Location
Udaipur is a city in Rajasthan, India. It is about 380 KM from Jaipur. There is a domestic airport in Udaipur which is 20 KM from city. It is also well connected by road and rail from all cities of India. Ola operates but do not rely on Ola in Udaipur if you are short of time.
Our 18 days itinerary
Udaipur was our last halt in our 18 days itinerary. It was April,7 when we reached Udaipur from Ajmer. Luckily this year Summer has not started and we passed our days here without AC.
Where to stay in Udaipur
We booked online for RTDC hotel Kajri. You can book online at link- RTDC hotel booking. This is an average hotel and principally I stay in government run hotels even if they are average. Restaurant is good, Breakfast is complimentary always – poori bhaji, aloo-paratha, phoha, bread pakoda etc. South dishes are not available here.
Our itinerary in Udaipur
We can cover all these places in Udaipur by auto. Total cost was about 1500 for 3 days roaming by auto in city. We hired a RTDC taxi for 2nd day trip to Haldighati, Kumbhalgarh fort and Ranakpur temple. We missed Nathdwara temple as same day we can not cover it.
Expenditure
At average living, one person cost for 18 days trip is Rs. 35,000 which includes all transport, boarding and lodging. In Udaipur 4 days total cost will not exceed Rs. 12,000.
Day 1 – The day we checked in at Kajri RTDC hotel it was 1 PM. We took lunch in same hotel and enquired the travel desk. Since half day was already over they suggested to go to Bagore ki Haveli ghat on lake Pichola. We took an auto and dropped us at Bagore ki haveli. He charged fixed Rs.150. We roamed around the Ghat of this haveli and took photos of Lake Pichola. Meanwhile some one told us to see medieval and historic Jagadish temple. We came out and first took a ticket for Rs.100 for cultural folk dance. This ticket is sold about 1.5 hr before and closes also just 30 minutes before show. There are 2 shows – 7 PM to 8 PM and 8PM to 9 PM. We took ticket for 2nd show. No need to take separate camera ticket.
Since we had still 1 hour for the show we moved on foot to Jagadish temple which is 5 minutes walk from the haveli gate.
It is a very beautiful Nagore style temple with lot of sculpture in the temple. It was heartening to see foreigners standing in queue with flowers to have darshan of Lord Jagadish from close. It is moving to see young boys and devotees singing bhajans with dholak and majira. We felt like sitting there with the mob and enjoy the holy atmosphere.
It was built by Maharana Jagat Singh I in 1652AD. It has small shrines of Lord Ganesha, Surya and Shiva.
1679 Aurangzeb attacked this temple and s=damaged front portions of this temple. That time Security guard Sri Naruji Barhat sacrificed his life with 20 other warriors while defending this temple. In 1780 this temple again was renovated in 1723AD.
There is a legend about this temple- Maharana Jagat Singh daily used to see Lord Jagannath in his dreams in night. One day somehow it missed and he decided to build his temple here itself on suggestion of Lord Jagannath in his dream. Lord Jagannath also said that anyway for Meera Bai he has to come to Udaipur. Locals say they Meerabai used to come to this temple occasionally.
We came back from temple at 8 AM to Bagore ki Haveli to see folk show.
The folk show was great and we could feel the rich culture of Rajasthan which they are able to maintain even in mobile era.
Day 2 – We had booked the RTDC taxi for Haldighati-Kumbhalgarh-ranakpur temple tour so we started at 10.30 AM and after completing tour we reach back to Udaipur hotel at 9.30. Luckily restaurant was open we took our dinner here.
Day 3- On this day though we were tired of our previous day Kumbhalgarh trip we planned to visit the long awaited city palace and Pichola lake boating.
City palace is also in heart of city and on bank of Pichola lake. It takes about 4 hours to see this palace cum museum in detail. It is a bit tiring activity for senior citizens as we have to ascend few staircases around one mahal to other. But you can take rest by sitting at some places. It is one of the best Palace cum museum I ever saw. In fact no where it is so managed properly as in City Palace. Lot of manpower resource is employed so I think ticket entry is Rs. 300.
Entry fee – On arriving there I was confused at ticket counter with long list of types of entry fee.
It was a bit difficult to make out what to choose.
I arrived at some conclusion to take 2 types of fee.
Entry fee to enter premises only – Rs.30
Entry fee for City Palace rooms and musem – Rs.300 (children Rs.100)
Boating ticket you can purchase from inside the palace as well. Rs. 500 per persom and for children Rs.200. But I suggest to do boating in city at about quarter of this charge.
We entered the city palace at 10 Am exact and finished comfortable by 3 PM. We cameout of the palace and had lunch in a restaurant. At 4.30 we took and auto to drop us at some ghat to take Pichola lake boating.
The boat charge was exceptionally reasonable against what we normally see in other places. Per ticket boating charge was Rs. 157. No bargaining as rates were displayed at the ticket counter by association.
We were able to have a close look at Jagmandir (converted to restaurant), Lake palace hotel (Owned by Taj group).
The boat guide also showed one more structure and told it to be helipad once upon a time.
The boat ride was really great and refreshing and we were also able to see some ghats and city palace from close as these are on bank. We came back to hotel for dinner.
Day 4- Sajjangarh palace and lake Fateh Sagar boating
This day we fixed for Sajjangarh and fateh Sagar boating. Sajjangarh is little far from city (8KM) so auto took Rs.250.
Note that rarely autos accept the money by google pay or paytm so better keep some cash in your purse.
The entry ticket for Sajjangarh is bit costly (Rs.155 per person) and Jeep charge to take you at top hill is also exorbitantly high (Rs. 300). It is not worth place for that price but I feel.
We reached the top hill in 15 minutes by jeep passing through the jungles and jungle on both sides, was a memorable trip. We had to walk about 300 meters steep rise of road to enter the palace. This fort is under renovation now and has only a big hall which is now being converted to kind of royal museum having portraits of their old maharaja, animals fotos of leopard, python etc which were once preyed here. It is 2 storied palace and above also only one room. Nothing is there in upper floor.
Still it is nice place with exotic view of Udaipur from top on one side and Aravalli hills on the other side.
We came down the hill at 4 PM and auto dropped us at Lake Fateh Sagar, at one of the ghats. The boating fare was rs.128 per person and was equally enchanting as was in Lake Pichola.
Day 5 (Last Day)- The flight to Banglore was at 2.30 PM so I took a chance to visit Satya Shakti Cenotaph by auto. Auto took Rs.100 for to and fro drop with waiting for 30 minutes at Cenotaph. This is in city and is cremation ground of Maharanas. The oldest cenotaph is of Maharana Amar Singh I in 1620AD.There are total 371 cenotaphs.
We contactcted Ola but he ditched us and bargained us for Rs. 500 as the airport is little far (15 KM) from city.
It was time to say Good Bye to Udaipur as well as the 19 days tour of Rajasthan.
Epilogue
Udaipur is city of lakes and palaces. I have not seen this so much beauty of any lake in India (not sure of Dal Lake, Kashmir) as in Udaipur. It was built as an artificial lake 700 years ago and draws water from Sisrama river, a tributary of Kotra river which draws lot of drain water from Aravalli hills.
Three big lakes Pichola anf Fateh Sagar joined in between by Rang Sagar, Swaroop Sagar and Kumaria Talab lakes. We do not find such geography anywhere else.
In Pichola lake two islands Jag Mandir (restaurant) and Lake Palace hotel (Taj group) look like shining pearl among the lightings on banks of Pichola river.
Palaces and cenotaphs are the attractions which are treasure left for us behind by Royal kingdoms.
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