Royal Rajasthan
Rajasthan or the land of kings. As the name says, it is indeed royal. With grand palaces, hi-fi living standards and some scintillating monuments, Rajasthan is a place to visit. I recently travelled to Rajasthan and I'm glad I was able to tick it off my bucket list. However, that does not mean I would not go there again. There are so many other places which I missed. I would love to visit those places too. For now, let's jump into the places that I visited.
Introduction:
Rajasthan is the largest state in India by size. The capital of the state is Jaipur. The state is known famously for its Thar desert. And of course, the royal palaces and forts.
The state is well connected by rail, road and air. Lots of domestic flights ply from major cities like Mumbai, Delhi, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, etc. One can get lots of cabs outside the airports. There are many trains available too. Jaipur is a mere 250kms away from Delhi, making it a 4-5 hour journey. So, it is faster to reach Delhi.
Accommodation:
From budget hotels to luxury palaces, one may find all types of accommodation. Luxury palaces which are converted to hotels are available in major places like Jaipur, Jodhpur and Udaipur. Taj, Oberoi, Radisson, Lalit, Trident are some of the well-known luxury hotels present. Budget hotels starting from Rs. 1000/- per night are also available. There is no dearth for accommodation in Rajasthan. If you plan to go across the desert, you get tents to stay there as well.
Food:
If any one of you have tried Rajasthani food, you will know how grand it is. Being a vegetarian, I enjoyed food here. Jaipur, in fact, has more vegetarians than non-vegetarians. The food was tasty and delicious. However, I did miss south Indian food. Dal Bhati Churma is the food of the area. It tasted a lot better than anywhere else. I will cover the food places as and when I talk about the place.
I visited Jaipur, Jodhpur and Udaipur. So, I will take you these 3
places and try to provide a glimpse of the locations here.
JAIPUR:
Jaipur, the capital city of the state, is one the main business, industrial, cultural cities in the state. As I said, the city is very near to Delhi so the commute is easily available here. A lot of cabs and rickshaws also ply here, making local commute easy. Jaipur is one of the highly visited tourist places in India. We must have all heard about Hawa Mahal. Apart from that, there are a lot of other monuments here.
Hawa Mahal:
I bet most of them would have heard about this palace. This was built using pink sandstone and is on the outside of the city palace. This extends to the women chambers. This palace was mainly built for two reasons. One - this was a place where the women of the palace could view the activities and festivities of the city without being noticed by locals. Two - This had a big ventilation so cool breeze could blow across keeping the interiors cool. Hence the name Hawa (wind) Mahal.
(Hawa Mahal)
Albert Hall Museum:
This is the oldest museum in the state and holds many artefacts collected by the kings from across the world. This museum is named after King Albert Edward in 1876 and has been a museum since then. It was for the welcoming of this king, that the Jaipur was painted pink and has remained the same since.
The museum holds artefacts like carpets, swords, sculptures, clay pots, warfare, music instruments etc.
The main attraction here is an Egyptian mummy which was brought from Egypt.
(Shield depicting Ramayana)
(Egyptian Mummy)
(Hall inside the museum)
(Elevation of Albert Hall)
(View of Albert Hall)
City Palace:
The palace was built by Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II, who also constructed the city of Jaipur. This used to be a seat of power for the Jaipur royal family until 1949, when the state of Rajasthan was designed, and Jaipur was made the capital. However, the palace continues to be the residence of the royal family. Currently, some part of the palace is converted to museum and artefacts of the royal family are placed. There is a temple - Govind Dev ji - dedicated to Lord Krishna, which can be viewed directly from the palace. All the museums are maintained by the palace administration under the guidance of the royal family.
