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A trip to Udaipur, Kumbalgarh, Ranakpur, Nathdwara and some other ancient temples near Udaipur few years ago was an interesting brush with Mewar’s history & architecture.
“India is an incredibly beautiful place, it needs to be discovered with a new perspective”
Rajasthan is one place where you can lose your heart but Mewar and Udaipur in particular are destinations in Rajasthan where you can lose your soul! Spending a few days in Udaipur is like taking out a few pages from a beautiful romantic fairy tale.
Udaipur – an enchanting city
Udaipur, the city of lakes, magnificent palaces, hills, temples, gardens & cobbled streets is a charming city. Many consider it as among the most beautiful historical cities of India. It has some of the most luxurious & finest hotels of not only India but the world. A majority of them are located around the picturesque Pichola lake with the Aravalli hills forming the backdrop. A luxurious boat ride in the lake with the imposing City Palace on one side creates a memorable experience.
Whenever romance is in the air, Udaipur is the perfect destination. For opulent filmy weddings, honeymoon or milestone anniversary celebrations, Udaipur turns out to be an excellent choice. It creates memories that are cherished for a life time. From its magnificent palaces to its vibrant bazaars, the city is probably the best example of romantic and alluring Rajasthan at its finest. Travellers have called it the ‘Venice of the East’, ‘City of Lakes’, ‘A romantic getaway’ etc.
Mewar – the land of valour & chivalry: a brief history
The legendary Rajput warrior Bappa Rawal was the founder of the Mewar State. He defeated & ousted Man Singh of the Mori (Maurya) clan from Chittor in 734 AD. Bappa Rawal belonged to the Guhila dynasty. Delhi Sultan Alauddin Khalji captured Chittorgarh in 1303. This ended the main Guhila dynasty. In 1326, Rana Hammir who belonged to a cadet branch of Guhila dynasty reclaimed control of the region. He re-established the dynasty and called it the Sisodia dynasty. This was after a place called Sisoda where the royal family had taken refuge. This was a branch of the Guhila dynasty, to which every succeeding Maharana of Mewar belonged. After Rana Hammir, the most notable Sisodia rulers were Rana Kumbha (r. 1433-68), Rana Sanga (r.1508–1528) and Rana Pratap (r. 1572-97).
Establishment of Udaipur
Bahadur Shah of Gujarat in 1535 and Mughal Emperor Akbar in 1567 attacked Chittor. It finally fell to the Mughal army. Maharana Udai Singh II founded Udaipur in 1568 after Mughal Emperor Akbar attacked & sacked Chittorgarh. The legend says that Udai Singh went in search of a suitable place for his new capital. He met a holy man meditating in the hills near Lake Pichola. He advised Udai Singh to establish his capital on this very spot.
Sisodias -the valliant warriors
The Sisodias who claimed Suryavanshi lineage were valiant warriors. During attacks on Chittorgarh the Sisodia men performed saka (fighting to the death). When defeat was imminent, their women committed jauhar (self-immolation in preference to becoming enemy captives). Majority of Rajput clans after putting in initial resistance, accepted defeat or surrendered before the Mughals. The Sisodias continued to fight the Mughals and were the last to accept their suzerainty. But they never intermarried with the Mughal imperial family. Sisodias refused to marry women from other Rajput clans that had marital relations with the Mughals.
The Sisodias cultivated an elite identity distinct from other Rajput clans. They encouraged arts such as painting. architecture, poetry etc. James Todd who was an officer of British East India Company wrote several books on Rajputana. He depicted Sisodias as a superior Rajput clan.
The local people still sing ballads & narrate legends eulogizing the bravery & great deeds of Rana Sanga & Rana Pratap. The Sisodia kings continued to defy the British. In 1911, Delhi Durbar was organized in honour of the British Emperor George V. All the Maharajas & Kings were in attendance. The only empty chair belonged to Maharana Fateh Singh who openly expressed his displeasure at the British rule. The Chair which signified the Rajput sense of pride is on display at the City Palace in Udaipur.
