Article cover image
City Palace

Visit India's Most Romantic City 'Udaipur'

Udaipur-India
Vijendra Singh

Tour Guide, Udaipur, India

| 3 mins read

Situated amidst the Aravalli range, Udaipur is fondly called 'The City of Lakes' because of its five main lakes- Fateh Sagar Lake, Lake Pichola, Swaroop Sagar Lake, Rangsagar and Doodh Talai Lake. It was initially founded in 1559 by Maharana Udai Singh II of the Sisodia clan of Rajputs when he shifted his capital from the city of Chittorgarh to Udaipur. The surrounding mountain range separates it from the Thar Desert

Besides lakes, Udaipur is also famous for its royal massive architectural structures, museums, galleries, natural locations (gardens), old temples as well as the traditional fairs and festivals. One can also explore the rich handicrafts such as paintings, marble articles, silver arts and terracotta.

Travel through the lovely countryside and see the following places on your way-


City Palace 
Standing on the east bank of Lake Pichola is a massive series of palaces built at different times. Its main entrance is through the triple-arched gate- the Tripolia, built in 1725. This gate leads to a series of courtyards, overlapping partitions, terraces, corridors and gardens. The palace now houses a museum with many antique articles, paintings, decorative furniture and utensils from the royal era.


The Jagdish Temple

It is a large Hindu temple in the middle of Udaipur, just outside the royal palace. A key tourist place in the city, this temple is a fine example of Māru-Gurjara Architecture.


Lake Fatehsagar

It is an artificial lake situated in the north-west part of Udaipur. The lake was originally built by Maharana Jai Singh and later reconstructed and extended by Maharana Fateh Singh. It is one of the most popular destinations in the city for tourists and the city residents. 


Sahelion ki Bari

It is a major garden and a popular tourist space in the northern part of the city. The garden with its fountains and kiosks, a lotus pool and marble elephants, was laid for a group of forty-eight young women attendants who accompanied a princess to Udaipur as part of her dowry.


Lake Pichola

It is an artificial freshwater lake and is one of the several contiguous lakes in the city of Udaipur. The lake's surroundings and the several islands within the lake have been developed over the centuries with palaces, marble temples, family mansions, bathing ghats (Gangaur Ghat, Ambrai Ghat, Hanuman Ghat) and chabutaras (a raised platform, normally within a courtyard).


Gangaur Festival
Gangaur is one of the most important local festivals in Rajasthan. In some form or the other, it is celebrated all over Rajasthan. 'Gan' is a synonym for Lord Shiva and 'Gauri' or 'Gaur' stands for Goddess Parvati, the Shiva's consort. Gangaur celebrates the union of the two and is a symbol of conjugal and marital bliss.