Bigg Boss 11 famed Sapna Choudhary in Udaipur’s Wedding!
RJ Piyush Meghwal of KP Events on 9th March 2018 brought the Bigg Boss 11 famed and popular Haryanvi singer Sapna Choudhary to Udaipur in a grand wedding. This is the first time ever that Sapna Choudhary made her presence in a wedding. It is her debut public appearance in the City of Lakes, Udaipur.
Hosted by RJ Himanshu, the couple Jignesh and Bhavika insisted on having the celebrity at their wedding extravaganza. RJ Piyush Meghwal did an experiment that went successful and Sapna Choudhary agreed to fly over to the City of Lakes.
Other artists who performed at the wedding apart from Sapna Choudhary are Ranjit Randhawa and OCP Bhangra Troupe who specialize in providing Bhangra Dance groups. Sapna’s huge fanbase was delighted at the wedding to know that the celebrity is visiting.
This is the first time in Udaipur that a Bigg Boss Contestant is making an appearance at a wedding.
Udaipur has witnessed star-studded wedding several times in the history. The city has become a hub and sought-after venue for destination weddings and celebrity weddings as it is lined with beautiful luxe hotels which serve as a perfect place to tie the holy knots.
The Event was planned and managed by KP Events & Entertainment (Piyush Meghwal). KP Events & Entertainment is an Udaipur-based company concentrating on tailored wedding experiences. Its specialty is destination weddings with personalized and themed finery and details.
Sapna danced on “Chand Mera- Ghunghat Ki Oth”, a latest New Haryanvi Song of the year 2018. Her latest songs are ‘Tu Chiz Lajawab’, ‘Teri Ankhiya Ka Yo Kaajal’, ‘Bandook Maregi’, ‘Mai Teri Nachai Nachu’ and ‘English Medium’.
She also shook legs with the family members of the bride and groom. Have a look at the dance Sapna performed at the wedding:
Earlier Sapna Choudhary has appeared in weddings in Gujarat’s Surat. But this was the first time in Udaipur where she appeared in public to dance with the family of the newlywed.
Udaipur is famous all over the globe due to its beautiful lakes. But did you know that these lakes are interconnected and maintain a remarkable channel system? One, if residing in Udaipur, must know how and why these lakes are interconnected!
When I first came to know that these lakes are interconnected, I was surprised and filled with awe. How can such huge water bodies be connected and made by the then rulers; this was the question I wanted to have an answer to. So, I went on for a deep search and came up with the following piece. Have a read.
Udaipur’s System of Lakes
The Lakes form a chain in the saucer-shaped valley of Udaipur. The inner Girwa plain of Udaipur is surrounded by the western and central Aravali hills, and its water drains into the Ahar (Ayad) River.
Some 425 years ago Udaipur’s system of lakes was considered a role model of rainwater management. As early as 1582, the Maharanas of the former state of Mewar started digging out Lake Pichola for gathering up bottom sediments and widening to make it suitable as an irrigation and drinking source. In 1890, Maharana Fateh Singh inaugurated a project that geography professor Narpat Singh Rathore of Udaipur’s Mohanlal Sukhadia University calls the “the world’s first man-made microsystem of river diversion, linkage and watershed management,” the result of which constitutes the current system of interconnected and gradually descending lakes.
Indeed, the rulers of Udaipur were convinced of the importance of water. So, they had built several dams and water ponds. These are evidence of reservoir engineering, developed at that time.
Prominent Lakes of Udaipur
The famous lakes of the city are Pichola lake, Fatehsagar, Doodh Talai, Govardhan Sagar, Badi (tiger lake or Jiyan Sagar), Rangsagar and Swaroop Sagar and Udaisagar, Madaar Lakes are major lakes in Udaipur. These lakes have served as a lifeline for many centuries for Udaipur.
Some facts about Udaipur, the city of lakes
Udaipur gets an annual rainfall of 640 mm.
Besides this, the city gets the runoff from the surrounding hills that the city planners had decided to catch and store in several lakes and tanks which feed the irrigation channels over several hectares.