(Govind Dev temple)
(View of the palace)
(Entry to the palace)
(Rear view of the palace)
(Elevation of the palace)
(Diwan-e-khaas or the private durbar hall)
(Peacock gate)
(Silver urn with a capacity of 1000l which was used to store water from Ganges)
(Arrangement of guns and arrows)
(The courtyard)
(Textile museum)
Jantar Mantar:
Jantar Mantar translates to instruments and measurements. Meaning, using some instruments, there were scholars who could measure certain things. There are 5 Jantar Mantars in India and only one among them is working, which is in Jaipur. There is a huge sun dial through which one can find out the local time. There are other instruments which could tell the time, degree and star of a just born. The Jaipur royal family were involved in astrology and Jantar Mantar was the result.
(Another sun dial)
(Sun dial)
(Instruments related to astrology)
Amer Fort:
Also called the Amber fort, was initially the place of rule for the royal family. The fort was built by Maharaja Sawai Man Singh I in the sixteenth century. The fort holds a palace and other buildings like the Ganesh Pole, Diwan-e-khaas, Sheesh mahal (palace of mirrors), palaces for the queens among others. It is said that Jodha, wife of Mughal king Akbar, was born here too.
(View of Amer fort)
(Courtyard of the fort)
(Entrance to the palace)
(Sheesh Mahal)
(Lake Maota)
Jal Mahal:
Just like Hawa Mahal, a Jal Mahal was built, which was constructed in a lake surrounded by water. This was used during summers, with the waters cooling the palace. However, currently, the palace is not being used and left as is.
(Jal Mahal)
JODHPUR:
Jodhpur, also called the blue city, is around 350kms from Jaipur and is the second largest city after Jaipur. Historically, Jodhpur was the capital of the kingdom of Marwar. Jodhpur was found by Rao Jodha, who was a Rajput chief and from him started the Marwar kingdom. Jodhpur is strategically located along the route from Delhi to Gujarat so the location was favorable for trading. Jodhpur has enormous forts and palaces, and it is the beginning of the Thar desert. Let me take you through to some of the popular places here.
(View of the blue city)
Jaswant Thada:
Jaswant Thada is a cenotaph in Jodhpur. A cenotaph is an empty tomb erected in honour of a person. Jaswant Thada was constructed by Maharaja Sardar Singh in memory of his father Maharaja Jaswant Singh. It is also called as mini-Taj Mahal by the locals. The building is constructed using marble and is a marvellous piece of architecture. This place also serves as the cremation ground for the royal family of the Marwar kingdom. The entrance to this place is greeted by a rock lake, a permanent lake amid rocks, filled with water from rain.
(Jaswant Thada)
(Marble construction)
(Multiple cenotaphs)
(Rock lake at the entrance)
(View of the Jodhpur city)
Mehrangarh Fort:
Mehrangarh Fort was constructed by Rao Jodha and is located on a hilltop. Curve roads lead to the fort from the city. The fort was seen in the backdrop in the popular Hindi series Bandish Bandits. The fort has multiple gates known as 'pol'. Once you enter the fort, you can catch an elevator to move up to the second floor from where your tour starts. You gradually walk down back to the exit, seeing various relics and artefacts. The fort holds many relics used during the Marwar rule. The Marwar paintings are an attraction here. The fort also has Chamunda temple, which the kings used to worship during their rule and is still worshipped now.
(View of Mehrangarh fort)
(Dancing mantap)
(Sheesh Mahal)
(Darbar hall)
(Entry to the fort)
Umaid Bhavan Palace:
Umaid Bhavan Palace, named after Maharaja Umaid Singh, is one of the largest private residences in the country. This is one of the newer palaces. The construction was started in 1929 and the palace was completed in 1943. It still serves as the private residence of the Marwar royal family. Part of the palace is converted to a museum, while another part is a hotel. The museum holds many relics; however, vintage cars and clocks are an attraction here.
