My wife kids and I will be planning a trip to Udaipur soon. We have been to the other destinations in Rajasthan like Jaipur and Jaisalmer, which was some time back. We will have ten days in Udaipur minus the traveling days. On each day we would like to go somewhere as we are a family which, like to be out exploring places and doing things. Although we would love to see all the things, because of the duration of our stay we want to see the top 10 places to visit in Udaipur first, and if possible squeeze in some other places too.
Hello, @Makkars! Welcome to the forum! Udaipur was founded by Maharana Udai Singh of the Sisodia clan during the year 1553. It is a major city, municipal corporation and administrative headquarters of the Udaipur district in Rajasthan. It is about 403 kms from Jaipur and about 250 kms from Ahmedabad. The Northern part of Udaipur is slightly elevated while the Eastern part has plains. The Southern part of the district has dense forests and hilly terrains. It is also known as the Venice of the East, due to the number of lakes in the city. Here is a list of the top ten places to visit when you're in Udaipur: City Palace of Udaipur - The City Palace Complex of Udaipur was built over 400 years by different rulers. The first ruler to have established the complex was Maharana Udai Singh II during the year 1553. The complex is located on the Eastern bank of Lake Pichola. The palace complex is considered as the largest of its kind in Rajasthan. The very first structure that was built in the palace complex was the Rai Angan or the Royal Courtyard. Legend has it that Maharana Udai Singh II met a hermit and asked for advice on where he can build his palace. They met at the bank of Lake Pichola and that is where the hermit suggested the Maharana to build his palace. The palace complex has been built using granite and marble. There are about 11 smaller palaces and other structures within the palace complex. The Sheesh Mahal is worth mentioning, it was built by Maharana Pratap, son of Rana Uday Singh, for his wife Maharani Ajabde. Although the Mewars lost their special privileges and titles, they continued to own the palace complex and had built the Mewar Trust, a line of heritage hotels under their family. The City Palace of Udaipur is a part of the heritage hotels owned by the Mewar Trust. Lake Pichola and Fateh Sagar Lake - The Pichola Lake was built in 1362 AD by Banjara. It is an artificial freshwater lake and is one of the contiguous lakes around Udaipur. The beauty of Lake Pichola mesmerised Udai Singh that he built the City Palace here. Aside from that, Lake Pichola was further enlarged and connected with the other lakes in the city. It has four islands namely: Jag Niwas, Jag Mandir, Mohan Mandir and Arsi Vilas. The Fateh Sagar Lake is located to the North of Lake Pichola. It is also an artificial lake named after Maharana Fateh Singh. It was built in 1687 by Maharana Jai Singh but renovated later in 1889 by Maharana Fateh Singh. The Fateh Sagar Lake has three islands: Nehru Park Island, Public Park and Udaipur Solar Observatory Island. You can tour the two lakes by riding a boat which will take you to its different islands. Lake Palace - This palace was built between the years 1743 and 1746 by Maharana Jagat Singh II. It is located at the Jag Niwas Island in Lake Pichola. It used to be a winter residence for the Maharana Mewars. The palace was constructed facing the East so they can pay pilgrimage to Surya, the Sun God, at the crack of dawn. During the year 1857, the palace became an asylum for the European families with the help of Maharana Swaroop Singh. For a while after, the palace became deserted, isolated and ill-maintained. It was Bhagwat Singh who decided to turn the palace into a heritage hotel, which was done so during the years of 1961 to 1969. In 1971, the Taj Hotels Resorts and Palaces took over the palace and had done major renovations in the complex. Trivia: The Royal Butlers in the palace today are descendants of the original palace butlers. Jag Mandir - This is also known as the Lake Garden Palace. The palace was constructed mainly by three rulers: Maharana Amar Singh in 1551, Maharana Karan Singh during 1620 to 1628 and by Maharana Jagat Singh I in 1628 to 1652. It was named after Maharana Jagat Singh I. The palace was used as a summer resort, events centre and even as an asylum in two different occasions. It is located on the Lake Pichola, on the Jag Mandir Island, near the Southern end. Kesariyaji Temple - This is also known as the Rishabhdeo Temple. The temple is dedicated to Lord Rishabh Dev, the first Jain Tirthankara. The origin of the temple is unclear. Some believe that it has been built by the Digambara Jains during the 9th century. An inscription on the wall states that the temple's garbhagriha and khela mandap was built by Punja and Kota which were sons of Shah Harda. The main deity of the temple is Tirthankara Rishabha, carved in black stone in the Padmasana posture. Jagdish Temple - This temple is formerly known as Jagannath Rai. You can find this in the City Palace Complex of Udaipur. It was built by Maharana Jagat Singh during 1651 AD. The temple is dedicated to Lord Laxmi Narayan, a manifestation of Lord Vishnu. It is