Since all these lakes are interconnected, overflow from one goes to the next, making it the best example in rainwater harvesting and management. The water itself equals its level as these lakes are interconnected.
The creation of the lakes of Udaipur
In the mid-16th century, according to one legend, the beauty of the Pichola lake mesmerized Maharana Udai Singh, the then ruler of Mewar, who decided to build his new capital on its banks. Surrounded by Aravali hills, the site provided a natural defense against the forces of Akbar, who had captured Chittorgarh, the then capital of Mewar.
Udai Singh got a dam built on the Berach (Ayad) river to ensure an adequate supply of water for irrigation. The reservoir was named Udai Sagar and became the first line of defense against any attack from the east. Fateh Sagar was built in 1687 to collect the runoff from the surrounding hills for irrigation in the villages around it. The Lake Badi was constructed by Maharaja Raj Singh in 1643 A.D. for recreation purpose. Subsequently were made, the other lakes of Udaipur by the ruling kings of that era.
Besides these, there were 121 bawdis of which 83 have dried up.
How are these lakes connected: A glimpse of the best water harvesting system deployed!
Fatehsagar has a very small catchment of its own and is fed by Lake Badi, Chota and Bada Madaar. The overflow from the Bada and Chota Madaar merge with the Ayar river. The Ayar river feeds Udaisagar several kilometers downstream. The overflow from Lake Badi directly merges with Fatehsagar. The overflow from Pichola (and from parts of Pichola) flows into Fatehsagar, and the overflow from Fatehsagar flows into the Ayar through a canal before it enters Udaisagar. Below Pichola and Fatehsagar are numerous wells and bawdi (stepwells), which were the only source of drinking water, back then. With this web of lakes and wells, most of the rain falling within the Udaipur basin was kept within the basin itself, with very little losses making it a remarkable rain water harvesting system.
Let us now read a detailed description of how these lakes are interconnected!
The Ayad Berach
Ayad the mainstream of river Banas rises begins from the Girwa ranges of Aravalli situated to the north of Udaipur City. Ayad river flows through Bedla up to Udai Sagar Lake, in which it falls. It is the primary river of the Udaipur basin. Beyond Udai Sagar up to Dabok village, the river passes through a distance of about 75.5 km and is named as Udai Sagar ka Nala.
Subsequently known as Berach, the river runs for another 70 km towards the northeast and finally merges into river Banas, near Bigod in the Bhilwara district, which is a stream of Chambal river. In other words, near Chittorgarh, it obtains the water of Gambhiri river, then it turns northeast, and after running for about 190 km, it joins river Banas at the place known as Triveni Sangam near the village Bigod.
Lake Pichola
Lake Pichola was first created by a Banjara (Tribe), in the 14 century A.D., and later on, was extended to Rang Sagar and Swaroop Sagar and finally was connected to Fateh Sagar by Rana Udai Singh.
Spurce: benoy thapa
Water spread of the lake is 6.96 sq. km and it has a maximum depth of 10.5 m towards the west where the Kotra River drains into the lake. The lake is the main source of drinking water. The Sisarma River, a tributary of Kotra, is the major source of water to the lake.
It is almost triangular in shape with its base is along the City Palace edge. It was renewed and enlarged in 1559 A.D. The lake is extended towards the north and south forming a smaller lake, viz. Doodh Talai.
Parts of Lake Pichola:
Swaroop Sagar
Swaroop Sagar lake is sited in the south of Rang Sagar and it is a part of Lake Pichola. It was constructed during 1845–1850 A.D. The lake offers a combined water dam for Pichola and Rang Sagar. The lake also links Pichola and Rang Sagar with adjoining Fateh Sagar Lake through a canal. In monsoon, this canal is sometimes used to draw water in Fateh Sagar from Pichola Lake when Pichola reaches a high-water level.
Source: My Udaipur City
Rang Sagar and Kumhariya Talab
Rang Sagar has an average depth of 7 m, but its width is about 245 m, its westward expansion is known as Kumhariya Talab. Rang Sagar lake was constructed by Amar Singh Badava and is also called “Amarkund” after him. Constructed in 1668, it is one of the smallest lakes along the western waterfront of Udaipur and connects Pichola and Swaroop Sagar.
