Udaipur City Palace Complex by newsdesk
The City Palace is where it all began in the 16th century when Udai Singh met a sage who advised him to establish a city here. Now the complex is a conglomeration of palaces built over 400 years. This largest palace complex in Rajasthan is a fascinating edifice. Twenty-two maharajas of Udaipur contributed to this structure and yet it maintains a graceful uniformity. Despite its huge size and the profusion of architectural elements — jharokhas, columns and towers — the elegant palace has an airy lightness about it. Perhaps that’s because of its creamy hue. It also gels easily with the blue waters of Lake Pichola. Keep aside a few hours to explore the City Palace. Walk up the hill from Jag•dish Temple, buy your tickets at Badi Pol, and enter the complex. After Badi Pol, the imposing Tripolia Gate welcomes you, with seven arches or toranas to its left, commemorating the seven times when the maharajas were weighed against silver and gold which was then distributed among the people. On the right is a wall called Agad, across which elephants were made to fight each other — a royal idea of sport. Further ahead is the entrance to the palace building and above the entrance, the Mewar crest, an image of the Sun God (from whom the Mewar royalty claim to have descended), flanked by a Rajput warrior and a Bhil. A part of the City Palace Museum in the complex has been made the Govern•ment Museum. Shambhu Niwas is the present home of the royal family. Further south are Fateh Prakash Palace and Shiv Niwas Palace, both luxury hotels today.
Udaipur City Palace Complex by newsdesk