the largest temple in the city of Udaipur as well. One of the best features of the temple is its shikhara, which has sculptures of dancers, elephants, horsemen and musicians. At the entrance of the temple, you would see two elephants. The main shrine can be reached after a climb of 32 steps. Before you reach it, you'd see a sculpture of Garuda, a figure of half-man and half-eagle. The main shrine has the four-armed image of Lord Vishnu. You can find smaller shrines around dedicated to Lord Ganesha, Sun God, Goddess Shakti and Lord Shiva. Saheliyon Ki Bari - This is also known as the Courtyard of the Maidens. This was built by Rana Sangram Singh around 1710 to 1734, located near the Fateh Sagar Lake. The garden was built for the group of 48 young women attendants who was part of the dowry of the Rana Sangram's queen. It has marble pavilions, lotus pools and elephant-shaped fountains. This is where the queen used to stroll around with there 48 attendants. Bagore Ki Haveli - This was built by Amir Chand Badwa during the 18th century. It has over 100 rooms, displaying costumes and art pieces. The glass and mirror in the interiors are built using the Haveli style. In the Queen's Chamber, you can find exquisite Mewar paintings. It's also best visited at night time, when the Haveli is lit up and you can watch the cultural performances shown here. Monsoon Palace - This is also known as the Sajjan Garh Palace. It was built in 1884 by and named after Maharana Sajjan Singh. The primary purpose of the palace is as an observation palace for the monsoon season. It is located on top of the Aravalli Hills, which offers panoramic views of the city of Udaipur, Chittaurgarh and the lakes. Although Maharana Sajjan Singh started its construction, it was Maharana Fateh Singh who completed it. At night time, the palace is illuminated, giving it a stunning look along with the magnificent view of the surrounding environment. Sukhadia Circle - This is a small pond with boating facilities, surrounded by food joints, play areas and gardens all around. You can also enjoy horse riding and came riding in this place. It was named after Late Mohan Lal Sukhadia, who was a Chief Minister of Rajasthan. You can end your journey here and have a relaxing time with your family. Then, here are some other places you can visit near Udaipur: 1. Ranakpur - This is about 91 kms from Udaipur. This is located in the Pali district of Rajasthan. It is a renowned pilgrimage location due to its exquisitely designed Jain temples. Here are some of the best attractions in Ranakpur: Ranakpur Jain Temple - This temple is dedicated to Tirthankara Adinatha. Local legend states that it was Dharma Shah who built the temple in the 15th century after a divine vision. Another name for the temple is Chamukha Temple, meaning four faces. This symbolises the Tirthankara's quest of the four cardinal directions and the cosmos. Surya Narayan Temple - This temple is dedicated to the Sun God, Surya. It was built in the 13th century although it was renovated during the 15th century. It is located nearby the Ranakpur Jain Temple and is managed by the same family who manages the Jain temple. The Sun God, Surya's idol here is shown riding his chariot. There are also carvings of warriors, horses and celestial bodies around the temple walls. 2. Chittaurgarh - This is about 115 kms from Udaipur. This was the former capital of the Sisodia dynasty of Mewar. It lies on the banks of both Berach River and Gambhiri River. Here are some of the attractions in Chittaurgarh: Chittaurgarh Fort - This is one of the largest forts in the country. Initially, it was ruled by Guhilot and was later conquered by the Sisodias. The fort has several palaces, temples, towers and gateways. It is believed that the fort was constructed by the Mauryans during the 7th century AD. The fort was even named after Chitrangada Mori, a Mauryan ruler. For about 834 years, the fort was the capital of the Mewars. The fort was conquered by different rulers in different eras but it was abandoned in 1568. There are about 64 built structures inside the fort. These structures are built in two phases: the first phase is from the 5th to 12th century and the second phase was between the 13th and 15th century. The main palace complex was built in the first phase while other structures like the Kumbha Shyam Temple, the Mira Bai Temple, the Adi Varah Temple, the Shringar Chauri Temple and the Vijay Stambh were built during the second phase. Meera Temple - This temple is dedicated to Meera Bai, an ardent devotee of Lord Krishna. She was born in Kurki Village, daughter of Ratan Singh Rathore and was married to Bhojraj, son of Rana Sanga of Mewar. There's a cenotaph of Shri Rai Das of Banaras in front of the temple, the guru of Meera Bai. On the walls of the temple are the bhajans or songs of devotions written by Meera Bai for Lord Krishna. Bassi Wildlife Sanctuary - This was established in 1988. It is located on the Western border of the Vindhyachal Ranges. The sanctuary also includes the Bassi and Orai dams. Some of the animals that you can spot in the sanctuary are jackals, antelopes, wild boars and panthers. There are also many species of migratory birds that you can see here. I hope this helps.