Lake Fateh Sagar
Fateh Sagar is a pear-like shaped lake situated in the north-western part of the city and almost in the central west of the basin covering an area of 12.88 sq. km. The lake was constructed in the year 1678 AD and then renovated in 1889 AD by Maharana Fateh Singh. Although essentially constructed for the irrigational purpose, this water body has lately formed the second major source of drinking water for the city of Udaipur.
The main feeder canal of the lake comes from Madar positioned at a higher altitude about 15 km from Udaipur City. Lake Fateh Sagar is also connected to the adjoining Lake Pichola through a canal having gates. The runoff emerging from surrounding hillocks drains into this lake.
Udai Sagar
It is one of the largest lakes of the Udaipur basin constructed by Maharana Udai Singh in 1559 A.D. and named after him; this lake is situated in the far south-east of this basin. The lake was built by building a stonework dam on the river Berach. This lake forms the last lake in the chain of Udaipur lake system. The main source of water for the lake is a tributary of the river Berach popularly called Ayar which passes through the city of Udaipur and joins Udai Sagar near the village Sukha Naka. Besides this, several small seasonal rivers and streams arising from the nearby hills also enter the lake.
Source: My-Udaipur-City
Badi
This lake was constructed by Maharaja Raj Singh in 1643 A.D. for leisure purpose. The total length of the canal is measured as 3,300 m which are constructed for supplying water to the nearby areas, namely, Badi, Liyo ka Guda, Hawala Khurd and Dewali villages. The full level of the lake is 9.76 m. Almost no supply of water is rendered from this lake.
Source: TripAdvisor
Bada Madaar- Chota Madaar
Both these lakes supply water to the Fateh Sagar Lake located within the municipal limits of Udaipur City through Chikalwas feeder also known as Madar Nahar or Madar Canal.
Goverdhan Sagar
Goverdhan Sagar is the smallest artificial lake of all the major lakes of the basin lies in the south. The length of the canals of this lake is also scanty, extending over an area of only 3,750 m. It also receives water from Pichola through a link canal.
Source: Saurabh-Patwari-Photography
Aren’t you amazed to read about it! Our ancestors showed a high level of planning and development. Udaipur’s Lake System is indeed considered to be the best and top-notch system in water management and rainwater harvesting. Maybe, this is the sole reason why the city is greener, peaceful and beautiful even after being near the desert region of Rajasthan.
The information is curated from valid sources and is not fabricated under any influence or otherwise.
BUBBLE, with a runtime of twenty minutes, is the first film to have been shot in the new IIM Udaipur campus in Balicha and includes cast and crew members consisting of the Student Community of IIMU. The film has already won awards at the National Short-Film Making competition held at Nirma University, Ahmedabad, in the Best Story and Best Cinematography categories.
The film has been produced by Happy Hours Entertainment, founded by Saradindu Naskar, a student of the PGP 2016-18 batch of IIMU, who has also written, edited and directed the film.
Happy Hour Entertainment recognizes the power of ideas and aims to improve human life with stories that incite transformation.
BUBBLE is a psychological thriller constructed around the concept of Apophenia and uses a layered narrative to amalgamate multiple threads in the story.
We all are aware of Sajja Niwas Garden or Gulab Bagh. But do you know that there is a museum inside a Mahal known as Navlakha Mahal in Gulab Bagh? Let us have an insight of what Navlakha Mahal is.
About Navlakha Mahal
Navlakha Mahal is situated in the heart of Gulab Bagh, which was established in the 19th century. This is a place of pilgrimage for Arya Samaj followers. Maharishi Dayanand, a remarkable sage, and reformer who brought Vedic learning to India, was a profound scholar of Vedas and scriptures and a perfect Yogi. Maharishi Dayanand came to Udaipur on August 10th, 1882. He visited the City of Lakes on the request of Maharana Sajjan Singh, the 72nd ruler of the Mewar Kingdom. The Navlakha Mahal was once the royal guest house of the Maharana.