Other dynasties that are descendants of Sisodias
According to some historians, the Bhonsle clan of Maharashtra are descendants of a branch of the royal Sisodia family. Maratha Empire’s founder Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj belonged to the Bhonsle clan. Similarly, Rana dynasty of Nepal also claimed descent from Ranas of Mewar.
Our memorable trip
Monsoon is off-season for Udaipur but we (I & my wife) decided to visit during that season (mid- September). It turned out to be a beautiful time. The city was at its greenest best. The Lakes – Pichola & Fateh Sagar had water till the brim. The weather was pleasant with over cast skies. We stayed at Trident Hotel near Pichola lake. This is a beautiful hotel spread in a sixteen acres property. They provide comfortable, aesthetically done-up rooms, excellent food & impeccable service. Being an off-season we got an excellent deal – third night stay free for paying for two nights.
Hotel Oberoi Udayvilas is among the most luxurious hotels in the world. Both the hotels are in the same campus. Here the room rate starts at Rs 38 K per night. Some of the facilities like boating on the lake was then common for both the hotels.
Many of you would have visited Udaipur. My blog would refresh your memories as we explore the scenic city and surrounding places through my eyes. We missed visiting many interesting places. We definitely need to make another visit.
The City Palace & Pichola Lake
The City Palace dominates the skyline as it rises majestically over the picturesque shore-line of Lake Pichola. It is easily the largest & the most stupendous palaces complex in Rajasthan. It owes its origin to humble beginnings. Rana Udai Singh II after exodus from Chittorgarh chose Udaipur as his new capital. He built a small palace on the shore of Lake Pichola in 1568. Today the palace walls stretch for more than a km along the waterfront. The successive Sisodia rulers continued to add, renovate and build new palaces over the centuries.
Description of the City Palace
A large portion of the City Palace is open to public. A visit to the City Palace & Museum gives the visitor a glimpse of the beautiful artifacts. A guided tour unfolds the rich history of the erstwhile kingdom of Mewar. The view of Lake Pichola along with the Lake Palace is breathtaking and so is the case with the city view. Within the palaces are large courtyards, exquisite halls and dwelling apartments. They have lavish frescoes, miniature paintings and stone & glass inlay work.
The main entrance to the palace complex is through the Tripolia Gate. It is a gate with triple arches and eight marble porticoes. Suraj Gokhada is the balcony in the sun where the Ranas presented themselves to the public. Mor Chowk inside the palace has exquisite peacock mosaics in glass. Chini Chitrashala is noteworthy for its blue & white ceramics.
One section of the palace complex is now a luxury hotel -Shiv Niwas Palace. The Royal family still uses one section of the palace as their residence.
The picturesque Pichola Lake
Udaipur is a city of lakes. The prominent three lakes are Pichola Lake, Fateh Sagar Lake and Saroop Sagar Lake. These lakes connect with each other with arched-bridges.
Legends say that in the year 1362 CE, a Banjara (gypsy) tribesman built a small lake and named it Pichola after the name of a nearby village Picholi. Later Maharana Udai Singh II enlarged the lake by constructing a stone masonary dam.
A legend associated with Pichola with a tragic end
Legends & folklores are part of every culture. Every historical place also has many interesting legends associated with it which add to the intrigue. As fairy tales fascinate children, legends fascinate us. My first visit to Udaipur was as a seven years old child with my parents & siblings. The guide had narrated a story at that time which remained etched in my mind. Later I read about this legend of ‘natani’ (tightrope-walker)
Maharana Jawan Singh (1828–38), in an inebriated state, is stated to have made a promise to a “natani” that half the kingdom of Mewar would be gifted to her. The condition was that she had to cross the lake over a tightrope stretched across the lake from her village on the west bank to the City Palace on the east bank.
The event was organized and a large crowd gathered to witness the event. Maharana & the ministers became worried when the natani was about to complete the rope walk successfully. Maharana signalled to his minister who cut the rope when she was near the other end of the rope. The girl plunged into the lake and drowned. Before she died, she cursed that the Maharana’s family would not have any direct male descendants or heirs. This curse is claimed to have come true, since six Ranas out of the seven succeeding Jawan Singh were adopted sons.
Later a chabutara (raised platform) known as ‘Natani Chabutara’ was erected in a courtyard to commemorate this legend.
