EXTENSIVE TOUR OF UDAIPUR IN 3 DAYS (FROM UDAIPUR)

At a distance of 3 km from Udaipur City Railway Station, Udaipur City Palace is a beautiful royal palace complex situated on the banks of Lake Pichola in Udaipur city of Rajasthan. This majestic palace is the largest palace complex in India, and among the must include places in Udaipur packages.

The City Palace was built initially by Maharana Udai Singh in 1559 AD when he shifted his capital from the erstwhile Chittorgarh to the newly found city of Udaipur. The Palace was built over nearly 400 years, with contributions from several rulers of the Mewar dynasty.

Among the top Udaipur tourist places, the City Palace boasts of a wonderful blend of Medieval European and Indian architectural styles. Set at an average elevation of 598 m, the Palace has several towers, domes, and arches, which add to the flavor of the heritage site. Courtyards, pavilions, .....

At a distance of 2.5 km from Udaipur City Railway Station, Pichola Lake is an artificial fresh water lake situated in the heart of Udaipur city in Rajasthan. Surrounded by hills, gardens, temples and havelis, Lake Pichola is one of the most beautiful lakes in India and a popular tourist attraction in Udaipur.

Pichola Lake was built in 1362 AD by Pichhu Banjara, a gypsy Banjara tribesman who transported grain, during the reign of Maharana Lakha. Later, Maharana Udai Singh, impressed by the charm of this lake with the backdrop of green hills, founded the city of Udaipur on the banks of the lake and also enlarged the lake by constructing a stone masonry dam in the Badi Pol region.

Lake Pichola is one of the several contiguous lakes, developed over the last few centuries in and around Udaipur city. Named after nearby Picholi village, Pichola Lake is nearly 4 km long and 3 km wide. The lake has a surface area of about 696 hectares .....

At a distance of 2 km from City Palace and 3 km from City Railway Station, Bagore Ki Haveli is an old royal building situated in front of the Lake Pichola at Gangori Ghat in Udaipur. This is one of the top places to visit in Udaipur.

Built by Amir Chand Badwa, the Chief Minister of Mewar Royal Court, it dates back to the 18th century. Maharana Shakti Singh of Bagore, who resided in the haveli, incorporated three storeys to the main structure, in 1878 AD. This ancient edifice has more than hundred rooms and displays delicate carvings and glass work. After being deserted for 50 years post-independence, the haveli was finally handed over to the West Zone Cultural Centre in 1986 for restoration. Today, the Haveli looks glorious and also houses a museum in its premises with paintings and costumes of the Royal Kings.

The interiors of the Haveli are embellished with intricate and fine mirror work. One can also see the private quarters of the royal ladies, their bath areas, dressing .....

At a distance of 3 km from Udaipur City Railway Station, Jagdish Temple is a Hindu temple located in the City Palace complex of Udaipur. This is one of the famous temples of Udaipur and among the top Udaipur attractions.

Sri Jagdish Temple is dedicated to Lord Vishnu (Laxmi Narayan), the preserver of the Universe. The temple was built by Maharana Jagat Singh with an estimated cost of 1.5 million rupees in 1651 AD. It is celebrated for being the largest temple in the city of Udaipur. The gateway of this temple can be sited at a distance of 150 meters from the Bara Pol of the City Palace. The temple was originally called the temple of Jagannath Rai but is now called Jagdish Temple.

This temple is built in the Indo-Aryan style of architecture. This three-storied temple is a wonder of architecture that comprises beautifully carved pillars, decorated ceilings, painted walls and lush halls. The first and the second storey of the .....

At a distance of 12 km from Udaipur City Railway Station and 10 km from City Palace, the Monsoon Palace, formerly known as the Sajjangarh Palace, is a hilltop royal palace overlooking the Fateh Sagar and Pichola Lakes in the city of Udaipur.

The Palace is named Sajjangarh after Maharana Sajjan Singh (1874-1884) of the Mewar Dynasty, who built it in 1884 AD. He was the 72nd ruler of the Mewar Dynasty. The Place reflects the rich cultural and history of Mewar Kingdom. It was built primarily to watch the monsoon clouds; hence, it is popularly known as Monsoon Palace.

The palace, built with white marble, is located on Bansdara peak of the Aravalli hill range at an altitude of 944 m (3100 feet). The intention of Maharana Sajjan Singh was to build a nine storey complex, basically as an astronomical center and to keep track of the movement of monsoon clouds in the area surrounding the palace, and also to provide employment to people. .....

At a distance of 8.5 km from Udaipur City Railway Station and 7 km from Sajjangarh, Shilpgram is a rural arts and crafts complex situated near Havala village in Udaipur city. Also known as The Craft Village or The Artisan's Village, Shilpgram is one of the best places to visit in Udaipur.

Inaugurated by Rajiv Gandhi in 1989, the rural arts and crafts complex is spread over an undulating terrain of 70-acres of land and is surrounded by Aravali mountain range. Shilpgram is an ethnographic museum that depicts the lifestyles of the folk and tribal people of the region. The main purpose of setting up Shilpgram is to increase the knowledge and awareness of the rural arts and crafts for the younger generation. The center witnesses several workshops specially conducted for children who are interested in learning arts, crafts, music and theatre.

The Complex has an open air Amphitheatre with a seating capacity .....