Source: tripadvisor
Maharishi remained in the city for almost six and a half months and stayed in Navlakha Mahal. In this holy Navlakha Mahal, Maharishi Dayanand accomplished the writing of his greatest manuscript, Satyarth Prakash. This Satyarth Prakash was his protocol for human life. He wrote it for the welfare of mankind and also for conveying divine knowledge to the people.
Source: Rajasthan Tourism
Inside Navlakha Mahal Museum
Forgotten for years, this palace was in a decaying state when Shrimad Dayanand Satyarth Prakash Nyas (trust) began renovating it.
Source: Rajasthan Tourism
Musical fountains have been installed in the inner chowk of the palace, that dance to the tunes of hymns in his praise. Here, once Maharishi spoke on spiritual and religious topics daily to the people of the city and to the Maharaja.
Source: The Arya Samaj
There is also a yajnashala where yajnas, including mass yajnas accompanied by the chanting of Vedic hymns and vedkathas, are performed every day in the morning and evening.
The 1st floor of the palace contains a picture gallery where 67 oil paintings portray Maharishi’s life, from birth to his spiritual enlightenment.
A 14-angled and 14-story ‘Satyarth Prakash Stambh’ or tower is also installed at the writing chamber of Swami Dayanand Saraswati.
A hall in one side of the courtyard houses a Vedic library and reading room. All 23 translations of Satyarth Prakash–including Sanskrit, French, German, Swahili, Arabic, and Chinese are available inside it. Revolving glass cases display Satyarth Prakash and the important Vedic texts.
Source: The Arya Samaj
The Shrimad Dayanand Satyarth Prakash trust also operates a ‘Ved Prachar’ vehicle to spread Vedic knowledge among the people. The vehicle is equipped with a multimedia projector, books and other materials used for promoting the preaching of Maharishi Dayanand.
Udaipur is a beautiful and picturesque city; having a backdrop of the Aravali Ranges and so many lakes in the city. Apart from this, the city is lush green and offers a lot of places to hang out. Family outings or a kids’ day out, Udaipur has a lot of Gardens and Parks to celebrate a day. Here, we are listing the major gardens and parks in Udaipur.
Saheliyon Ki Bari (Garden of Maidens)
Source: mygola.com
The Garden of Maidens, better known as Saheliyon ki Bari this is one of the major and large gardens in Udaipur. It is a famous tourist spot as well. Built by Rana Sangram Singh during 1710 to 1734, it has many beautiful fountains, a famous lotus pool, and marble elephants that define the royal architecture of that era. As per the legend, the king presented this garden to his queen. The queen with her 48 maidens used to come here for a walk and for having a leisure time.
Gulab Bagh (Sajjan Niwas Garden)
Source: Udaipurblog
One of the largest gardens in Udaipur, Gulab Bagh spreads over 100 acres of land. It gets its name because of countless varieties of roses that it had. It was built by Maharana Sajjan Singh in 1850’s and hence it is also known as Sajjan Niwas Garden. It is a beautiful place away from the bustle of the city. The area is lush green and experiences cool temperatures. It previously had a zoo as well, which is not functional.
Rajiv Gandhi Park
Source: My Udaipur City
An addition to the parks in Udaipur, Rajiv Gandhi Park. It was built in memory of Late Shri Rajiv Gandhi; this garden was inaugurated on 8th may 2008. It is situated overlooking Fatehsagar Lake, near the end of Rani Road. It is a well-maintained garden with children’s park and a food court. There is a nominal entrance fee for this park.
Nehru Garden
Source: PixelDo
This beautiful island park, located in the middle of Fatehsagar Lake was inaugurated in 1967. This oval-shaped island covers an area of 41 acres and has a beautiful garden with a lily pond along with pyramid shaped water fountain which resembles Brindavan Garden of Mysore. The garden is accessible through a boat ride only.
Sajjangarh Biological Park
Source: UdaipurTimes
Opened in the year 2015, this zoological park is developed over an area of 36 hectares, with a budget of 21.70 Crore rupees. It includes different varieties of birds and animals, which have been brought from different parts of the world. You can have a detailed knowledge of the Biological Park, Here.
