FORTS AND PALACES IN UDAIPUR

1 FATEH PRAKASH PALACE –

This palace was constructed during the time of Maharana Fateh Singh who ruled during 1885 to 1935. The purpose of the place was to serve the well-regarded guests during the royal functions. Fateh Prakash Palace has also been converted into a luxury hotel which is now run & managed by the HRH group. The Darbar Hall, Crystal Gallery, Suites and Rooms are decorated with original paintings, furniture of the historic era and would take you to the journey of the authentic heritage of that time. The scenic beauty of Lake Pichhola through the decorative valued windows would soak you in real ecstasy. The Palace offers 21 Decorative Rooms and 45 Decorative Premier Suits and is equipped with period furniture, portraits and original miniature paintings, private sitting areas and facilities like air-conditioning, international direct dial telephone, satellite TV and a mini-bar. The main purpose for constructing this Palace was to serve it as a venue for the royal functions. Main attraction of the palace is the crystal gallery that contains crystal assets including crystal tables, chairs, beds, table fountains, sofas, crockery and dressing tables that were never used.

2 CITY PALACE –

City Palace was built by Maharana Udai Singh II, when he decided to shift the Capital from Chittorgarh to Udaipur, as Mewar was at war with Mughals so he decided to shift the capital to a safer place; hence in 1553 the construction of City Palace began. The City Palace later went into the hands of Mughals after the death of Maharana Pratap and later was again handed to Amar Singh I, until the independence when the property came under Government. Later the royal family claimed their property and converted it into a museum. It is situated at the eastern bank of Lake Pichhola and has many other palaces built within the City Palace. It is a must visiting place whoso ever wishes to travel Udaipur and has a keen interest in the history of Rajasthan. Impressive Gateways or Poles pave access to the City Palace complex. The different poles of the City Palace include Bara Pole, Tripolia Pole, and Toran Pole etc. The other complexes which are made within the premise of the City Palace are Amar Vilas, Badi Mahal, Chinni Chitrashala, Choti Chitrashali, Dilkhusha Mahal, Darbar Hall, Fateh Prakash, Jagdish Mandir, Krishna Vilas, Laxmi Vilas Chowk, Manak Mahal, Mor Chowk, Rang Bhawan, Sheesh Mahal etc.

3 LAKE PALACE –

Lake Palace, the name is enough to draw a picture of Udaipur and Pichhola Lake. It is another epithet of the Udaipur after the City Palace. To most of us if asked anything about Lake Palace the first answer come out – it is a luxury hotel. Obviously it is a luxury hotel, but earlier to a luxury hotel it was a place to relax for the kings and had a lot of different interiors. Lake Palace is an island palace located in Lake Pichola. The white marble walls and the extravagant structure of Lake Palace can be spotted from Lake Shores. Initially Lake Palace was called as Jagniwas or Jan Nivas, after the name of Maharana Jagat Singh II who built this alluring palace in 1746 & 1747.Initially it was built as a winter resort and was later served as a summer resort by the royal family, and now has been transformed as a luxury hotel. There are several movies that have been shot in this Palace namely Yeh Jawani Hai Deewani, The Fall, Yaadein, and The Jewel in the Crown, Octopussy, The Indian Tomb and The Tiger of Eschnapur.

4 KUMBHALGARH FORT –

Kumbhalgarh Fort was built in 15th century by Maharana Rana Kumbha. The fort is 1,914 meters above the sea level and has the second largest wall in the world of 36 kilometres. The Kumbhalgarh Fort is located in the Rajsamand District which is 64kms away from Udaipur. The Fort is equipped with 7 massive gates; there are more than 360 temples in the fort boundaries. The Rajput Hero: Maharana Pratap was born in the top most palace of the fort known as Badal Mahal. There are various concerts, festivals and Sound and Light shows organized by the Rajasthan Tourism Department annually. Kumbhalgarh is 82 kilometres away from Udaipur and lies in Rajsamand District and it is the birthplace of Maharana Pratap, the great warrior of the Mewar. It was built in the 15th century by Maharana Kumbha. In the late 19th century the fort was opened for the tourists. It is the important fort of mewar after Chittorgarh. Kumbhalgarh fort also has several memorials like Badva Bund, Lagan Baori, Gardens, Stores, Pleasure Pavilions and a Dam.

5 SAJJANGARH FORT –

The Sajjangarh Fort or Monsoon Palace was built by Maharana Sajjan Singh in 1884.The fort is located on a hill that is 3100 ft. above the sea level. Maharana Sajjan Singh’s main motive for building the Monsoon Palace was that it provided a panoramic view of the entire city, and because of the Palace’s location he could enjoy the Monsoon clouds closely. His plan was to build a 5-storey building but the construction was stopped after his unfortunate demise. Sajjangarh is now open for the public to visit; one has to pay Rs300 as entry fee for the Monsoon Palace. The location along with the Fort is must visit, as the wind swirling with the clouds and the breath-taking view cannot be missed. The white marble palace has high turrets and guards regulating each of the towers. The palace has a grand central court with a staircase and many rooms and quarters. The palace is built on marble pillars, which are carved with exquisite motifs of leaves and flowers. The walls are plastered with lime mortar. At night, the illuminated palace with the Rajasthani architecture comprising domes, fountains and jharokas gives it a fairy tale beauty.

6 CHITTORGARH FORT –

The Chittor Fort or Chittorgarh is one of the largest forts in India. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The fort was the capital of Mewar and is located in the present-day town of Chittorgarh. It sprawls over a hill 180 m (590.6 ft) in height spread over an area of 280 ha (691.9 acres) above the plains of the valley drained by the Breach River. The fort precinct has several historical palaces, gates, temples and two prominent commemorative towers. The Chittorgarh Fort was under the Rajput Kings initially, but later this fort faced 3 major battles that included Allaudin Khilji’s attack for Rani Padmini, Gujarat’s Sultan Bahadur Shah’s attack in 1535. Because of the battle situation, Maharana Udai Singh II shifted Mewar Kingdom’s capital to Udaipur. The fort contains 7 gates and underground cellars where the royal ladies performed Jauhar during the time of battles along with their children.