Udaipur: The Modern Heritage

Wandering Through Udaipur: A Day by the Lakes and Palaces

Udaipur, the historic city of lakes, ancient battles, and royal grandeur. If you’re a history buff or just mad about sunset views, Udaipur needs to jump straight to the top of your wander list!

Udaipur has been Mewar’s capital since 1568, since Akbar's Siege of Chittor. But for a good 25 years (1572-1597), Maharana Pratap did not think the city was safe due to its position and moved his capital to Kumbhalgarh (1572-1576) and finally to Chavand (1582-1611).

Where to Stay:

Stay near Lake Pichola, preferably near the Jag Mandir side. We picked Gangaur Palace Hotel, tucked right next to Gangaur Ghat. This ghat ramps up during March for the Gangaur Festival, so book ahead. There are many budget-friendly hotels too near the clock tower.

Places You Have To See (and a Few You Can Skip)

Grab an auto for the day, and you’re good to go, for Udaipur’s main spots are all doable in a day and a half! Here's my totally unfiltered take:

City Palace and Museum: Start here! The complex is stunning, all thanks to multiple Maharajas adding their own flair over centuries. Don't miss the light and sound show at the end of the day.
Baghor ki Haveli: Walk in the footsteps of royalty and peek at recreated queen’s rooms. The cultural museum here is quirky and surprisingly photogenic. Cultural programmes like Ghoomer and puppet dance are also held here in the evenings.
Jag Mandir Temple: Among many local temples, this one’s the showstopper. It is one of the main temples in the old city.
Gulab Bagh: This used to be the royal private zoo. Modern garden with a zoo and kids’ park, but honestly? You can skip it unless you're with little ones.
Sahelion Ki Baari: Imagine queenly gardens with fountains and shady walkways, super pretty but lacks the majesty, so unless you go there before visiting forts, you will find it slightly meh.
Sajjangarh Monsoon Palace: Built in 1956, the palace is more about the panoramic sunset views. Not my top pick, but legit for photos. It is a great spot during the Monsoons. Your private car will not go up. Jeeps are appointed and hired with tickets from the counter.
Vintage Car Collection: Car buffs, you’ll geek out, though ₹400 per ticket (as of 2015) is pretty steep for the collection.
Pichola Lake: Boat rides are a must, just ₹150 from Lal Ghat (2015) gets you killer city and palace shots. Prefer to take the boat ride during sunsets.
Gangaur Ghat: Swing by in March for festival madness, or any time, really, to chill by the water. During the rest of the year, it's a very peaceful spot. I went during Choti Diwali and absolutely loved the display of handmade lamps and boats that people came to float in the lake.
Moti Magri: Epic location and top-notch Maharana Pratap museum (though most of it is a repeat from Haldighati). The view of the city is too good.
Fateh Prakash Lake: Manmade but beautiful, as is the rest of this water-loving city! You can spend a nice evening with snacks here.
Dudh Talai Lake & Ropeway: Hop on the ropeway for a dramatic city sweep (trust me, it’s Insta-worthy). The view, the white royal city in its glory.

Udaipur’s got seven lakes, though only four make the tourist circuit, so bring your walking shoes!

Local Traditions

History and tradition soak into every stone here, Chittorgarh (which you should totally day-trip to) even hosts an annual Jauhar Mela in Feb-March honouring the brave Viranganas of 1568’s Jauhar. The newly opened Maharana Pratap Tirth Kendra gives a glimpse of his life, but nothing better than actually visiting Chittor, Kumbhalgarh, Haldighati and Chawand for it.

A Note on Exploring

While Udaipur’s core is pocket-sized, adventures like Haldighati and Kumbhalgarh call for trips out from the city, so keep an extra day or two up your sleeve. For us, it was a five-day trip.

Coming Up…

Udaipur loaded our hearts and memory cards, but the religious hotspots around the city are up next, so stay tuned!

If you’re dreaming of the lakes, palaces, and festival lights, take this as your sign: Udaipur is every bit as magical as they say. Here are some photos I clicked.

Gangaur Ghat

View from the Roof of the Hotel

Pichola Lake

Gangaur gate

Map of Udaipur

Lake Pichola

Bagaur Ki Haveli (Royal Guest House)

Gangaur lamps

Sunset at Pichola

Moti Magri

View of Fateh Sagar Lake from Moti Magri

Statue of Hakim Khan

Statue of Maharana Pratap, Moti Magri

Rana Punja Statue

Sahelion Ki Bari

Ropeway view of Udaipur City

Ropeway at Dudh Talai

City Palace entrance

Mewar's Royal Symbol: City Palace Museum

Udai Singh's Palace

Pratap Kaksh: Udai Singh Palace. He didn't stay here; its name comes from the Gallery name.