Jag Mandir
The lake has four islands. One of the islands has the Jag Mandir while another island has the Jag Niwas. Maharana Amar Singh started construction of the palace in 1551 in the island. The construction continued during the reign of Maharana Karan Singh (1620–1628) and finally completed during the rule of Maharana Jagat Singh I (1628–1652). In honour of the last named Maharana Jagat Singh I, it got the name Jag Mandir. The Maharanas used it as a summer palace and for lavish parties. Prince Khurram (later Shahajahan) and his wife Mumtaz Mahal had taken refuge here after he had revolted against his father Emperor Jahangir.
Large marble elephants welcome the visitors to this romantic island. In addition to the palace there is a chattri, a small museum and a quaint cafe with a view.
Jag Niwas or Lake Palace – a pleasure retreat
The Lake Palace in white colour gives the appearance of a ship afloat in the Lake Pichola. It shimmers in the sunlight and glistens on full moon nights. There is an interesting incident behind its construction.
Maharana Jagat Singh II (r. 1734-1751) used to take the ladies of his zenana to Jag Mandir for his moonlit picnics. His father Maharana Sangram Singh II did not like this and advised him to build his own pleasure abode. Jagat Singh II liked this suggestion and embarked upon building a lavish palace in marble & granite in the lake. It was ready in 1746. The inauguration ceremony was a big royal event with pomp & show. The feasting & merriment stretched over several days and many royals & nobles attended it. It was called Jag Niwas. The island palace with its delicate cusped arches, painted lintels, frescoed ceilings, sculpted panels was a dream palace. It had ponds, gardens & fountains. The successive rulers kept embellishing it as per their taste and fancy. Miniatures, carved & inlaid furniture, chandeliers & knotted carpets enhanced the beauty.
Lake Palace converted into a hotel in 1963
For more than two centuries, the rulers used it as luxurious retreat and guests of the royal family stayed there. In 1963, Maharana Bhagat Singh converted it into a hotel. Later in 1971, Taj group took over the management of the property. Taj Lake Palace is a jewel in Taj Group’s basket and one of their costliest properties with room tariff at Rs 30k for a night. If someone wants to really pamper his lady love in a royal manner then a stay in this hotel could be a wonderful gift.
A number of Hindi movies and the 1983 Hollywood James Bond movie Octupussy were shot in the Lake Palace.
Boating in Pichola Lake
The Trident Hotel & Uday Vilas Hotel belonging to Oberoi group had common boat facility. They have a couple of beautifully decorated motor boats driven by boatmen dressed in finery. They make 45 mins sorties every hour. When we reached the jetty for the 5 p.m. slot, there was no other guest. The boat normally takes up to a dozen guests. The boatman waited for 5 mins and then requested us to board the boat. For the next one hour we had a memorable boat ride around the length & breadth of the large lake.
Pictorial trip of the City Palace & Lake Pichola
Jagdish temple, Udaipur
The Jagdish temple dedicated to Lord Vishnu is not far from the City Palace. Maharana Jagat Singh I had it built in 1652. The shrine has an enormous black stone image of Vishnu. Sculptures of elephants, horsemen & musicians flank the steps. A large bronze image of Garuda stands in front of the entrance. The temple wall has exquisite carvings with sculptures of various gods, goddesses, apsaras, beautiful maidens, elephants, horses, lions etc.
Sajjangarh (The Monsoon Palace)
The Monsoon Palace, also known as the Sajjan Garh Palace, is a hilltop palatial residence overlooking the Fateh Sagar Lake. Maharana Sajjan Singh built it in marble in 1884. The palace offers a panoramic view of the city’s lakes, palaces and surrounding countryside. The reason to build it was to watch the monsoon clouds. Hence, appropriately, the popular name is Monsoon Palace. The palace provides a beautiful view of the sunset. When we reached there, the monsoon clouds were hanging low and the place looked shrouded in mist.
This palace has also featured in the James Bond movie Octupussy.
