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Royal Attractions of Udaipur

Udaipur is known as the "Lake City" of the desert state Rajasthan. It is also referred as the ‘Venice of the East’, the “Palace City of Rajasthan”. Udaipur was founded as the capital of Mewar kingdom, when Maharana Udai Singh II of the Sisodia Dynasty of Rajput, had relocated his capital from Chittorgarh to Udaipur, in the year of 1553. After the independence of India in 1947, Mewar became a part of Rajasthan. Udaipur is a very popular tourist destination in Rajasthan for its reach history, culture, scenic beauty, lakes, forts, temples, hills and the palaces of Rajput-era architecture.

Udaipur has bounded with several lakes; most of them are interconnected and creates a lake system, which supports the drainage system, drinking water resources, irrigation, and industries of the city. Lakes of Udaipur also boost the economy of the city through tourism. One of the most famous tourist destinations in Udaipur, Lake Palace located in the middle of Lake Pichola. Dhebar Lake (also known as Jaisamand Lake), the second largest artificial lake in Asia is also located in Udaipur. Handicrafts of Udaipur are also very popular to tourists, which mostly includes paintings, marble articles, arts on silver jewelry and terracotta. Shilpgram is a unique arts and crafts complex in Udaipur, which displays the local art and culture of Rajasthan and visitors can also buy beautiful handicrafts, hand-woven clothes, mirror work and embroidery work items from the showroom in Shilpgram. An annual festival Shilpgram Mela (fair) is held on 21st December and lasting for 10 days.

Attractions of Udaipur

Lake Pichola – boat ride during sunset 
Udaipur is known as the city of lakes in India. Lake Pichola is an artificial fresh water lake. This lake takes after the name of the picholi village, nearby. Two very famous islands of the city, the Jag Nivas and Jag Mandir are located at the centre of Pichola lake. Don’t miss to take a boat ride across the lake during sun set. This will surely be one of the most picturesque scenes you would have ever experienced.

Udaipur City Palace 
If grandeur and magnificence could be given a name, it would surely have been Udaipur city palace. This palatial monument stands towering on one side of Lake Pichola. The balconies and seat outs at this palace, provide an idyllic view of the lake. In total this structure consists of 4 major and several minor palaces. The main palace however, has been turned into a museum for general public. The architecture is splendid and ritzy, both inside as well as outside.

Lake Lalace 
Built in the year 1746 by Maharaja Jagat Singh II, Taj Lake palace is regarded as the most romantic hotel in the world. Formerly known as Jag Niwas, this place is now owned and maintained by the Taj group of industries and hotels and still stands pristine. Many movies have glorified this structure even further. The service at this heritage hotel is a true reflection of Rajasthan’s hospitality. It now sees itself on the top of the list of the best destinations for a perfect fairy-tale wedding.

Monsoon Palaces 
Another awe-inspiring Rajasthani architectural marvel, the Monsoon palace is similar to no other structure of the state. On the outskirts of the city of Udaipur, this place makes for a perfect visit coupled with a nice joy ride on two wheels. You can book a Royal Enfield on rent in Udaipur, from Wheelstreet and ride up to the palace. Owing to the height at which it is located, it gives a panoramic view of entire Udaipur. Till just about a few years back, this structure belonged to the Royal Mewar family. It was only recently handed over to the Forest department of the Government of Rajasthan. The entire building is made of marble and has royal written all over it.

Saheliyon Ki Bari 
Saheliyon ki bari loosely translates to “Garden of the maids”. It is believed that the then ruler of Udaipur, Maharana Sangram Singh built this garden as a gift to his wife and her 48 maids who accompanied her, so that they could relax, away from the politics and management of the kingdom. This place is now a favourite of the tourists, what with its marble statues, lotus pool and numerous fountains. This august place is located on the banks of the Fateh Sagar lake.

Bharatiya Lok Kala Mandal 
Rajasthan, and the Mewar dynasty in particular, is known for its colour, design and craftsmanship. Bharatiya lok kala mandal is dedicated to the art and culture of the state and its study. It is like a museum that showcases the best of Rajasthan’s rich culture, artefacts of historic significance and the craftsmanship of its subjects.

Shilpgram 
This is a small village, situated 7kms to the west of Udaipur. It covers an area of 70 acres in total. Avail a motorcycle on rent in Udaipur and ride to this small yet beautiful village, to experience the traditions and practised of Rajasthan, day in and day out. It is a working museum of the state’s culture that you definitely do not want to miss.

Jaisamand Lake 
This is the second largest man-made lake in Asia. It is located at a distance of 48 kms from Udaipur, making it one of the ideal destinations, to go on a long bike ride. Rent a bike from www.wheelstreet.com and go visit this picturesque lake. It covers an area of 36 sq kms. There is a massive dam that has been built on this lake, which houses a shiva temple. This lake only adds to the glory of the already celebrated Udaipur.

Transportation

Udaipur is well connected to the major cities of India by road, rail and air.

By Air:
Maharana Pratap Airport at Dabok, is situated around 20 km from Udaipur. It is a small domestic airport run by by the Airport Authority of India and proposed to be an international airport. Regular flights of Air India, Jet Airways, IndiGo and Spice Jet are available for the cities Jaipur, Mumbai and Delhi from Udaipur.

By Rail:
All major cities in India and other parts of the state Rajasthan are directly connected with Udaipur by Udaipur City railway station and Rana Pratap Nagar railway station. Udaipur is a famous tourist destination, which have scheduled stops for the luxurious train tours, The Palace on Wheels, Royal Rajasthan on Wheels, Maharaja Express and The Indian Maharaja.

By Road:
NH 76, NH 8, EW Corridor and Golden Quadrilateral passes through Udaipur, which are well connected all-over the country. One can either drive from Jaipur (around 6 hours), Ahmedabad (4.1/2 hours) or Surat (9 hours) on NH 8 or Golden Quadrilateral, from Kota (3 hours - EW Corridor or NH 76). Udaipur City Bus and Rajasthan State Road Transport Corporation (RSRTC) have numerous numbers of busses to connected all over the state. Taxis, Private Taxi, Radio taxi and auto rickshaws are also available for local travel.