(Entrance to the palace)
(View of the palace)
(Peacock in marble)
(Throne of the king)
UDAIPUR:
Udaipur, also called the land of lakes and the white city, was found by Maharana Udai Singh. Udaipur was the capital of Mewar. Initially, the Mewar kingdom was set in Chittorgarh. However, when the Mughal king Akbar captured it, Maharana Udai Singh had to flee, and he found the city of Udaipur. Today, Udaipur is the city of lakes, with many artificial huge lakes inside the vicinity. Udaipur is surrounded by Aravali hills and is far from the desert, thus, making the weather slightly cooler. There are a lot of places to visit in Udaipur. Let me show you a few of them.
Fateh Sagar Lake:
Fateh Sagar Lake is an artificial lake on the north-west side of the city. Within the lake, there are a couple of islands. One of them is the Nehru Park and another is a solar observatory. There are fountains too in the lake, which increase its beauty. A walk around the park, especially in the evenings, is graceful with the cool breeze and sunset. Boating is available here. One can hire a speed boat or a normal boat for a ride in the lake.
(Sunset at Fateh Sagar)
(Fountains at the lake)
(Nehru Park)
(Colors of the sky at the lake)
Maharana Pratap Smarak or Moti Mogri:
Probably, the most famous and the fiercest warrior among the Mewar kings was Maharana Pratap Singh. His statue in bronze, sitting on his favorite horse, Chetak, is installed on a small hillock called Moti Magri or the pearl hill, along the Fateh Sagar lake. One can go up the hill and get the view of Udaipur city as well the Fateh Sagar lake. There is also a museum which has a model that depicts the battle at Haldighati. This war is revered among the Rajputs here. There is also a model of the Kumbalgarh and Chittorgarh fort.
(Statue of Maharana Pratap Singh atop Chetak)
(View of Fateh Sagar lake)
(A small fort on the hill)
Saheliyon ki Bari:
This is a small garden constructed by Rana Sangram Singh and presented to his wife. It is said that this garden was constructed only for the queen and her maids, so that they could enjoy. This garden has a showering fountain, which is called bin baarish barsaat (rain without actual rain). The fountain has a continuous shower of water, which the queen and her maids used for bathing and play purposes.
(Entrance to the garden)
(Bin Baarish barsaat)
(Fountains in the garden)
(Walkway in the garden)
Karni Matha temple:
The Karni Matha temple is located on an another hill near Doodh Talai. The view from the hill gives a full and panoramic view of the whole city of Udaipur. The main attraction here is the ropeway which is the only other way to climb up the hill, the other way being walk. Vehicles are not allowed near the hill or temple, hence, the place is clean and non-polluted.
(Ropeway to Karni Matha temple)
(View of Doodh Talai, Lake Pichola and city palace)
(View of Udaipur city)
City Palace:
This is a large palace complex consisting of multiple smaller palaces within it. The palace construction was started in 1553 by Maharana Udai Singh. Later on, with many contributions from succeeding rulers, the complex grew in size. The palace overlooks Lake Pichola. There is also a lake palace inside the Lake Pichola, which is now converted to a hotel. The entrance to the lake palace is from the city palace. The palace is still the royal residence of the Mewar royal family. This place is also seen in many movies like the Octopussy and The Dark Knight rises.
(City of Udaipur as seen from the palace)
(The courtyard)
(The golden sun - worshipped by the kings)
(The Mor Chowk - where coronation of kings took place and the women could view the ceremony from these small windows)
(Mantap where ceremonies like marriages are conducted)
(External view of the palace)
(Lake palace inside Lake Pichola)
Badi lake:
The Badi lake is located on the outskirts of the city, about 12km from the city center. This is a much less visited place and is very calm and serene. No commercial activity is done here. There is a small embankment, on which one can have a good walk.
(View of Badi lake)
(Pathway for walking)
Other places of interest (and food too):
While I have covered the popular places and the ones I visited, there are a few more which I would like to add. I visited some of them below (and you see the pictures for those) while some I haven't and would like to do so sometime.Ajmer Dargah:
The Ajmer Dargah or the Sharif Dargah is one of the most venerated sites especially in the Islam culture. The dargah is the tomb of the popular Sufi saint, Moinuddin Chishti. He is regarded as a great saint and has been worshipped since the 13th century. Since it is a popular place, it is tough to get inside. Use of rickshaws definitely help as they take you very near to the dargah, from where the approach is quite easy.
