Udaipur Travel in India,Udaipur India Cultural Travel,Udaipur Cultural Heritage Tours in India

An Insight :
Udaipur is known as the city of lakes and is also one of the most romantic cities in Rajasthan. The beautiful gardens , marble palaces and lakes make Udaipur look like the mirage in the desert. Udaipur is also called - Jewel of Mewar - as it was ruled by the Sisodia dynasty for a consecutive duration of 1200 years. There are many tourist attractions in Udaipur that make your journey quite memorable in every sense.

Lets Explore Udaipur - The City of Lakes :
The most memorable site of Udaipur is its Lake Palace, shimmering like a jewel on the Lake Pichola, former residence of the princes of Mewar and today a magnificent luxury hotel.

» Lake Pichola - Hills, temples, palaces, bathing ghats and embankments, surround this picturesque lake built by Maharajah Udai Singh. The two breathtaking palaces - Jag Mandir and Jag Niwas (Lake Palace) - also stand amidst this lake.

» City Palace - The City Palace on the banks of the Lake Pichola is a collection of rooms, corridors, terraces, pavilions, hanging gardens and courtyards. The City Palace of Udaipur built in 1559 is a must-visit for all tourists to Udaipur. It offers a panoramic view of the "Jag Niwas" (Now the Lake palace hotel) and the "Jag Mandir". The Mor-Chowk (Peacock courtyard) and the Chini Chitrashala are the most noteworthy features of City Palace with a series of wall paintings of Krishna.

» Jagdish Temple - Built in 1651 by Maharaja Jagat Singh, this temple is dedicated to Lord Vishnu and is located in the centre of the old city. The temple has a black marble image of Lord Vishnu, which is unusual for the northern part of the country, where statues of Gods are normally in marble.

» Sahelion Ki Bari - The "garden of the maids of honour", Sahelion-ki-Bari was designed and laid out early in the eighteenth century as a retreat for ladies of the royal household to spend their time in leisure. The lotus pool, fountains, lawns, flowerbeds, and marble pavilions all combine to make it a captivating place.

» Eklingji and Nagda - 20km northeast of Udaipur is situated the ruined remnants of the ancient capital of Mewar, Nagda, dating back to the 6th century AD. A couple of kilometers away is the famous temple complex of Eklingji. Most of the buildings at Nagda are in ruins. But there still survives a majestic pair of 10th century Vaishnavite temples, known as Saas-Bahu - literally "Mother-in-law" and "Daughter-in-law".

Built in 734 A.D. the temple complex of Eklingji contains 108 temples within its enclosure. The shrines are dedicated to the presiding deity of Mewar, Eklingji, an aspect of Shiva.

» Nathdwara - 48 km from Udaipur is Nathdwara "Gateway to God, an important pilgrim center of the Hindus. Home to one of the most revered 17th century temple, Nathdwara, attracts thousands of devotees from all over India especially during the festivals of Diwali, Holi and Janmashtami. The shrine, dedicated to Krishna - known also as Nath, one of the most popular incarnations of Vishnu, is said to be the second richest temple in India after Tirupati in the state of Andhra Pradesh. The place is also known for the radiant Pichwal paintings, which adorn the main sanctuary of the temple.

» Ranakpur - The famous temple complex of Ranakpur, 90km north of Udaipur, is considered to be one of the five holiest places of the Jainas. The shrines boast wonderful marble works, which put them at a par with those of the more famous Dilwara group at Mount Abu and Shatrunjaya near Palitana in Gujarat.

The main shrine known as Chaumukha temple (four faced temple) is dedicated to Adinath, the first Jaina Tirthankar (the ford maker), whose four-faced image is enshrined in the sanctum sanctorum. It was built in 1439 on land donated to the Jainas by Rana Kumbha of Mewar.

Other temples are dedicated to Parshvanath and Neminath. Also in the compound is a contemporary Hindu temple dedicated to Surya, the Sun god.