Udaipur, Rajasthan

Udaipur (उदयपुर) is a city in Rajasthan, India. It is the historic capital of the former kingdom of Mewar, and the administrative headquarters of Udaipur District.

Location

Located at the foothills of the Aravalli Range, Udaipur lies in southern Rajasthan near the Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh borders. It is located at .

About the city

Udaipur is famous around the world as the City Of Lakes or Venice of East. The Pichola Lake, Udai Sagar, Fateh Sagar and Swaroop Sagar in this city are considered some of the most beautiful lakes in the state.Fateh Sagar contains a small island, which contains USO, or Udaipur solar observatory.

It is known for its Rajput-era palaces. Particularly famous is the Lake Palace, which entirely covers a small island in the Pichola Lake. Many of the palaces, like Lake Palace and Fateh Prakash Palace, have been converted into luxury hotels.

Udaipur is also home to the Udaipur Solar Observatory, one of the six stations participating in the international Global Oscillations Network Group (GONG) which is aimed at the determination of the physical properties of the solar interior.

Also it must be noted that the Native Missionary Movement was founded in Udaipur and is still headquartered there.

Places of interest

Lake Palace - Originally known as the Jag Niwas, took three years to build and was inaugurated in 1746. Nothing but marble is used in the composition of this palace.
Jag Mandir - Another island in the Lake Picholia, which is known for its beautiful garden courtyard. Shah Jahan took refuge here while revolting against his father.
City Palace and Museum - Next to Fateh Prakash Palace, houses beautiful glass and mirror works.
Bharatiya Lok Kala Mandir - An excellent museum of folk arts. Also hosts great puppet shows in its auditorium.
Maharana Pratap Memorial - Rana Pratap's bronze statue seated on his loyal horse Chetak.
Sajjangarh Fort - The summer resort,Monsoon Palace, of the Maharajas. Atop the hill overlooking all the lakes. This palace had an ingenious way to collect rain water for consumption all year around.
Sukhadia Circle - A landmark built on a traffic roundabout in Udaipur. It is a three tiered fountain that is lit at night and is a popular place for the locals in evenings.
Jagdish Temple
Fateh Sagar Lake
Nehru Garden
Bagore-ki-Haveli
Moti Magri
Saheliyon-ki-Bari
Ahar Museum
Shilpgram - The crafts village, located north west of udaipur, is a must see place for those who want to see the cultural heritage of India, its handicrafts etc. Shilpgram hosts crafts fair every year which is one of the biggest in India, people from different states in the country hold their stalls showcasing their art and crafts work. More information can be found at http://www.shilpgram.org

Places nearby

Nathdwara - The principal temple of Lord Shrinathji is 48 km from Udaipur in Rajsamand District, and is one of the most important Hindu pilgrimage site of India.
Ranakpur - A village that is home to one of the most important Jain temples. 1400+ marble pillars support the temple. These marble pillars are carved in exquisite detail. Opposite the Jain temple is the much older Sun Temple. Located in Rajsamand District, 110 km north of Udaipur.
Haldighati - A mountain pass in Rajsamand District that hosted the battle between Rana Pratap Singh of Mewar and the Mughal emperor Akbar. Now a memorial site.
Kumbhalgarh - A 15th century fortress, built by Rana Kumbha of Mewar, with 36 kilometres of walls. Over 360 temples are within the fort. It also has a wildlife sanctuary. Located in Rajsamand District, 64 km from Udaipur. The vista from the top of the palace typically extends tens of kilometers into the Aravalli hills.
Mount Abu - A popular tourist hill station
Eklingji - An ancient temple complex
Kankroli and Rajsamand Lake
Rishabdeo
Jagat
Bambora
Jaisamand Lake
Sitamata Wildlife Sanctuary
Baneshwar
Galiakot
Dungarpur

History

Udaipur was the capital of the Rajput kingdom of Mewar, ruled by Ranas of the Sisodia clan. The ancient capital of Mewar was Chittor or Chittorgarh, located on the Banas River northeast of Udaipur. Legend has it that Rana Udai Singh II came upon a hermit while hunting in the foothills of the Aravalli Range. The hermit blessed the king and asked him to build a palace on the spot and it would be well protected. Udai Singh established a residence there. In 1568 the Mughal emperor Akbar captured Chittor, and Udai Singh moved the capital to the site of his residence, which became the city of Udaipur. As the Mughal empire weakened, the Sisodia ranas, and later maharanas, reasserted their independence and recaptured Chittor, but Udaipur remained the capital of the state, with became a princely state of British India in 1818. After India's Independence in 1947, the Maharaja of Udaipur acceded to the Government of India, and Mewar was integrated into India's Rajasthan state.

Udaipur in literature and popular culture

Udaipur is mentioned under the spelling Oodeypore in Rudyard Kipling's The Jungle Book as the birthplace of Bagheera the fictional panther in the king's menagerie.
Indian sections of the James Bond film Octopussy were filmed in the city and the Lake Palace.
Some scenes from the British television series The Jewel in the Crown were filmed in Udaipur.
Many hindi movies like Guide, Mera Saya, Phool Bane Angaray were filmed in Udaipur.
Actress Raveena Tandon got married in Udaipur in 2004.
Jag Mandir of Udaipur was the inspiration behind Shahjahan's creation of the Taj Mahal.

External links

^*
^*
Photographic Gallery of Udaipur
Udaipur City Map (Maps of India)
Udaipur District web site
Map of Udaipur District
Detailed information on travel to Udaipur
Udaipur Classified Page
Udaipur Pictures Including the Lake Palace, the City Palace, and Lake Pichola
Udaipur photo gallery by Andy Carvin

Cities and towns in Rajasthan

Tourism in Rajasthan References: info also available at http://www.geologydata.info