40 Best Places to visit Udaipur in 2024 | Udaipur Tourist Places | Udaipur Tourism | 40 Things to do in Udaipur 2024 | 40 Places in Udaipur | Udaipur Travel Guide 2024 | Part – 02
History of Udaipur
The biggest reason behind the creation of Udaipur, the capital of Mewar during the princely period in Rajasthan, was to be a strategic and safe place for external attacks. Surrounded by Aravalli ranges and dense forests, this area was completely protected from outside invaders, due to this Maharana Udai Singh decided to make this area the new capital of Mewar.
After Maharana Udai Singh, the power of Mewar came into the hands of his son Maharana Pratap. Since the creation of Udaipur, this region has been facing Mughal invasions for a long time, after a long struggle by Maharana Pratap and his allies, Mewar was completely liberated from the Mughal Empire (Bhil, Meena and Patel Such as tribal people were the main part of Maharana Pratap’s army).
It took a total of 400 years to settle the present-day Udaipur city. Some of the buildings built by the kings of Udaipur are less than a hundred years old. The biggest reason behind taking so much time to settle this city is that the royal family that ruled Mewar had a long time to go to war to protect Mewar.
Even today, there is evidence of war between the Mewar princely state and the Mughals in Udaipur and its surrounding areas. 22 generations of the Sisodia dynasty have contributed to the settlement of Udaipur, so the influence of different times is seen in the architecture of the palaces and monuments of Udaipur.
Udaipur is one of the most famous tourist places of Rajasthan today due to the variation of the settlement of Udaipur the architectural beauty of the palaces and the natural beauty here. Millions of tourists visit Udaipur throughout the year and the thing that attracts them here the most is the glorious history of Mewar, the architecture of the palaces and the natural beauty of the place incites tourists to visit Udaipur again and again.
Monsoon Palace / Sajjangarh Fort Udaipur
Monsoon Palace or Sajjangarh Fort was started by Maharana Sajjan Singh. The construction work of this palace was completed by Maharana Fateh Singh. The reign of Maharana Sajjan Singh was the shortest of the Sisodia Rajput dynasty of Mewar (1874–1884).
Maharana Sajjan Singh died at the young age of only 26 years. Later Maharana Sajjan Singh’s successor, Maharana Fateh Singh, completed his unfinished construction work. Roads, dams, water supply to the common people and the setting up of the second municipality of India in the 19th century were completed by Maharana Sajjan Singh in his ten-year reign.
Queen Victoria of Britain was crowned as the Queen of India in November 1881. At the same time, Maharana Sajjan Singh was conferred the title of “Grand Commander of the Star of India” by Lord Ripon because of his social and developmental work done by him. Sajjangarh Fort is situated on the Bansadara mountain peak of the Aravalli ranges.
The elevation of Sajjangarh Fort from Pichola Lake is 340 meters and the height is 944 meters above sea level. Maharana Sajjan Singh wanted to build a nine-storey palace so that he could keep an eye on the astronomical calculations and the clouds during the monsoon, but due to his sudden death, the remaining work of this palace was completed by Maharana Fateh Singh.
After the construction of the Monsoon Palace, members of the royal family used the palace as their resting place and hunting ground. Sajjangarh Fort is a very beautiful palace made of marble stone with excellent workmanship on the pillars made of marble stones. Apart from a large number of rooms, there is also a court in the central part of the palace.
Apart from this, there are high towers for monitoring and protecting the palace. The dome, pillars and fountains built in the palace add to its beauty.
Mansoon Palace Udaipur Timings
Monsoon Palace is open for tourists from 8:00 am to 6:00 pm.
Mansoon Palace Udaipur Entry Fee
The entry fee for Indian tourists has been fixed at Rs 10 and the entry fee for foreign tourists is Rs 80. A fee of Rs 20 is charged for the camera.
Saheliyon Ki Bari Udaipur
Saheliyon Ki Bari garden located near the Fateh Sagar lake was built between 1710 and 1714 by Maharana Sangram Singh. According to the story related to the construction of this garden, Maharana Sangram Singh had constructed the garden Saheliyon Ki Bari for his wife and 48 of her dowry friends.