Saheliyon ki Bari
Saheliyon-ki-Bari (Courtyard or Garden of the Maidens) was a beautiful garden. It has fountains, kiosks, a lotus pool and marble elephants. As per legend, Maharana Sangram Singh had designed this 300 years old garden. He presented this garden to his queen. The queen was accompanied by 48 maids in her marriage. The garden was meant to give pleasurable moments to the queen and her companions.
We were disappointed with the garden as it seems to have fallen on bad days with no proper upkeep.
Ancient temples around Udaipur
There are many ancient Hindu & Jain temples around Udaipur. They were built several centuries ago. We explored some of them on the second day of our trip.
Eklingji mandir
Located at a distance of 21 kms from Udaipur is the Shiva temple of Eklingji. Eklingji is the ruling deity of Mewar princely state. The Maharana believed that they were ruling as his Dewan (Minister). This temple was built and destroyed several times.
As per legends, Bappa Rawal built the original temple in the 8th century. Delhi Sultanate attacked and destroyed the temple in the 13th century. The first Rana, Rana Hammir Singh repaired & renovated the temple in late 14th century. Rana Kumbha rebuilt the temple in the 15th century and also built a Vishnu temple. In the late 15th century, Ghiyath Shah of Malwa Sultanate attacked Mewar, and caused extensive damages to Eklingji temple. Rana Kumbha’s son Rana Raimal defeated the Malwa Sultan and captured him. He extracted a heavy ransom for his release. With this money he rebuilt the temple and installed the present deity in the temple.
I could not click any picture as photography was out of bounds.
Saas Bahu ka Mandir
Just 2 kms away from the Eklingji temple complex on a side road are a pair of beautiful temples popularly known as Saas Bahu ka Mandir. They were built in the 10th century and are dedicated to Vishnu. The original name of the temples in all likelihood was Sahasrabahu or Sahastra Bahu which means one with thousand arms. This is another name for Vishnu. One of the temples is larger in size. The local public started calling the larger temple as Saas ka mandir (mother-in-law’s temple) and the smaller temple as Bahu ka mandir (daughter-in-law’s temple). Over a period the temple complex acquired the name Saas Bahu ka Mandir!
They are located in a village called Nagda near a lake called Bagela. Nagda was an important centre during the earlier period of Mewar state.
Description of the temples
Both the temples are located on a common platform and have a sanctuary, mandapa with side projections, and an open porch. The larger temple had ten subsidiary shrines while the smaller temple had four. Some of them survive while the bases of others are visible. Below the platform there is a torana-style entrance screen, with four columns and a decorative cusped arch in the centre. The interiors and parts of the exteriors, especially around the porches, are lavishly carved, but much of the exteriors are plain. There are beautiful images of various gods & goddesses and a few erotic panels too. On a cloudy day with intermittent drizzle, the place had a mystic feel about it. There was no other visitor.
Iltutmish (Delhi emperor of that time) had attacked Nagda in 1226 and caused extensive damage to this temple complex too.
Adbhutji Shanthinath Jain Tirth or Nagahyuda Jain Mandir, an ancient Jain centre is located nearby, next to the Bagela Lake.
Enjoy a pictorial tour of the temples
Shrinathji temple at Nathdwara
After visiting Eklingji temple and Saas-Bahu temple, we were on our way to seek blessing of Shrinathji at Nathdwara. Nathdwara is located at a distance of 46 kms from Udaipur.
Shrinathji is a form of Krishna, manifested as a seven-year-old boy. Shrinathji is the presiding deity of Vaishnava sect known as Pushti Marg. It is also called Vallabha Sampradaya as Vallabhacharya (1479-1531 CE) established it. Shrinathji temple at Nathdwara (48 kms from Udaipur) is the principal shrine of Shrinathji. Vallabhacharya’s son Vitthal Nathji institutionalized the worship of Shrinathji at Nathdwara.
Legend of Shrinathji
The Swarup or divine form of Shrinathji is said to be self-manifested. The swarup of Lord Krishna in stone emerged from the Govardhan Hills. Shrinathji symbolizes a form of Krishna, when he lifted the Govardhan Hill with one arm raised.