Guru Gobind Singh Park
Situated opposite to the periphery of the Fatehsagar Lake, Guru Gobind Singh Park is one of the oldest parks in Udaipur. Lately, an open gym was constructed in the park premises for public use. There are various swings, amusement, and recreational activities for the kids at the park. People of every age come to this park all round the day and experience beauty amidst the greenery.
Manikya Lal Verma Garden (Doodh Talai Garden)
Source: Wikiwand
When you drive uphill to Karni Mata stairs, the Doodh Talai Garden starts. The garden was once a beautiful one and held various school picnics; was also a spot for family outings as well. There are various slides and swings for kids. The garden is huge and has various fountains in the course of the lush green pathways. Not just this, you can spot a large variety of flora there. Neatly manicured gardens are its beauty spot and attract a lot of people.
Pratap Park
Source: Howling Pixel
The latest addition to the list of parks in Udaipur is the Pratap Park, inaugurated in February 2017. It is located on the southern boundaries of Lake Pichola. The Pratap Park has become a new favorite spot for the youth of Udaipur and has a huge sculpture reading “I LOVE UDAIPUR” which is the main attraction of the park. Also, it has an open gymnasium.
Sanjay Garden
Source: HolidayIQ
It was built in the memory of late politician Sanjay Gandhi. The park is a spot of amusement for the local people living in that area. It gives an amazing view of the Lake Fatehsagar and you can spot some birds and ducks from the back side of this park as well. It had a fountain in the middle of the park which is non-functional right now.
Moti Magri
Source: TripAdvisor
Moti Magri is located atop a hill near the Lake Fatehsagar and was constructed in the memory of Maharana Pratap. A bronze statue of Maharana Pratap and his horse Chetak is erected in the middle of the garden. The road to the main garden crosses several other small gardens built in the memory of various warriors and Rajput kings. It is a beautiful garden and has a nominal entry ticket to it.
Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay Park (Musical Fountain Garden)
Source: Swan Tours
Ideal for a family outing, the musical fountain garden was inaugurated in the year 2004. The place is quite peaceful and you can spend a lot of quality time with nature here. The gardens are well-manicured and a lot of people drop by this place to spend a nice evening, watching the sunset.
Vibhuti Park
Located at the hot-spot of Udaipur city, the Fatehsagar Paal is the Vibhuti Park. Studded with lots of fountains, grass, and trees, this park is an ideal place for diving into nature. There is no entry ticket to this place, it was inaugurated in the year 2014. Not many people are aware of this place is often found bare or uninhabited.
Wolkem Garden
Image Courtesy: Fouzia Mirza
One of the gardens in Udaipur is the Wolkem Garden which has gardens constructed in steps. The park is huge and has many amusement and recreational activities for the kids. The garden also has a lot of fountains and well-maintained lawns. The place is an ideal location for hosting school picnics and family outings.
Listed above are the major gardens and parks in Udaipur, in addition to these, there are various other small parks and gardens which add to the beauty of the city.
If you think any other park or garden must be added to this list, do share so that we can update the list.
Ask any Udaipurite and they will tell you what the City of Lakes means to them. The love for the city is immense when we talk to the people of the city. Udaipur is a beautiful and scenic city, encompassed by lush Aravali Ranges. The lakes of Udaipur are interconnected, forming a unique lake system. The city sits amidst the peaceful milieu of a dense thicket and people from all over the globe come and experience the tranquil.
Photo Courtesy: Lala Deen Dayal
History of Udaipur
In 1553, Maharana Udai Singh shifted his capital from Chittorgarh to a fertile valley region which later got its name as Udaipur. How did his happen? Let’s read further!
This valley was famous in the past for Ayad (Ahar River) for being a bustling trade town in Mewar region. But Ayad was flood-prone. He foresaw that Bahadur Shah or the campaign of Sher Shah Suri may arise.