It is believed that Maharana Sangram Singh has designed the entire garden of Saheliyon Ki Bari under his supervision. Saheliyon Ki Bari is famous for its fountains and its design. There are five fountains in the garden which are known as Bin Badal Barsat, Rasleela, Sawan Bhado, Kamal Talai and Welcome Fountain.
All these fountains have different types of fountains such as bird fountains, elephant fountains etc. All the fountains in the garden are made of marble stones. Apart from this, jharokhas and chhatris also adorn the garden. Lotus plants are also installed in the lotus fountain.
There are different trees and plants for greenery in the garden.
Saheliyon Ki Bari Udaipur Timings
From 9:00 AM to 7:00 PM.
Saheliyon Ki Bari Udaipur Entry Fee
The entrance fee for Indian tourists to the park is Rs.10 / – and the entry fee for foreign tourists has been fixed at Rs.50 / -.
Jagdish Temple Udaipur
The famous Jagdish temple located in Udaipur was built in 1651 by Maharana Jagat Singh (1628–1653). The Jagadish temple dedicated to Lord Vishnu was constructed in the Maru-Gujaru architectural style prevailing at that time. Maharana Jagat Singh had spent around 15 lakh rupees for the construction of the temple at that time.
The world-famous Jagdish Temple was not untouched by the Mughal invasions, to draw anger from the defeat in Mewar, the Mughal invaders damaged the Jagdish temple. The reconstruction work was later done to give the Jagdish temple an old look.
According to some old legends and local people, it is believed that the pain in that part of the body is reduced by rubbing the part of the body that is hurting on the marble stone in the temple courtyard. The Jagdish Temple is an ancient three-storeyed temple that offers an outstanding example of Hindu architecture. The main temple is about 80 feet high from the ground.
Very magnificent carvings have been made by the artisans on the huge pillars in the temple complex. There is a large airy courtyard inside the temple and very beautiful paintings are made on the walls of the temple.
The welcome statues at the entrance of the Jagdish temple attract the attention of tourists and in addition to this, inscriptions mention the contribution made by Maharana Jagat Singh to the temple construction at the entrance of the temple. Statues of elephants, musicians, dancers horsemen etc.
have been installed on the top of the temple, the artisan has done very fine workmanship in the construction of these sculptures. At the entrance of the temple’s home is a lively statue of Lord Vishnu’s vehicle, Garuda. The Deity of Lord Vishnu installed in the Jagdish temple is built on black stone.
The Deity of Lord Vishnu installed in the temple displays his four-armed form. Apart from Lord Vishnu, attractive statues of Lord Shiva, Lord Ganesha, Sun God and many other deities have also been installed in the Jagdish temple.
Jagdish Temple Udaipur Timings
The temple is open for darshan of devotees and tourists from 4:15 am to 1:00 pm and darshan from 5:15 pm to 8:00 pm.
Jagdish Temple Udaipur Entry Fee
Entry Fee.
Gulab Bagh and Zoo Udaipur
Gulab Bagh located in Udaipur is one of the largest gardens in Rajasthan built in the princely period. Gulab Bagh garden is spread over a total area of 100 acres. Gulab Bagh Garden is also known as Sajjan Niwas. This huge garden was built by Maharana Sajjan in 1881.
After the death of Maharana Sajjan Singh in 1884, Maharana Fateh Singh completed the remaining construction work of the garden in 1887. The zoo house inside the Gulab Bagh is the fourth oldest zoo in the semi-continent. Presently the zoo located in Gulab Bagh has been transferred to Sajjangarh Biological Park.
Gulab Bagh Garden also has trees and plants with many medicinal properties. In 1920, a horticulturist named TH STORY from Madras was called here to plant plants with medicinal properties. For the convenience of tourists coming to Gulab Bagh, names have been written in Hindi and English on top of all the plants in the garden.
Gulab Bagh garden offers a wide variety of plant species including roses, gooseberry, Enola, ground flora, tamarind, grapes, guava, rayon, pomegranate, ramfal, litchi, mango, lemon, banana, mulberry, citron, Plant species such as gammon, jackfruit, sweet neem and jasmine are predominantly found.