The image was initially worshipped at Govardhan hill, near Mathura. Later it was shifted from Mathura in 1672 CE along river Yamuna and was retained at Agra for almost six months. It was then decided to secretly transfer it in a chariot pulled by bullocks to a safe place in Rajasthan to avoid desecration on the orders of Aurangzeb. After travelling for more than a month when the chariot reached a village, the wheels got stuck in mud and would not move forward. The priests took it as a sign that the Lord wanted to stay there. A temple was built there in 1762 to house the deity under the protection of Maharana Raj Singh of Mewar. It was called Shrinathji ki Haveli.
Darshan at Shrinathji ki Haveli
The inner sanctum of the temple is opened 8 times a day for the devotees to have sacred darshan of the deity. Very elaborate and complex rituals have emerged around the worship of Shrinathji. The main attractions of Shrinathji are the Aartis and the Shringar. They signify the dressing and beautifying of the idol of Shrinathji, treating it as a living child, adorning it with the appropriate dresses commensurate with the time of day or night. The view of the deity after the parda (curtain) is removed is called jhakhi. The deity is shown only for few minutes as it is believed that since he is a child he may get inflicted by ‘buri nazaar’.
Once upon a time this temple was rated as one of the wealthiest temples of India but with emergence of other popular temples, it’s popularity is on the wane.
We were fortunate to get a beautiful jhakhi of Shrinathji and retuned to Udaipur feeling blissful.
Kumbalgarh
On the third day of our trip we visited Kumbalgarh & Ranakpur.
The forts of Rajasthan inspire awe, wonder & marvel for their sheer size, imposing monuments, temple architecture & impregnable nature. Rana Kumbha was a legendary warrior and a great builder. He built 32 forts out of which Kumbalgarh was the largest & most majestic. It was built over many years during the 15th century. After Chittorgarh, it is the second largest fort of India and among the largest forts in the world. UNESCO in 2013 grouped together 6 forts of Rajasthan and declared these ‘Hill Forts of Rajasthan’ as World Heritage Site. In addition to Kumbalgarh, the other five forts are Amber fort, Chittorgarh, Ranthambore fort, Gagrone fort & Jaisalmer fort.
History of Kumbalgarh
Legends say that there existed an earlier smaller Mauryan fort at the site. It was built in the 3rd century. King Samprati, grandson of Ashoka is attributed with building the fort. He was a great patron of Jainism. The name then was Machhindrapur. Some historians refer to it as Mahore. The later years history is sketchy till Alauddin Khilji attacked it in early 14th century.
Maharana Kumbha (real name Kumbhakarna because of his height & built) took the help of architect Mandan and constructed the fort in the 15th century. Mandan had documented his style of work in his text, Rajvallabh. At the end he dedicates the book to King Rana Kumbha. He built the fort in accordance to Vastu Shastra
Attacks on Kumbalgarh
Ahmed Shah I of Gujarat attacked the fort in 1457. He faced defeat. Mahmud Khalji attacked the fort in 1458-59 & again in 1467 but it proved futile. After Mughal’s victory at Haldighati, Akbar’s General Shahbaz Khan took control of the fort by poisoning the drinking water. But it remained under Mughal control only for nine years because Maharana Pratap recaptured it in 1585. Over the centuries, many Maharanas continued to add monuments to the fort but preserved the original fort of Maharana Kumbha.
An episode of supreme sacrifice:
Panna Dhai, the wet nurse of Prince Udai, sacrificed her own son Chandan to save the infant king of Mewar. She secretly smuggled him to Kumbalgarh from Chittorgarh to save him from enemies. Prince Udai Singh II later succeeded to the throne. His son, the legendary Maharana Pratap was born in Kumbalgarh on May 9, 1540.
Description of the fort
Kumbalgarh fort is located on a hill top at the western fringe of the Aravali range at an altitude of 1100 metres (3600 feet). It is at a distance of 82 kms from Udaipur at a strategic location as it demarcs the boundary between Mewar & Marwar States. The fort walls are 36 kms long making it the second longest wall in the world after the Great Wall of China. Though it is a stupendous piece of architecture any comparison with the Great Wall of China is frivolous because that wall is more than 20K kms long. The path on the ramparts is wide enough for eight horses to walk side by side at the same time The wall snakes over several hill tops & valleys. There are more than 360 temples in the fort, a majority of which are Jain temples. The fort has seven fortified gateways.