Maharana Udai Singh had realized the advantages of the hilly areas when he was residing in exile at Kumbhalgarh. He decided to move his capital to a secured place and chose the eastern side of Lake Pichola. This was the place where he had met a hermit, Goswami Premgiriji while hunting in the ranges. The hermit blessed him to build a palace at the shoreline of the Lake, now known as Pichola. So, he decided to shift the capital from Chittaurgarh to Girwa Valley.
Photo Courtesy: Lala Deen Dayal
The valley, at the eastern part of the Aravalli Hill Range, was fed by two perennial rivers -Ayad and Sisarma, they merge further downstream to form Bedach River. This strategically located Girwa valley was endowed with a natural defense system, which made it as an ideal location for human settlement. Further, there was the lake Pichola which could suffice the water needs of his people. Also, the hills of Aravalli provided natural fortification and the hilly region made it difficult for armored Mughal horses to climb.
The foundation day
Taking all aspects into consideration Maharana Udai Singh founded the city on the auspicious Aakhaa-Teej day of 1553 CE (Akshay Tritiya, Vaishaakh Sudi Teej, Saturday- April 15, 1553).
Photo Courtesy: Lala Deen Dayal
In 1567, when Mughal Empire was threatening Mewar and captured Chittorgarh fort, Udai Singh built a large, six-kilometer long wall to protect Udaipur from attacks. The wall had seven gates. Even today, this region is called as the walled cityof Udaipur.
Mughal Emperors Akbar (1576) and later on by Aurangzeb (1680) attacked the city and the city’s terrain proved to be an advantage for the Maharana.
Maharana Udai Singh also constructed a major masonry dam to the east of the capital city which he named after him as Udaisagar.
After the change of the Capital
The Maharana encouraged people of all castes & communities to settle in the new city for which he liberally granted lands.
The nobles and traders also settled here with the construction of their havelis, while the general masses constructed ordinary houses. Step wells were also constructed in addition to the bathing ghats on Pichola’s banks.
Photo Courtesy: Lala Deen Dayal
Maharana Jagat Singh-I (1628-1652) further added more rooms to the Palace that Maharana Udai Singh built and further developed Jagmandir island palace and temples in the city. Over the centuries, four more water bodies were added to Pichola to its north- Amar Kund, Rang Sagar, Kumbhariya Talab (an extension to Swaroop), Swaroop Sagar.
What happened after the Mughals?
Later on, when Mughal Empire became weak, Sisodia called upon themselves independent and reasserted Udaipur and other areas of Mewar except for Chittorgarh. Though Mughals tried to recapture Udaipur and its nearby areas, it remained by the Sisodias until it became a princely state under British control.
Photo Courtesy: Lala Deen Dayal
Today, Shriji Arvind Singh Mewar is the 76th custodian of Mewar Dynasty.
Quick Facts about the City of Lakes Udaipur
Area: 64 sq. km
Date of establishment: In the year 1553
Founded by: Maharana Udai Singh
Location: Southern part of Rajasthan state
How to reach:
By air- Maharana Pratap Airport Udaipur,
By rail- Udaipur railway station
By road- Ahmedabad (256 km), Chittorgarh (115km), Alwar (348 km) Jaipur (418 km), Jodhpur (255 km), Kota (248 km) and Jaisalmer (508 km),
Best time to Visit: September to March
Languages Spoken: Hindi, English, and Rajasthani (Mewari)
Famous delicacies: Daal Baati Choorma, Baajre ki Khichdi, and more.
Source: andbeyond
City Overview:
The city of Udaipur located in the southern part of the state of Rajasthan, near the Gujarat border. The abundance of lakes and the Aravalli Range that acts as a border and separate the city from the Thar desert makes the city differ in the climate as well as terrain.
Udaipur is known as the City of Lakes and indeed the phrase used is correct. Udaipur has a number of lakes and often people get confused in counting the exact number! Well, the whole city is beautifully lined by various lakes and parts of the city also experience the Ayad river crossing under the several bridges. The vicinity of the city is so tranquil that one might get totally mesmerized by it. So, coming back to the question; let’s find out how many lakes are in Udaipur.
The famous ones:
These lakes are the ones which are the biggest and lie in close proximity from the city center. Not only this, these ones are the most visited by tourists and locals.
