The city of Udaipur is a lovely land around the Azure water lakes hemmed in by the lush hills of the Aravails. The City of Dawn is one of the most naturally beautiful cities which instill a sense of pride among its people.

The history of Udaipur stretches back far beyond its foundation in the sixteenth century to the Sisodia Maharanas who followed the code of honor laid down by, Guhil, the founder of Mewar in 568 A.D. The city gets its name from Udai Singh II, who laid down the foundation stone for the capital beside Lake Pichola in 1559.Udaipur and its surrounding regions have present in them many diverse, indigenous, folk and cultural groups and communities such as the Bhils, Garasias, Meenas and many more. Udaipur is called the ‘City of Lakes and Palaces’ and is now one of the leading tourist attractions in Rajasthan. The heritage fabric of Udaipur is so interwoven with the lives of the people that it influences the conduct of their lives and gives them a sense of belonging. The heritage fabric of udaipur is still preserved and covers a much wider range than at most other places in the India, of similar size and population.

A peaceful and relatively small city, Udaipur nurtures a population of 5, 50,000. Males constitute 53 percent of the population and females 47 percent. Udaipur has an average literacy rate of 77 percent(male literacy is 83 percent and female literacy is 72 percent).

The climate and social environment of the city is very pleasant and conductive to the visitors. The city continues to attract domestic as well as international tourists owing to a number of historical and religious land marks within the city as well as in the vicinity. Despite the continuously increasing tourism, cultural transformation and the growth of the city, it is still possible to experience the ethos of Udaipur in almost every part of it.

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Udaipur Weather
Climate: Tropical
Summer temperature Minimum: 28.8 °C Maximum: 38.3°C
Winter temperature Minimum: 11.6 °C Maximum: 28.3 °C
Max. Rainfall -  61 cms.

Fairs & Festivals

Shilpgram Fair
Literally meaning a "Craftsmen's Village" is a living ethnographic museum depicting the enormous diversities in craft, art & culture between various Indian states, but the exquisite terracotta work mainly in dark red and dark brown sand material along with the wooden carvings are the forte of this ethnic village.
More details : http://www.udaipurtourism.com/fairs-festivals/shilpgram-fair.html

Mewar Festival
The Mewar Festival is celebrated to welcome the advent of spring. It coincides with the festival of Gangaur in Udaipur, and has a unique charm about it. The women folk gather to dress the images of Isar and Gangaur and then carry them in a ceremonial procession through different parts of the city.
More details : http://www.udaipurtourism.com/fairs-festivals/mewar-festival.html

Places to Visit

City Palace - A majestic architectural marvel towering over the lake on a hill surrounded by crenellated walls, it is a conglomeration of courtyards, pavilions, terraces, corridors, rooms and hanging gardens. The main entrance is through the triple arched gate, the ‘Tripolia’ with eight marble porticos. The Maharana were weighed under the gate in the gold, the equivalent amount of which was distributed among the populace. The museum in the palace articulates it's history and is an exquisite gallery of the arts of that time. The Suraj Gokhada The balcony of the sun, is where the Suryavanshi Maharanas of Mewar presented themselves to the people in time of trouble to restore their confidence. The ‘Mor Chowk’ known for its exquisite peacock mosaics in glass and the ‘Chini Chitrashala’ noted for its blue and white ceramics are other attractions in the palace.

Jag Mandir Island - The lovely palace was built by Maharan Karan Singh as a hideout for Shah Jahan ( Prince Khurram), This palace inspiried him to built the lovely Taj Mahal. It is located in the lake Pichola, it has lovely garden & has exquisite carving which worth to see. You can visit the palace (Entry fee - Rs. 175/-) & have dinner there. Its better to book the dinner in advance.

Jagdish Temple - Built in 1651 A.D. by Maharana Jagat Singh, this Indo-Aryan temple is the largest and the most beautiful temple of Udaipur with noteworthy sculpted images.

Bharatiya Lok Kala Mandal - The interesting collection exhibited by this Indian folk arts museum includes folk dresses, ornaments, puppets, masks, dolls, folk musical instruments, folk deities and paintings.

Bagore-Ki Haveli - It was built in 18th century, It a museum having 100 rooms, houses rajasthani costumes, modern art, paintings and have few bullock carts &  every evening you can enjoy the folk dance organised by West Zone Cultural Center.

Moti mangri : Maharana Pratap Memorial - The beautiful hilltop garden is located on the banks of Fateh Sagar Lake. It has a stunning bronze statue of Maharana Pratap with his reliable horse "Chetak". It has beautiful gardens, fountain, few shops and has wonderful view of the lake & mountains.

Sahelion Ki Bari - The lovely garden was built in 18th century by Maharana Sangram Singh for the ladies of the court. It has four pools including 1 lotus pool, fountains, the huge trees with lush green lawns. 

Sajjangarh - The Monsson Palace or Sajjangarh was built by Maharana Sajjan Singh. It is situated on the top of a hill along Sajjangarh Wild Sanctuary. The Palace is best to see the Arial view of the city & the Sunset. 

Lake Pichola - It is the best lake of Udaipur, the old city is located around the lake, The lake has three palace : Jag mandir, Jag Niwas Palace(Lake Palace) & Mohan mandir.

Shilpgram - Located in the heart of Aravallis, just 15 mins away from the city, the ethnic village is devoted to Rajasthani craft & it means craftsmen's village. It covers an area of 70 acres & has museum, art gallery, traditional Rajasthani huts & shops, It as a huge outdoor auditorium called "Mukta Kashi".  Every year in the last week of December West Zone cultural center organises a huge 10 day cultural festival called Chirmi, where artist & craftsmen from all across India displays their artwork. Its really a must visit attraction.

How to Reach Udaipur

Udaipur is easily reachable from all the major cities of the country including Delhi, Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata, Ahemdabad and Jaipur. Being easily accessible, traveling to Udaipur is not a problem. Udaipur is well-connected by rail, road and air. The city of Udaipur has an excellent network of road to ensure you a comfortable journey. When talking about railways, Udaipur city railway station provides the best services to its passengers. If you are travelling by air, Udaipur Airport at Dabok, will offer you the quality services to add your comfort.

Air : Debock Airport is 24 km from the city centre, Dairy Indian Airliness flights connect Udaipur with Jodhpur Jaipur aurangbad, Mumbai and Delhi.

Rail : Udaipur is directly linked by rail with major cities some important train connection are : 9643 Express (Delhi Sarai Rohilla-Jaipur-Ajmer-Chittaurgarh-Udaipur)

Road : A wide network of bus service link Udaipur with several destinations. Some of the important distance are Agra 630km, Ahmedabad 262 km Jaipur 406 km .Jodhpur 275km and Mount Abu 185km.

Local Transport : Unmetered taxis, auto-rickshaws, tongas, city bus, regular city bus service is available for dabok airport, badi Lake, Bedala and shaeliyon ki Bari.

For more details log on to
www.udaipur.nic.in
www.udaipurtourism.com