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A royal visit The Lake City Palace in Udaipur.
Whoa! I want another ride,” the 12-year-old gleefully announced, as he was being helped off Raju, a stately camel at the lakeside. At the foot of the steep hill, Pichhola Lake provided a beautiful backdrop for clicking photos and for relaxing boat rides. The holiday season had begun in Udaipur, the land of beautiful lakes and palaces, mysterious intrigues, haughty kings and queens and battles fought long ago.
My first halt was the Karnimata Temple, nestled atop a hill. A challenge to reach on foot, devotees make a beeline for the rope trolley that ferries visitors across to the temple, with the lush valley yawning below.
A few kilometres into the city, (previously called Mewar), and I saw small alleys housing shopping arcades. Travellers crowd around these markets to pick up the exquisitely crafted silver jewellery. Also famous for its textiles, Udaipur offers a delightful variety of bandini and leheria fabrics, lehengas, dupattas and sarees.
Another must-visit is the museum at the Lake City Palace, which displays the weapons and armoury of medieval times, formidable daggers, pistols, suits or armour and majestic horses. The costumes and jewellery in the exhibit reflect the grandeur of the time. The pillars, adorned with art, stand tall and proud, supporting the magnificent palace.
Udaipur is home to some vast and beautiful lakes. The clear, cool waters of Fateh Sagar greet me just as I enter the heart of the city. Small tapoos or islands, with quaint heritage hotels, can be seen breaking the huge expanse of the still waters. The sight of boats smoothly cutting the still waters of the lake is breathtaking.
Next, I spot the Maharana Pratap Smarak. The statue of the brave king, astride on his famous horse Chetak, looks majestic. One can still see the ruins of the once-beautiful Moti Mahal, on which the memorial has been built. The ‘Sahelion Ki Baari’ with its fountains and tiny glens, whispers of the times gone by, of princesses swinging happily with their friends, exchanging gossip and walking on the lush, green grass. A beautiful fountain at the centre of the baari lends a breath of cool, fresh air in the hot sun.
I head to the Gulab Bagh, a stone’s throw from Pichhola Lake. With neatly manicured gardens as a setting, a family of deer and a tall barasingha stare curiously at the children and visitors as they pass their wired enclosures.
With its rich history and beautiful sights, Udaipur is well worth a visit.
My first halt was the Karnimata Temple, nestled atop a hill. A challenge to reach on foot, devotees make a beeline for the rope trolley that ferries visitors across to the temple, with the lush valley yawning below.
A few kilometres into the city, (previously called Mewar), and I saw small alleys housing shopping arcades. Travellers crowd around these markets to pick up the exquisitely crafted silver jewellery. Also famous for its textiles, Udaipur offers a delightful variety of bandini and leheria fabrics, lehengas, dupattas and sarees.
Another must-visit is the museum at the Lake City Palace, which displays the weapons and armoury of medieval times, formidable daggers, pistols, suits or armour and majestic horses. The costumes and jewellery in the exhibit reflect the grandeur of the time. The pillars, adorned with art, stand tall and proud, supporting the magnificent palace.
Udaipur is home to some vast and beautiful lakes. The clear, cool waters of Fateh Sagar greet me just as I enter the heart of the city. Small tapoos or islands, with quaint heritage hotels, can be seen breaking the huge expanse of the still waters. The sight of boats smoothly cutting the still waters of the lake is breathtaking.
Next, I spot the Maharana Pratap Smarak. The statue of the brave king, astride on his famous horse Chetak, looks majestic. One can still see the ruins of the once-beautiful Moti Mahal, on which the memorial has been built. The ‘Sahelion Ki Baari’ with its fountains and tiny glens, whispers of the times gone by, of princesses swinging happily with their friends, exchanging gossip and walking on the lush, green grass. A beautiful fountain at the centre of the baari lends a breath of cool, fresh air in the hot sun.
I head to the Gulab Bagh, a stone’s throw from Pichhola Lake. With neatly manicured gardens as a setting, a family of deer and a tall barasingha stare curiously at the children and visitors as they pass their wired enclosures.
With its rich history and beautiful sights, Udaipur is well worth a visit.
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