From the palace top, it is possible to see deep into the Aravalli Range. The sand dunes of the Thar Desert are visible from the fort walls. According to popular folklore, Maharana Kumbha used to lit deepaks on the rampart walls that consumed 500 kgs of ghee & 100 kgs of cotton every night. This was done to provide light to the nearby villages. Despite the passage of five centuries, the fort has withstood the vagaries of nature and stands tall and strong even today.
A legend associated with the fort
A legend is associated with the construction of the fort. Maharana Kumbha tried to build the fort at a place which was 7 kms away from the present entrance of the fort. But everytime the wall of the fort was built it would collapse. This happened several times. A saint suggested an alternate site to the Maharana but also added that a human sacrifice was necessary. When no one came forward for the sacrifice, the saint offered to volunteer. The saint asked the Maharana to follow him and the first spot where he stopped should be the entrance and at the second spot where he would stop, a temple should be built. And finally the spot where his body would fall should be the end of the fort’s wall. The Maharana agreed and the events unfolded exactly as per the Saint’s prediction.
Prominent temples in the fort
A Ganesh temple built on a 12 ft (3.7 m) platform is considered the earliest of all temples built inside the fort. It is the first temple the visitor encounters on entering the fort. Neel Kanth Mahadeva temple is located on the eastern side of the fort built during 1458 CE. The central shrine of Shiva is approached through a rectangular enclosure and through a structure supported by 24 huge pillars. The idol of Shiva is made of black stone and is depicted with 12 hands. The inscriptions indicate that the temple was renovated by Rana Sanga. Mataji temple, also called Kheda Devi temple is located on the southern side of Neela Kanth temple.
Parsvanath temple (built during 1513), Bawan (52) Jain temples and Golera Jain temple are the major Jain temples in the fort.
The Rajasthan Tourism Department organizes a three-day annual festival in the fort
We spent nearly three hours exploring the fort, though I could have easily spent the entire day exploring the far off monuments & temples.
Kumbalgarh wild life sanctuary is close by and it is famous for wolves. There are a few resorts near Kumbalgarh and some tourists prefer to stay there close to nature.
Ranakpur
Our next stop after Kumbalgarh was Ranakpur at a distance of 30 kms. The distance of Ranakpur from Udaipur is 94 kms. It is located in a picturesque wooded valley of the Aravali hills. Since we had gone at the fag end of the monsoon season, the entire route was flushed with greenery. The Mewar region is totally unlike our imagination of Rajasthan as a desert with barren topography.
There are a few temples in India that leave you mesmerized with their breathtaking architecture & carvings and the Jain temple complex of Ranakpur is one of them. Adinath temple at Ranakpur was built in the year 1439 CE. Celebrated for its rich ornamentation, it is easily one of the most beautiful temples in India.
The complex comprises of a group of three temples out of which the main temple Chaturmukha Dharana Vihara is dedicated to the first Jain Tirthankar Rishabnathji. He is also known as Adinath. The other temples are Parshvanatha temple and Suparshvanatha temple.
Jain community & their temples
Most members of the Jain community were traders & financiers and they were originally based in Rajasthan. They became politically important in the courts of the Rajput rulers of Rajasthan. The extravagance lavished on their temples is a mark of the enormous wealth they amassed. They uninhibitedly spent the wealth on building their religious buildings.
A businessman Darna Shah from Ghanerao built the temple following a divine vision in which he saw a celestial vehicle. The construction started in 1389 CE and continued till 1439. 2785 workers & craftsmen toiled for nearly 50 years to create this architectural masterpiece & marvel. The architect was Dwepa also referred to as Deepaka. The construction is well documented in a 1436 CE copper-plate record, inscriptions in the temple and a Sanskrit text Soma-Saubhagya Kavya. At the time Rana Kumbha was the ruler of Mewar. He was a liberal ruler who donated land & funds for the temple. The temple was designed like a celestial vehicle.
