COVER STORY | UDAIPUR SPECIAL JHAROKAS, MARBLE PALACES AND A SERENE LAKE Neeharika Satyavada goes on a heritage walk through Udaipur 46 | FEBRUARY 2018 || www.GoAir.in www.GoAir.in || FEBRUARY 2018 | 47 udaipur.indd 46-47 1/27/18 8:31 PM COVER STORY | UDAIPUR SPECIAL JHAROKAS, MARBLE PALACES AND A SERENE LAKE Neeharika Satyavada goes on a heritage walk through Udaipur 46 | FEBRUARY 2018 || www.GoAir.in www.GoAir.in || FEBRUARY 2018 | 47 udaipur.indd 46-47 1/27/18 8:31 PM COVER STORY | UDAIPUR hink Rajasthan and the into sections by huge ornate gates picture that forms in your along the erstwhile rampart walls head is of undulating waves that are locally known as pols. Like Tof sand shimmering golden Hathi Pol or Elephant Gate, which in the sun and the bursts of colour leads one from the main street onto supplied by women in their bright the grandiose City Palace. There are twirling lehengas and odhanis, and boards everywhere directing you to the turbans worn by men. But, you the next point of interest on the walk, couldn’t be more wrong when it comes be it a ghat, a haveli, a palace or even to Udaipur. Touted to be India’s most a museum. Of these, the Gangaur romantic city, it sits hidden between Ghat, with its imposing gateway lush green hills stretching endlessly in and stunning Jagdish Mandir, made every direction. entirely of white marble, are the most To get a real feel of Udaipur and its striking. We recently went on one such old-world charm, though, a heritage walk, and here’s what we saw. walk along the winding thoroughfares of the walled city is what you need. Bhattiyani Chouhatta These lanes and thoroughfares are If one follows the route charted by choc-a-bloc with beautiful marble the Udaipur Nagar Nigam, the city’s palaces, ancient temples and bright municipal council, then Bhattiyani colourful havelis with facades of Chouhatta is the starting point. The intricate jharokas; there is a temple at chouhatta is an area within the walled every turn and every house along the city, the original fortifed city from four way has walls adorned with frescos hundred and ffty years ago. Here is in the miniature painting style of the where most of the havelis, temples and Taj Lake Palace on Lake Pichola region. Udaipur’s old city is divided points of interest along this heritage 48 | FEBRUARY 2018 || www.GoAir.in udaipur.indd 48 1/27/18 8:32 PM COVER STORY | UDAIPUR Lake Pichola Udaipur revolves around Lake Pichola. The walk leads you through hidden alleys, past traditional Rajasthani homes and the numerous temples and out onto the banks of the Pichola. Prominent on the lake are Jag Niwas and Jag Mandir. While the best known of these is the Taj Lake Palace or Jag Niwas—as it was called by Maharana Jagat Singh II, whose pleasure palace it was in the 1700s. It is the Jag Mandir Island Palace that stands out, with its marble courtyard and ornate elephants jutting out into the water from every corner. It was here that Shah Jahan was given walk are. Billboards all across the refuge by the Maharana of Mewar, Raja dusty crooked lanes in the old city Karan Singh in 1623. announce backpacker-friendly budget hotels, yoga and Indian cooking Gangaur Ghat classes and rooftop cafes proclaiming This ghat is dedicated to one of the TOP AND ABOVE: The City Palace at night; and views of the famously beautiful Lake most important local festivals of Gangaur Gate Pichola. Rajasthan, the Gangaur Festival, an 50 | FEBRUARY 2018 || www.GoAir.in udaipur.indd 50 1/27/18 8:37 PM COVER STORY | UDAIPUR eighteen-day festival celebrated by a hundred rooms, it was built by the the women of Mewar in honour of then prime minister of Mewar in the Goddess Gauri and her consort Lord classic style of the day. Today, it houses Shiva (Gana). This ghat on the Lake period costumes and photographs, Pichola serves as the location for the hosts daily folk music and dance culmination of the Gangaur festivities shows intended to be an evocative and the end point for the procession display of Mewar culture. Not to be that begins from the City Palace. missed here are the world’s largest Though the Gangaur Ghat sees the turban and the Queens’ Chambers most crowds during this festival that intricately done up entirely in mirrors. celebrates women, it remains a popular landmark and is dearly loved by the Jagdish Mandir locals even otherwise during the rest A lyrical work of carving in white of the year. For it is right on the banks marble, the three-storeyed Jagdish of the Lake Pichola and makes for a Mandir is located right in the heart wonderful vantage point from where of Udaipur’s old city. Accessed by one can enjoy panoramic views of the a steep fight of stairs, this temple, lake and all the iconic sights of Udaipur dedicated to Lord Vishnu, comes as a from the Jag Niwas (now the Taj Lake complete surprise once you reach its Palace) to the Jag Mandir. main courtyard, fanked by massive marble elephants. In spite of the Bagore ki Haveli buildings crowding around it, you Located on the other side of Gangaur will want to stay awhile, as you are Ghat, by the banks of Lake Pichola, still doing the mandated parikrama TOP AND ABOVE: Bagore ki Haveli this quirky museum was once a haveli. (circumambulation) of the temple, An eighteenth century haveli of over stopping all the while to pay homage 52 | FEBRUARY 2018 || www.GoAir.in udaipur.indd 52 1/27/18 8:37 PM COVER STORY | UDAIPUR CLOCKWISE FROM BELOW: A stunning window, the elaborate and intricate interiors of the City Palace at the four smaller shrines dedicated weighing scales once stood, to measure to Lords Ganesha, Shiva, Surya and out the ruling Maharana’s weight in the Goddess Shakti. The entire temple gold — to be given away to the citizens of is covered in carvings so intricate and Mewar — on his birthday. From these to interesting, that you will be transfxed. the elephant parking bays just outside the Udaipur is about entrance, which now serve as a lookout 400 km from Jaipur airport. City Palace for idyllic views of the city set against GoAir operates direct fights The City Palace, Rajasthan’s biggest the Aravalli ranges, everything about to Jaipur from Mumbai, palace, is imposing in its grandeur, this palace complex is beautiful. Built Ahmedabad, Kolkata and convenient connections and is part of a series of palaces built in a combination of Rajput and Mughal from Kochi, Bengaluru, over a period of four hundred years. As styles of architecture typical of the era, a Chennai and Goa. soon as you enter through the Bari Pol portion of the City Palace is open to the For more information, or the Great Gate, you are greeted by public and ranks number one on the list log on to www.GoAir.in huge arches. This was where massive of things to see when in Udaipur. 54 | FEBRUARY 2018 || www.GoAir.in udaipur.indd 54 1/27/18 8:38 PM.