Original armour of Maharana Pratap

Original sword, shield and spear of Maharana Pratap. He used two swords, one in each hand.

Club arms and Statue of Maharana Pratap

Chetak's saddle and mouthpiece

Maharana Pratap's only existing stone inscription, mentioning him, is at a Laxmi Temple about 25 km from Udaipur.

Karan Singh Palace

Lakhu Kund

Karan Singh Palace

Corridor leading to the Amar Singh Palace from the Karan Singh Palace.

Karan Mahal Corridor

Seesh Mahal, Built by Jagat Singh in 1716. Guides may say that Maharana Pratap built this for Ajabde, but no, it's not

First Library of the Royals started with Veer Vinod's publication.

View from Karan Singh's Ranimahal

Maharana Raj Singh, who defeated Aurangzeb after his chief destroyed temples in Bijolia

Ivory Doors at City Palace

Kaach Mahal

The carpets and curtains here are made by Prisoners of the King.

Jagat Singh Palace

Weighing scale for Maharana's Charity

Mor Mahal

Utensils from Maharana Amar Singh's Kitchen

Maharana Amar Singh

Utensils at Amar Singh's Kitchen

Entrance to Amar Mahal

Amar Singh's Kitchen

Rani's Mandir at Amar Mahal

Maharana Pratap Singh

Palanquins of Princesses

Kunwarsa's attire

King's attire

Lehenga for queens

Queens Palanquin, used for weddings, also.

The theme wedding destination, Udaipur.

Laxmi Chowk.The old aangan where the palanquins of queens stopped.

Entrance to Rani Mahal of the New Palace

Silverware of Amar Singh's Pujas

These pillars come in 4 and are used in the Royal Mandaps for weddings of the Prince from the Greh Shanti puja till the Ganpati sthapna post marriage. These are built on every wedding separately and are religiously kept as memoirs till either the bride or groom dies.

This Chariot was gifted to King Arvind Singh Mewar (died 2024) by his father-in-law on his wedding.

The Ram Chariot is used for the procession on every Ram Navami by the Royals who are descendants of the Lord.

Wedding horses for princes are decorated like this.

The crown prince's golden Jhula was used as an age-old tradition in Mewar.

City Palace

Entrance to the Palace

Mewari Flags

Bangor ki Haveli

Puppets at the Haveli, each evening, there is a cultural show displaying folk dances and music.

Queen's Sword and shield

Queen's dressing room

Queen's Baithak

Queen's Bathroom

Queen's Luxury room

Queen's Baithak

Gangaur festivals

Idols of the traditional attire of royals

Queen's puja Ghar, which used to have Krishna Idols

Room of Rajmatas

Chests of Rajmata

The Haldi ceremony starts with a royal Mewari wedding where the bride's Haldi is taken to the groom a day after his tilak.

Baraat

Saas aarti involves toran todh and naak pakar ceremonies.

Saath Phere. The wedding takes place in front of the Bride's family, and the Groom's family does not witness the wedding.

The Kunwar Bhojan is a Mewari tradition where, on the morning of the Marriage, the Groom comes to the Bride's house with his younger brother for breakfast cooked by his mother-in-law. The bride catches a glimpse of the groom from the Jharokhas without letting him know.

The ring-finding ceremony takes place at the Bride's house post-wedding and before bidaai

Bidaai

Maharana Pratap attacking Man Singh, Haldighati scene.

The pass that leads to Udaipur all other sides are blocked by hills and lakes.

Maharana Pratap: The Sun of Mewar

Many of you have read my fan fiction as well as historical representations of the life and times of Maharana Pratap Singh of Mewar. I provided small details of his life in many articles. But never have I ever made a separate historical post on him. It is very difficult to put together his life without the help of folklore because historical evidence is scarce. This one was requested, and hence here it goes. Needless to say, this one is very special. This is a blend of history and folklore. Leave your love. ❤️ Background and Birth: The year was 1540. Mewar was under a cloud of uncertainty. Banbir, their ruler for four years now, was a very incompetent ruler who always spent his time in luxury, drinking and dancing with girls. The crown prince Udai Singh was rumoured to have been killed by him. Chittorgarh was in darkness. Around March 1540, Mewar once again saw hope as some trusted generals, along with Kunwar Udai Singh, attacked Chittorgarh, taking Banbir by surprise. He was soon ...