Description of the temples
The temples are built in pristine white marble quarried in Makrana. Like Dilwara temples at Mount Abu, this temple is also known for its intricate carvings and unique architecture. It was built in the form of Nalini-Gulma Vimana (a heavenly vehicle, Dharna Shah saw in his dreams). This temple is built in Māru-Gurjara style of architecture. The temple has five shikharas amongst which the central one is the largest. The temple is grand in conception, spread over 48,000 square feet (4500 sq metre) with 1444 marble pillars, twenty-nine halls, eighty domes and 426 columns. The pillars & columns are embellished with carvings and no two pillars look alike. The corbelled ceilings hold your attention.
There are depictions of Jain Tirthankars and the attendant figures are those of dancers, musicians & guardians. The temple is famous for its beautiful carved idol of Parsvanatha made out of a single marble slab. The idol has 1008 snake heads and numerous tails. Two chauri-bearers and a yaksha & yakshi (half-human and half-snake), stand on either side. There is another beautiful sculpture that depicts Kalpavriksha.
In the Parsvanatha temple, much of the sculptures including those of Jain figures, attendant maidens & couples on the outer walls is intact. This temple is remarkable for its pierced stone windows with ornate designs.
There is a beautiful Hindu temple too in Ranakpur dedicated to Surya Narayana.
We spent nearly two & half hours in Ranakpur and left it reluctantly around 5 p.m. when it was time for the temple to close. The two hours drive from Ranakpur to Udaipur via sleepy villages, green fields & rivulets was pleasant as we were carrying beautiful memories of a wonderful day.
Enjoy the pictorial trip of Ranakpur
A collage of our beautiful memories for keepsake
Festivals of Udaipur
Festivals such as Gangaur, Jagannath Yatra, Hariyali Amavasya are celebrated with lot of gaiety by the locals. Every year during the last 10 days of December Shilpagram festival is held in Udaipur. Craftsmen from different parts of India showcase their art in this festival.
Shopping in Udaipur
Be prepared to carry beautiful souvenirs from Udaipur when you return. Well there are so many beautiful colourful things that you would find attractive that you would be spoilt for choice. Udaipur surprises you with a wide array of fascinating ethnic crafts. Lahariya Bandhani sarees, dress materials, stoles, hand woven carpets & durries with traditional designs & motifs, block-printed quilts are bound to attract you. Pichwal paintings or paintings from the Mewar School of Art are other options. Or you may opt for woodcraft, metal craft or terracotta work. You would not be able to resist the temptation of buying colourful items with mirror or bead work.
Food in Udaipur
Tourists from all over the world come to Udaipur so every cuisine is available in Udaipur though its best to try the traditional Rajasthani veg & non-veg fare. People in Mewar are great chefs and they add their own distinctive flavour to the traditional dishes. One should definitely try the traditional daal, bati, churma & gatte ki sabzi. Panchkuta ki sabzi is a delicacy of Udaipur. Mawa Kachori is another speciality of Udaipur that you would find difficult to resist. Like in Jodhpur, mirchi bada of Udaipur is also famous.
There are many restaurants by the Pichola lake that offer you a wonderful opportunity for a romantic rendezvous over candle light dinner with mesmerizing view of the lake. A dinner sans drinks can cost you anywhere between Rs 1200/- to Rs 5000/- for two.
Best season to visit
The winter months from October to March are considered the best time to visit Udaipur. But we thoroughly enjoyed our visit during monsoon. I love this season for travel. Udaipur definitely looked like paradise on earth during this romantic season.
Tourists are welcome in Udaipur as tourism is the mainstay of the livelihood of the local people. People are hospitable & helpful.
Connectivity
Udaipur is well connected by road, rail & air with major destinations of India. NH 8 connects Udaipur with New Delhi & Mumbai. Both are equidistant from Udaipur (760 kms). Ahmedabad to Udaipur is 260 kms by road and Jaipur to Udaipur is 395 kms by road. There are excellent bus services from Udaipur to all the cities of Rajasthan and also to New Delhi & Ahmedabad.
Regular Updates
I have clicked all the pics (except as mentioned)
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Disclaimer:
I have made sincere efforts to provide you the correct information about all the places that have been culled out from various sources. I do not take any responsibility for any errors that might have crept in the narration. There is no intention to hurt the faith or religious sentiments of any person or community.
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