A toy train is also run in Gulab Bagh to entertain the children, in both children and the elderly can enjoy the ride. The station and platform of the Toy Tran located in Gulab Bagh are called Luv-Kush Railway Station.
Gulab Bagh Udaipur Timings
Any time of the day.
Gulab Bagh Udaipur Entry Fee
The entry fee in the garden has been fixed at Rs. 25 / -. The zoo and toy train are open to tourists from 8:00 am to 6:00 pm. An entry fee of Rs 5 / – has been set for the zoo located in the garden and Rs 15 / – is charged for doing photography in the zoo.
The entry fee of Rs 20 / – is charged the Indian tourists for the toy train located in Gulab Bagh and for children the toy train has been fixed at Rs 10 / -. Foreign tourists are charged Rs. 40 / – for toy trains and children are charged Rs. 20 / – for toy trains.
Saraswati Library Udaipur
The Saraswati Library located in Gulab Bagh, Udaipur is the oldest museum built in Rajasthan. When the museum was built by Maharana Fateh Singh in 1887, it was known as Victoria Hall Museum. The museum was opened to the general public on 1 November 1890 after construction.
In 1968, most of the objects kept in this museum were transferred to the Museum of the City Palace. The Victoria Hall Museum was then converted into a public library. Presently, Saraswati Library has a collection of around 32000 books related to the historical, archaeological and history of ancient India.
The RRLF department of the library has 26215 books and 3800 books are available for children to read. The library still has a collection of items and historical objects associated with the royal family. A common citizen can take the book to his home for fourteen days after registering in the library.
Saraswati Library Udaipur Timings
The Saraswati Library is open for visitors from 11:00 am to 7:00 pm. The library is closed on Tuesdays and Saturdays during the week.
Saraswati Library Udaipur Entry Fee
01 The registration fee in the library is Rs 500 / – and if you can guarantee a government employee, then the registration fee is only Rs 21 / -.
02 admission free.
Navlakha Mahal Udaipur
Navalakha Palace, built in the 19th century, is located in the central part of Gulab Bagh. Navlakha Mahal was built by Maharana Sajjan Singh. Presently Navlakha Mahal is also known as Satyarth Prakash Bhavan. Navlakha Mahal is no less than a temple for people associated with Arya Samaj.
The great social reformer and thinker Maharishi Dayanand Saraswati spent a significant 6 months of his life in this Navlakha Mahal at the invitation of Maharana Sajjan Singh. During his 6-month stay, he had completed the best book of his life, Satyarth Prakash.
This palace was later named Satyarth Prakash Bhavan after the name of this book. In Navalakha Mahal, besides Maharishi Dayanand Saraswati, there are pictures of very famous and great people of India.
Navlakha Mahal Udaipur Timings
Navlakha Mahal is open for tourists and visitors from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm.
Navlakha Mahal Udaipur Entry Fee
Entry Free.
Sukhadia Circle Udaipur
Sukhadia Circle, located in the central part of Udaipur, was constructed in 1968. In 1970, Sukhadia Circle was opened to the locals and tourists. The circle was named in memory of the former Chief Minister of Rajasthan, the Late Shri Mohan Lal Sukhadia.
A 21-foot high fountain has also been built in the centre of the circle to entertain tourists and locals and a small artificial pond has been built around the fountain. Tourists and locals can also enjoy boating with their family or friends in this small pond. Apart from fountains and boating, there are also many restaurants for eating and drinking near Sukhadia Circle.
Local people and tourists gather at the restaurant near Sukhadia Circle in the evening. Camel and horse riding can also be enjoyed here to entertain the children.
Sukhadia Circle Udaipur Timings
Sukhadia Circle is open for tourists and locals from 6:00 am to 9:30 pm all week long.
Sukhadia Circle Udaipur Entry Fee
A ticket of Rs 40 / – per person is charged for a pedal boat on Sukhadia Circle. A ticket of Rs 100 / – per person is charged for a 4-seater boat and a ticket of Rs 200 / – per person has been earmarked for a 2-seater boat.
Hathipol Bazaar Udaipur
Hathipol Bazaar in Udaipur is one of the largest markets for Rajasthani handicrafts. Tourists coming to visit Udaipur from the country and abroad definitely visit the Hathipol market. In addition to the home decoration items made from Rajasthani handicrafts in Hathipol Bazaar, items related to daily routine are also available.