Fateh Sagar Lake
Fateh Sagar Lake is the second artificial lake of Udaipur after Jaisamand lake. It was built in 1678 by Maharana Jai Singh. Then in 1889, Maharana Fateh Singh built the “Connaught Dam,” near ‘Dewali’ and subsequently the dam enlarged the lake, and hence was renamed after the King Maharana Fateh Singh.
Fatehsagar Lake in monsoon
Attractions at the Lake Fateh Sagar:
Boating
Food Bazaar
Camel and Horse Rides
Several parks for recreational activities.
Pichola Lake
Pichola Lake is the oldest and one of the largest lakes in Udaipur. Most of the luxurious hotels are in this area and has the massive City Palace standing on the banks. The Taj Lake Palace resting in the middle of the waters of the Lake Pichola is an eye-pleasing sight. The name ‘Pichola’ has two legends behind it, that you can read here.
Source: MakeMyTrip
Attractions at the Pichola Lake:
Boating
Visit Jag Mandir
Visit Taj Lake Palace
Innumerable eateries surrounding the lake
Badi Lake
Situated near the Village Badi, the lake is also called by the name Jiyan Sagar named after Jana Devi, the mother of Maharana Raj Singh who built the lake. It sprawls in an area of 155 sq. km. and the embankment of the lake extends wide in area. It also boasts three beautiful ‘chattris’.
Source: gajendra kumawat
Attractions at the Badi Lake:
Boating
Badi ‘Paal’
Udai Sagar
Udaisagar Lake is located at a distance of about 13 km in the east of Udaipur. The construction of this lake was started in 1559 by Maharana Udai Singh. Completed in 1565, the Maharana constructed a dam on Berach River to guarantee ample supply of water in his kingdom and Udai Sagar was the result of this Dam.
Source: My Udaipur City
The lake gets its name from the Maharana who built it.
Other Lakes:
These lakes the branches or links to the larger ones in the city. While these are smaller than the above-mentioned ones they have their equal charm.
Swaroop Sagar
Source: udaipurblog
This small artificial lake created by Maharana Swaroop Singh gets its name from him. It is also known as Kumharia Talab. Swaroop Sagar is located near Chand Pol adjoining Rangsagar (which is a branch of Pichola Lake). Kumharia Talab or Swaroop Sagar is connected with Lake Pichola and Lake Fateh Sagar.
Dhoodh Talai
Source: Venuezz
Doodh Talai is a small lake near Pichola Lake. Doodh Talai (meaning milk pond) fulfilled the basic needs of cows that were present in government cow shelters (Raajakeey Goshalas) that met the requirement of milk in the royal kitchen. The freshwater reservoir was primarily meant for the Royal concern.
Purohito ka Talab
Source: patrika
‘Purohito ka Talab’ is being developed as a new destination for tourists. It is located at a distance of about 12 kilometers from Udaipur, in Amberi Panchayat which is also known as Mini Jaisalmer. The Reddish-Orange Chattris are a major attraction there.
Goverdhan Sagar
Source: Saurabh Patwari Photography
Located on the outskirts of Udaipur this place is less visited by the tourists or locals due to its distance from the city center. However, the local government bodies have worked a lot towards making it a hot-spot. A ship (structure) was also installed in the water to attract people. The people residing in the nearby colonies do come and enjoy evenings at the Goverdhan Sagar.
Madaar (Chota-Bada)
Source: Udaipurblog
The Main source of water in Fatehsagar is the Madaar Lake (Chhota). These two water bodies (and must be counted as two different lakes) are known under a single name ‘Madaar’ and colloquially people refer to them as ‘Chota Madaar’ and ‘Badaa Madaar’ meaning small and large Madaar. Water comes from Madar Lake and Swaroop Sagar Link Channel to fill up the lake Fatehsagar.
The nearby ones:
Jaisamand Lake
Source: rajasthan direct
Jaisamand Lake is the second largest artificial lake in Asia. It is situated at a distance of approximately 51 km from the city of Udaipur. The lake is also known as Dhebar Lake. It was built by Maharana Jai Singh while making a dam on the Gomti River in the year 1685. He kept the name of the lake Jaisamand after his known name; Jaisamand means ‘Ocean of Victory’.
