Udaipur Travel Guide

The city of Udaipur is a lovely land around the Azure water lakes hemmed in
by the lush hills of the Aravails.
A vision in white drenched in
romance and beauty, Udaipur is a fascinating blend of sights sounds and
experience-an inspiration for the imagination of poets, painters and writen.
Its kaleidoscope of fairy tale palace lakes temples gardens and
narrow lanes strew with stalls, carry the flavour of a heroic past.
Epitomising for 1200 years.
The foundation of the city has an
interesting legand associated with it. According to it, Maharana Udai Singh
the founder was hunting one day when he met a holy man meditaing on a hill
overlooking the lake pichhola. The hermit blessed the Maharana and advised
him to build a palace at this favourable located spot with a fertile valley
watered by the stream, a lake, an agreeable altitude and an the advise of
the hermit and founded the city in 1959 A.D.
Overlooking the
aquamarine xpanses of the lake Pichhola stands the splendid city palace-a
marvel in granite and marbel. Of the original eleven gates of the Udaipur
City, only five remain. The suraj pol or sun Gate on the eastern side is the
main entrance to the city.
Exquisite lake palaces of Udaipur
shimmering like jewels on lake Pichhola are overwhelming in splendour.
Several palaces of interest around Udaipur, including the majestic
Chittaurgarh the mountain fortress of Kumbhalgarh, beautiful jain temples of
Ranakpur, Eklingli and Nathdwara and the cool retreat of Mr.Abu make the
visit to udaipur a memorable one.

Udaipur is known as the Venice of the east. It is also called the city of
lakes. The Lake Palace on Jag Niwas Island in the middle of Pichola Lakes is
the finest example of its architectural and cultural explosion.
The grand City Palace on the banks of the lake compliments the palace along
with the Monsoon Palace (Sajjan Garh) on the hill above. Udaipur is also the
centre for performing arts, craft and its famed miniature paintings.The
Shilp Gram festival is a center of attraction during the season.
Maharana Udai Singh II founded Udaipur in 1568 after his citadel Chittorgarh
was sacked by Mughal Emperor Akbar. The legends says that Udai Singh was
guided by a holy man meditating on the hill near Pichola Lake to establish
his capital on this very spot. Surrounded by Aravali Ranges, forests and
lakes this place was less vulnerable than Chittorgarh.
Maharana
Udai Singh died in 1572 and was succeeded by Maharana Pratap who valiantly
defended Udaipur from subsequent Mughal attacks. Maharana Pratap is the most
revered Rajput icon and gallantly fought the Mughal at the Haldighati in
1576.
Mewar continuously defied foreign invaders and has a
history of bloody battles until the British intervention in the nineteenth
when a treaty was signed to protect Udaipur. Upon independence Udaipur
merged in the union of India.