Udaipur

History of Udaipur
Udaipur was the jewel of Mewar kingdom ruled by Sisodia Dynasty for about 1200 years. The city of Udaipur was founded by Maharana Udai Singh. This city has an interesting legend associated with it. Maharana Udai Singh was out for hunting as he met a holy man meditating on a hill overlooking the lake Pichola. The hermit blessed the Maharana and told him to built a palace at that very spot as it would be protected. The Maharana followed his advise and Udaipur came into being. Overlooking the aquamarine waters of the lake Pichola stands the shimmering granite and marble Lake Palace. This palace has a harmonious blend of courtyards, pavilions, terraces, corridors, rooms and hanging gardens. It was in Udaipur only that the legendary Maharana Pratap was born. He was obsessed with Chittorgarh and the past glories of the Sisodia clan possessed his mind. Maharana Pratap left Udaipur to win back Chittorgarh from the Mughals. But he failed in his attempts and Udaipur remained the capital of Mewar till India got her independence.

Festivals in udaipur
Mewar festival is celebrated in Udaipur during the period of March or April and coincides with the Gangaur festival. This festival is celebrated to welcome the spring season. During this festival, the whole city turns out to mark the end of the 18 day festival and there are devotional music concerts, performances by the artists in music and dance and fireworks. The main attraction of this festival is the procession of colorfully attired women carrying images of the Goddess Gauri to Lake Pichola and the procession of the floats on the lake.

Tourist Attraction in Udaipur
The main tourist attraction in Udaipur is Sahelion-Ki-Bari. This Garden of the Maids of Honour is well laid out with extensive lawns and shady walks. Other place is the Folk art museum. This folk art museum has a rich collection of Folk dresses, ornaments, puppets, masks, dolls, folk musical instruments and paintings on display. Another tourist attraction is City Palace, the biggest Palace in India. In this palace where 4 generations of Maharajas added their contribution, is so carefully planned and integrated with the original buildings that it is difficult to believe that it was not conceived as a whole. The museum of the palace includes the beautiful peacock mosaic and miniature wall paintings of Indian mythology. The famous Lake Palace of Udaipur was the summer residence of the former rulers. The James bond Film Octopussy was shot here and made this palace more known in the west. More....

How to reach Udaipur
By Air:
Indian Airlines operates daily flights from Udaipur to Jodhpur, Jaipur, Mumbai and Delhi. Dabok airport is about 21 km away from the city.

By Rail:
Udaipur is connected by major road link between Mumbai and Delhi. The Rajasthan, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh Roadways Transport Corporation operate buses to Udaipur from various regions.

By Road:
Udaipur is on the western railway network. The railway station is about 4 km from the city center. Udaipur is directly connected by rail with Delhi, Jaipur, Ajmer and Jodhpur.