Bijolia: Her Home

Journey to Bijolia: Lost Kingdoms and Timeless Temples of Mewar Bijoliya translates to a stop between two cities. Nestled in Rajasthan’s Bhilwara district, Bijolia sits 55km from Bundi and 105km from Chittorgarh on the well-travelled Bundi-Chittorgarh road. Once part of Mewar, this seemingly sleepy town guards a rich and layered past: it was ruled from the 11th to the 13th century by the Punwars (or Parmar Rajputs) before falling under the Chauhan dynasty, who shifted the region’s capital to Bhilwara and constructed the imposing fort there. After a brief Chauhan rule, Bijolia was reclaimed by Rana Kumbha and became an integral part of the Mewar kingdom, with the Parmars serving as local Raos, representatives and stewards of the royal house. Despite its history and the famed Bijolia inscriptions (a treasure for historians), Bijolia has never found a seat on Rajasthan’s primary tourist circuit, especially if you’re venturing out by public transport or private car. While a handful of...

The Emperor's First Wife

Ruqaiya Sultana Begum was born to Babur's second surviving son, Hindal Mirza, and his wife, Sultanam Begum, in 1542 C.E., merely a few months after Hamida Banu gave birth to the heir Jalaluddin Mohammad Akbar. She was well-versed in Persian, Urdu and Arabic and was attracted to poetry and music. Being a proud descendant of the Timurid clan, most of Rukaiya's childhood was spent in Kabul, near the Bagh E Babur, built by Babur himself. From early childhood, she had seen the struggle of her family to regain their lost power in Hind. In 1551 C.E., just after her father died young at a battle for Humayun, leaving her and her mother in the harem of the emperor, it was Hamida Banu who wanted the marriage of Rukaiya to her first cousin, Akbar. Theirs was the first in-house marriage of the Mughals, soon to be followed by many more in the generations to come. At the mere age of nine, she had married the crown prince, and when Humayun won back Lahore, she was fifteen. At the mere age ...

A Journey Called PrAja

Love is a relationship based on trust and understanding. It is also a bond that is made up there. People often ask, "Why them?" I end up telling them some folklore. I end up telling them about how she actually was his shadow in the forests, in bad times. Because love passes all its tests in the worst times when you don't give up on each other. So, here's to My Pratap and His Ajabdeh! Ps. This is about the show Bharat Ka Veer Putra Maharana Pratap on Sony by Contilloe Starring Faisal Khan, Roshni Walia, Sharad Malhotra and Rachana Parulkar. This is NOT their real story. The show aired from 2013 to 2015. Ajabdeh, the simple, strong yet gentle samantputri, was starstruck seeing the down-to-earth Kunwar Pratap, the crown prince of Mewar. She was clueless that he held the key to her heart, her lost mala that destiny had chosen him for. Na na na na na Chan Chan Chan Chan na na na na! A comedy of errors followed, as she threw the pail of water on him, fumbled at his presen...

Chittorgarh: The First Jauhar

The concept of Jauhar holds a profound place in Rajputana history. It is a ritual where Rajput women willingly choose death by jumping into a fire altar, invoking the gods, and embracing honour rather than living under the humiliation of enemy conquest. Unlike Sati, Jauhar was never forced or compulsory; it was considered the most honourable death a Rajputani could choose when their men lost battles and the enemy laid siege. The Historical Setting: Jauhar Gate and Chittorgarh Fort Chittorgarh Fort once housed the palace of Rana Ratan Singh near the famed Vijay Stambh and his Jal Mahal at the fort’s main gate. When Alauddin Khilji invaded Chittor, much of this was destroyed. However, later ruler Rana Kumbha rebuilt the Jal Mahal and re-established the Jauhar Sthal to honour Queen Padmavati (also known as Padmini). Ratan Singh, who ruled Mewar during Khilji’s reign as Sultan of Delhi, was known to be a peace-loving monarch who enjoyed music and poetry. One of his court poets, Ragha...