At a distance of 6 km from Udaipur City Railway Station and 6 km from City Palace, Sahelion Ki Bari or Garden of Maidens is a major garden located on the banks of Fateh Sagar Lake in Udaipur.

Sahelion Ki Bari was built by Maharana Sangram Singh in the 18th century. The garden was laid for a group of 48 young women attendants who accompanied a princess to Udaipur as part of her dowry. The king wanted a separate area for them, where they could spend their time leisurely. This patterned garden used to be the popular relaxing spot of the royal ladies. The garden is also known as the 'Garden of the Maids of Honour' for the same reason.

The garden set below the embankment of the Fateh Sagar Lake has beautiful lotus pools, marble pavilions and elephant shaped fountains. These fountains are fed by the water of the lake gushing through ducts made for the purpose. Each water channel has its different sound and the blend of these sounds complement the atmosphere of the place. There is .....

At a distance of 6 km from Udaipur City Railway Station and 5 km from Udaipur City Palace, Fateh Sagar Lake is an artificial lake situated besides the entrance to Moti Magri Hill and to the north of Lake Pichola in Udaipur city of Rajasthan.

Named after Maharana Fateh Singh, Fateh Sagar Lake was initially constructed by Maharana Jai Singh in 1678 AD. However, after a span of 200 years, the earthen bund, which formed the lake, was washed away during floods. Thereafter, Maharana Fateh Singh built the Connaught Dam on the Lake to mark the visit of Duke of Connaught, son of Queen Victoria in 1888 AD. The dam enlarged the lake and was later renamed as Fateh Sagar Lake.

It is one of the four beautiful lakes in the city, the other three being the Lake Pichola, Udai Sagar Lake, and Dhebar Lake or Jaisamand Lake. Fateh Sagar is 2.4 km length, 1.6 km width and 11.5 meter in depth. During the monsoons, the lake covers the total area of .....

At a distance of 24 km from Udaipur, Eklingji Temple is an ancient Hindu temple situated at Eklingji or Kailashpuri town in Udaipur district of Rajasthan. It is one of the most famous places of pilgrimage in Rajasthan, and among the top places to visit near Udaipur.

Eklingji Temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva, the tutelary deity of the former Mewar rulers. Ek means 'one' while ling means 'lingum or the life giving phallic symbol of Lord Shiva'. The patron deity of the Mewar clan is considered the actual ruler of the region while the kings are merely the Dewan (or the Prime Minister) of this God of Mewar. Initially, the temple was built in 734 AD by Bappa Rawal, the founder of the Mewar dynasty. In the later years, it was repaired and modified by various Kings, to clean the remnants of obliteration made by the attacks of Mohammedans.

The temple complex is located .....

At a distance of 2.5 km from Eklingji Temple and 23 km from Udaipur, the Sas-Bahu Temple or Sahastra Bahu Temple is located at Nagda village on NH-8 in Udaipur district of Rajasthan.

Sas-Bahu Temple is a 10th century temple complex and is dedicated to Lord Vishnu. Great Kachhwa King Mahapala was built this temple. The term 'Sas-Bahu' suggests 'Mother-in-law and Daughter-in-law' respectively. However, it is probably just a local corruption of the original Sahastra-Bahu name, meaning 'one with thousand arms', a form of Vishnu.

The main entrance to the temples is made through a door that has carved lintels and a multi-lobed arch in its middle. Both the structures are laid out on a same plan having an altar, a mandapa (columned prayer hall) with projections and a porch. The temple of Sas is comparatively larger than that of the Bahu. The Sas temple is surrounded by ten subsidiary shrines and has a torana (archway) in the front and .....

At a distance of 48 km from Udaipur, Haldighati is a historical mountain pass in the Aravalli Range and it connects Rajsamand and Pali districts of Rajasthan.

Haldighati is famously known for the historical battle of Haldighati, which took place in 1576 AD between Maharana Pratap Singh and Man Singh, the general of Mughal emperor Akbar. This battle is considered as one of the most significant events in the history of the Rajputs, and this battle was also one of the shortest battles in Indian history, which lasted for only 4 hours. Today, the Haldighati pass, in which the battle took place, stands as a tourist spot, with great memories of Maharana Pratap Singh and his brave horse Chetak.

The term Haldighati has been derived from the yellow colored soil of the place that gives a sense of turmeric. This place was the battlefield for the legend Maharana Pratap and also the place where his mount, Chetak, breathed his last. Maharana Pratap erected a small monument for his horse at .....

At a distance of 26 km from Eklingji and 48 km from Udaipur, the Shrinathji Temple is a Hindu temple situated on the bank of the Banas River in Nathdwara town of Rajasthan. It is considered the second richest temple in India after the Tirupati Temple of Andhra Pradesh, and also one of the must include places in Udaipur trip.

Shrinathji Temple is dedicated to Lord Krishna and the term 'Nathdwara' suggests the 'gate of the lord'. The temple was built by Goswami priests in 1672 AD. According to the legend, the idol of Lord Krishna was being transported during the late 17th century from Vrindavan to protect from the wrath of Aurangzeb. When the idol reached this spot, the wheels of bullock cart in which the idol was being transported sank deep down in the mud and could not be moved any farther. The accompanying priests realized that the particular place was the Lord's chosen spot and .....