(Entrance to dargah)
(Shrine of the Sharif)
Pushkar:
Pushkar is another major religious site for the Hindus. This is about 10kms from Ajmer. Pushkar and Ajmer are located on either side of the Aravali hill range. Here, the one and only Brahma temple is located. However, the main attraction is the Pushkar lake. It is said that Trimurthi (three Gods) - Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva took a dip in this lake and hence is very sacred. The pooja is done to this lake and not in any temple here. There are thousands of temples in Pushkar. A dip in the lake is said to provide moksha or salvation to ancestors. There is also a Savithri temple, located on a hill which can be accessed via a ropeway. Pushkar is famous for its rose gardens. The roses here bear fragrances and is transported to Ajmer to be worshipped in the dargah. Rose gulkand is a must buy here.
(Pushkar lake)
(Brahma temple)
P.S - Be careful about the donations being requested in Pushkar and the huge rush in Ajmer dargah.
Ranakpur temple:
Ranakpur Jain temple is one of the best temples that I have seen. The temple was constructed in the 15th century and honors the first Tirthankar, Adinath. The temple is built using white marble and is very well maintained. One cannot say that this is a 15th century temple. Ranakpur is located in Pali district and is on the way to Udaipur from Jodhpur. This is a must visit place when you visit Udaipur. Unfortunately, mobiles and cameras are not allowed inside and thus there is no picture from inside of the temple.
(View of the Ranakpur Jain temple)
Some other places that can be visited are mentioned below:
- Osian - 60kms from Jodhpur. Known for desert experience, tent camps, dune bashing
- Chittorgarh Fort - 120kms from Udaipur. Known famously for the johar site of Queen Padmini. The fort served as the kingdom of Mewar initially.
- Kumbalgarh Fort - 85kms from Udaipur. One of the largest forts in the country. This fort was also under the rule of Mewar kings.
- Mount Abu - 180kms from Udaipur. A hill station in Rajasthan. Popularly visited during summer to enjoy the cool weather here.
- Haldighati - 50kms from Udaipur. One of the most revered battles between the Mewar kingdom and Jaipur kings, Haldighati was the battlefield of this battle. This is a worthwhile visit.
- Monsoon palace - Sajjangarh holds the monsoon palace of the Mewar kings. It is located on a hill about 12kms from Udaipur.
- Eklingji temple - A temple dedicated to Lord Shiva. Located about 20kms from Udaipur. Can be combined to visit this, Haldighati and Kumbalgarh.
- Choki Daani - 20kms from Jaipur. Represents the village and heritage culture of Rajasthan. Puppet shows, dance shows and local food can be enjoyed here.
Chandra Shahi Samosa:
What use is a trip without tasting the local food? So, we did go with a taste for the local food. One such stall is the Chandra Shahi Samosa. This is a place for namkeen, meaning snacks. Hot onion samosas, onion kachoris, mirchi vada are the famous snacks here. This is in Jodhpur and this should not be missed.
(Onion Kachori)
Bhatti Dal Bhati:
Dal Bhati churma is a local food of Rajasthan. Eaten all over the state, this is very nutritious and prepared with wheat. This food tastes next level if eaten at a local place than any other big restaurant. One such restaurant is the Bhatti Dal Bhati in Jodhpur. Prepared with desi ingredients and served with desi ghee, the food is mouth-watering and stomach filling.
(Dal Bhati)
Pandit ji ki Lemon tea:
This is one place that should never be missed when in Udaipur. This place is located just opposite Saheliyon ki Bari garden. The lemon tea is custom made with multiple masala powders. The taste is mind blowing. The tea is of medicinal value and helps clear throat related problems, acidity and indigestion.
(Pandit ji ki Lemon tea stall)
(Lemon tea)