Sisodiya: Kings, Queens and Princes (1538 - 1597)

I am back with another History post, this time it is on the wives and sons of Rana Udai Singh II of Mewar, his son and heir Maharana Pratap and Rana Amar Singh. This is a continuation of the Sisodia Family History I posted some time back. The information has been taken from Annals of Mewar by James Todd, Maharana Pratap by B.N. Rana, and Maharana Pratap by Rima Hooja. Udai Singh II was the son of Ranisa Karnawati and Rana Sangram Singh. He was born on 4th August 1 522, at Chittorgarh and died on 28th February 1 572 at Gogunda . He was the Ruler of the Sisodia Dynasty. He is believed to have 56 sons and 2 5 wives, apart from the many insignificant queens in his Rani Mahal. Here is a list of his main queens and their sons. Maharani Jaivanta Bai Songara of Jalore was his chief queen and consort. Her son is Maharana Pratap. He was married to her before he went to war with Banbir, as her father, Akshayraj Rao, was a friend and ally of his father, Rana Sanga. Saj...

The Buddhist Empress of India

Many historians believe that although Devi was the first wife of Asoka, his Buddhist queen, Asandhimitra, was not the same person. However, some also theorise based on Buddhist and Jain stories that they were in fact the same person, and the reason for that is that they don't seem to appear in the timeline together. Devi disappears when Asandhimitra arrives at the scene rather abruptly to do her charitable work. Hence, I personally believe they were one and the same. This story, however, is a retelling of folklore and not history. Please do not consider this piece of fiction as history. The whole village of Vidisha Nagari was buzzing with activity. Every home was being cleaned, and cooking preparations were on. The youngest prince of Magadha was coming to a halt the night at their village on his way to Ujjain. Great unrest was reported at Ujjain, and the youngest prince, as the general of this region, was being sent by the emperor to solve the issue. The villagers were scared as th...

Nawab E Bengal

Background: Nawab Alivardi Khan was ruling Bengal at the peak of Nawabi rule, expanding his strong empire. He had successfully suppressed the Marathas and had given a strong message to the British East India Company’s rising influence at Calcutta. Highly aware of the British Colonial policies across the globe, Nawab Alivardi Khan was strict with his policies and stronghold over Murshidabad, the then capital of Bengal (including present-day Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Orissa, and Bangladesh). He had two daughters and no sons. Amina Begum was the elder one, followed by Ghaseti Begum. Amina had three sons with her husband and courtier, Ahmed Khan. The second son, Mirza Mohammad, fondly called Siraj-Ud-Daulah (light of the country)by his grandfather, was born in 1733C.E. He was his grandfather’s favourite because he was born while he won over the Marathas. Alivardi Khan never let the “fortune child” of the family out of his sight. Siraj grew up accompanying his g...

Chittorgarh: The Devoted Fort

Chittorgarh, renowned for its tales of sacrifice and valour, is also a remarkable testimony to secular harmony and religious heritage that flourished over centuries. Beyond battles and sieges, the fort and its surroundings are dotted with numerous temples, talabs (reservoirs), kunds (water tanks), and temple complexes; some intact, others abandoned or in ruins, each narrating stories of devotion, culture, and royal patronage. The Legend of Meera Bai: Devotion and Defiance One of the most inspiring figures linked to Chittorgarh’s spiritual legacy is Meera Bai , the saint poetess and princess of Merta. Married in 1513 AD at age 14 to Maharaj Kumar Bhoj Raj Singh Sisodiya , the eldest son of Rana Sanga, her story is one of profound devotion. As a child, Meera Bai was deeply attached to the idol of Lord Krishna, whom she considered her true husband, an attachment sparked by a childhood curiosity and nurtured with daily conversations and care for the idol. This devotion dista...

Battle of Haldighati

There have been a lot of talks going on regarding who won the Battle of Haldighati. While some want to change what we read and say that the Maharana won it, many oppose the point with a Mughal victory. Here, I compile every account I found of the Battle and its Aftermath and make my unbiased conclusion on the topic. PS. The dates vary from book to book; I gave the ones I found in most sources. The Background: Relation with Mughals Mewar was one of Rajputana's strongest individual kingdoms, along with the likes of Marwar and Kacchawar (Jaipur). Long before the Mughals under Akbar, Mewar under Rana Sangram Singh had successfully managed to keep the "Turk Invaders" under Babar at bay, fighting 17 wars, big and small. The relationship was further questioned when, during the invasion from Saurashtra, Sanga's widow, Rani Karnavati, had written to Mughal Emperor Humayun for help, sending him a rakhi. Contrary to popular belief, Humayun had rested on his way from Gaur (Beng...

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