. In the palace, there is a restaurant where you can have your meal and various sitting spots. To reach the palace you should have a boat ride available inside the City Palace.
Tourist destinations
- Jagdish Temple:- This temple was commissioned in 1651 and is devoted to Lord Vishnu. Maharana Jagat Singh was the founder of this temple. The temple is famous for its incredible architecture along with the astonishing carvings of horses, elephants, dancers, etc. on its outer walls. The amazing fact about this temple is that the idol of lord Vishnu is carved from a single black stone.
- Sajjangarh Fort:- It is a palace on the top of a hill on the outer of the old city. This palace was founded by Maharana Sajjan Singh and named after him. It is famously known as Monsoon Palace because earlier this palace was used to forecast the monsoon season. Tourists can witness the full Udaipur city from here. The palace is also a famous sunset point of the city.
- Fateh Sagar Lake:- It is a beautiful lake here you can enjoy boating as well as camel ride. This lake was formed by Maharana Fateh Singh. This place is famous for its tasty street food and mesmerizing weather. You can visit here in the evening to enjoy the light views of the lake while relaxing on its bank with tasty food and sweet weather.
Shrinathji Temple, Nathdwara
This temple, situated on the Banas River’s bank, is the highlight of every Udaipur trip. It is 48 km from the main city in Nathdwara village. Shrinathji temple hosts the idol of lord Krishna standing with one hand on his waist and the other holding the Goverdhan hill on his finger. It is believed that in the 17th century, the idol here was shifted from the Vrindavan due to the wrath of Aurangzeb. Hence, Maharana Raj Singh of Mewar built the temple in 1672 where the bullock stopped and didn’t move any further. The Goswamiji with the idol suggested that this place was chosen by the lord himself, so it is the right place for the temple.
This is a beautiful temple designed similar to the Nand Mahal of Vrindavan known as the Haveli of Shreenathji or Nand Bhavan. It is the second-richest temple in the country after the Triputi Temple in South India. This huge temple has many sections looking after the deity and their worshipers. However, most of the tourists visit the temple during festivals in the months from September to February.
Taste of Udaipur
This city has a wide variety of food choices from street food to traditional cuisines. Here you can find the ancient Rajasthani taste of spices as well as traditional delicacies. The food here is spicy and sweet at the same time.
- Traditional Thali:- Rajasthani Thali is the must-eat thing in Udaipur. If you are visiting some fancy restaurants in the city then you can enjoy the thali with full royal treatments. In this thali variety of items are served such as Chapati, Papad, Kadhi, Dal Baati Churma, Raaita, and many more. If you want to try the authentic taste of Rajasthani cuisine then visit some local restaurants.
- Malai Ghewar:- This is the most famous sweet dish of Rajasthan made on occasions like Raksha Bandhan and Teej. Gehwar of the city is a mouth-watering dish for every food lover, also when coated with malai and dry fruits.
- Laal Maas:- It is one of the royal dishes of the Mewar Kingdom. This dish was invented by the chiefs of the royal palace. It is prepared with Mathania chilies, Yogurt, and Garlic paste. It is a spicy dish, earlier made with the meat of deer or wild boars.
Shopping in Udaipur
The markets of Udaipur are colorful, here you can purchase the cultural as well as traditional items of Rajasthan. The city has a variety of markets like Hathi Pol Bazaar, Bapu Bazaar, Shilpgram, Mochiwada Bazaar, Chetak Circle, and Clock Tower. In these markets, you can buy various local handicrafts, traditional paintings, and artworks, minakari items, multi-colored textiles, and so on. These markets are famous for ancient sculptures, stones jewellery, Pichwai and miniature artworks, and historical books.
The best time to visit
The best time to visit the city is from the months of September – March. During this time the weather is cold and pleasant as well as accurate for sightseeing. In these months you can enjoy the city and its picturesque views of the Aravalli ranges. This is the season when tourists visit the city to experience the winters of Rajasthan that are normal in the day and chilling at night.
Conclusion
Hence it can be concluded that Udaipur is a full-packed holiday destination. The city is named as the Venice of India. It is a city in Italy that is surrounded by water and known as the City of Canals, similarly, Udaipur is also surrounded by lakes. Moreover, it is worth visiting the city during holidays to explore the cultural beauty of Rajasthan. The city is the traditional hub, so visit here and color yourself in the different colors of this colorful state.
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