In Hathipol Bazaar, Rajasthan traditional handicrafts items like quilts, leather shoes, cobblers, hand block print fabric, traditional Rajasthani apparel, leather belts, handmade leather bags, traditional silverware, jewellery and Home decoration items can be purchased. If you are an art lover, you can also buy Panting related to Rajasthani culture from Hathipol Bazaar.
One can also make miniature paintings, fad paintings, Pichai paintings and souvenirs as gifts for loved ones from Hathipol Bazaar. For the decoration of the house, very beautiful handmade items like elephants, camels and horses made of wood can be purchased from the Hathipol market.
The famous Nagra chappal made of camel leather is also found in the Hathipol market. The Hathipol market of Udaipur is one of the most suitable places to understand Rajasthani handicrafts very closely. However, Hathipol market is open all week but is open till 2:00 pm on Sunday.
Bada Bazaar Udaipur
Udaipur’s Bada Bazaar is the largest retail and wholesale market in Udaipur. The market distance from Hathipol market to Bada Bazaar is only 800 meters. While Hathipol Bazaar is famous for traditional paintings of Rajasthan paintings, Bada Bazaar is famous for the variety of Rajasthani ornaments and traditional Rajasthani costumes.
Bada Bazaar has all kinds of shops and showrooms, small and big, where you can buy Rajasthani’s famous bandhani print saris. Apart from this, there is also a lot of showroom of jewellery here. Apart from gold and silver, you can also buy ornaments made of camel bones from these showrooms.
Many small and big shops related to leather are located in Bada Bazaar, from these shops you can buy bags, purses, twigs, shoes and belts made of camel leather. The big market is open from 9:30 am to 8:00 pm during the whole week except on Sundays.
Although all the items found in the Bada Bazaar are available at reasonable rates, still you should not forget to bargain at the shops of Bada Bazaar and Hathipol Bazaar while performing the duty of being a good buyer.
Fish Aquarium Udaipur
“UNDER THE SUN” Fish Aquarium, located near Fateh Sagar Lake in Udaipur, is the largest private fish aquarium in India. On October 21, 2017, this 125-meter-long fish aquarium was inaugurated by the then Home Minister. This fish aquarium has a collection of about 180 species of sweet and saltwater fish.
Many rare species of fish have also been collected in this fish aquarium. Apart from saltwater and freshwater fishes, this museum of fishes also has a collection of some sea creatures including Alligator Gars, Archers Fish, Puffer Fish, Marine Water Stingray, Mormyrus Room, Blue-Eyed Yellow Tang, Sea Anemones, Hermit Sea creatures fish such as crabs, starfish, tigerfish, sea urchins, sea nemon, fire belly newts, hermit crabs, etc. have been displayed In the Fish Aquarium.
These fish and sea creatures have been brought from different countries of the world like America, Japan, Congo, China, Africa, Indonesia and Brazil.
Tourists can do photography in this fish aquarium without paying any kind of fee. If you are visiting Udaipur and you like marine life, then you must visit this “UNDER THE SUN” Fish Aquarium located near Fateh Sagar Lake in Udaipur.
Fish Aquarium Udaipur Timings
The Fish Aquarium is open all week from 8:00 am to 11:00 pm.
Fish Aquarium Udaipur Entry Fee
The entrance fee for Indian tourists in the Aquarium is Rs 118 / – and children under 15 are charged an entry fee of Rs 47 / -. The entry fee is charged from foreign tourists at Rs 236 / -. To get the experience of virtual reality, a ticket of Rs 118 / – will have to be taken. Rs.100 / – has been fixed for Trick Art Museum. Entry fees and tickets associated with the aquarium have full management rights.
Places to Visit near Udaipur
There are many beautiful tourist places around Udaipur like City Palace, Udaipur Part-01, Udaipur Part-03, Udaipur Part-04, Kumbhalgarh, Kumbhalgarh National Park, Jodhpur, Ranakpur, Parshuram Mahadev Temple in Saadri, Chittorgarh, Nathdwara, Mount Abu and Amba Ji Temple located in Gujarat.
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