Rajsamand Lake
Source: Hemant Paliwal
Located 66 km north of Udaipur, Rajsamand Lake lies between Rajnagar and Kankroli districts. It is also known as Rajsamudra Lake. The lake was a result of a dam constructed across the river Gomati, Kelwa, and Tali; built by Maharana Raj Singh I in the years 1662-1676. One of the major attractions at the Rajsamand Lake is the array of nine pavilions or ‘nauchowki’ (nine ghats) that are beautifully adorned with pictures of the sun, chariots, gods, birds and detailed carvings.
Aren’t you amazed by knowing about the number of lakes in the whole of Udaipur!!!
Chittorgarh is near to Udaipur and people who come to Udaipur are more likely to visit Chittor as well. The place has an avid history and the fort of Chittorgarh is considered the largest in India. The whole place is a tourist friendly place and has a lot to explore. Here we are listing places to visit in Chittorgarh.
Chittorgarh Fort
Source: Trans India Travels
Chittorgarh’s massive hilltop fort is regarded as one of the most outstanding forts of the country. The remarkable fort sits atop a 180-meter-high hill, covering an area of 700 acres. It is believed that the fort was built by the Mauryans in the 7th century and further structures were added to it by the successive Mewar rulers.
The fort had 84 water bodies, out of which only about 22 exist today and hence sometimes it is also known as the Water Fort. These water bodies included ponds, wells, and step wells. These reservoirs can store about 4 billion liters of water!
Time taken to visit: People typically spend up to 2 hours here
Vijay Stambh- Tower of Victory
Source: HindustanTimes
The Vijay Stambh is a 9 story tower decked by sculptures of Hindu deities. It was built in 1440 AD by Maharana Kumbha to celebrate his victory over Mohamed Khilji.
There are around 157 narrow steps leading to the terrace of the stambh and gives a sight not to be missed!
Kirti Stambh- Tower of Fame
Source: Trans India Travels
It is said the 22 meters high Tower of Fame was built by a wealthy Jain merchant in the 12th century A.D. It is dedicated to Adinath, the 1st Jain Teerthankar; this stambh is decorated by the naked figures of the Digambars. A narrow stairway goes through 7 stories of the tower to the top.
Time taken to visit the two stambh: People typically spend up to 45 min here
Gaumukh Reservoir
Source: tourmyindia
Gaumukh means ‘mouth of a Cow’. This reservoir is considered to be sacred- a spring coming from a ‘cow mouth’ situated at the edge of the cliff.
At Gaumukh Reservoir people can also feed the fish present in the tank.
Rana Kumbha Palace
Source: Rajasthan
The palace was first built by Bappa Rawal in 734 A.D, later renovated by Maharana Kumbha. Today, the ruined structure of this great historical place is lying in the fort which was once the most massive monument in the fort of Chittorgarh.
Time taken to visit: People typically spend 20 min here
Padmini Palace
Source: tourmyindia
It is one of the earliest palaces constructed in India to be completely surrounded by water. It is inscribed on stones near the monument that it was here when the King Rana Ratan Singh showed the beauty of his wife to Alauddin Khilji through a mirror which later on led to the battle and subsequently the act of Jauhar.
Meera Mandir
Source: Native Planet
Build by Maharana Kumbha in 1449, it is the only temple dedicated to Meera Bai, a Rajput princess who gave up her royal life and devoted herself to Lord Krishna. It is believed that she asked her Father in Law, Rana Sanga, to build a temple for her placing centering Lord Krishna.
Time taken to visit: People typically spend 30 min here
Kalika Mata Temple
Source: TripAdvisor
It is believed that this mother goddess temple was built originally in the 8th century while the upper parts of the structure are more recent. It is dedicated to the Goddess ‘Kali’ who is the deity of the Panwar Clan.
Time taken to visit: People typically spend 30 min here
Fateh Prakash Palace Museum
Source: tourmyindia
Build by Maharana Fateh Singh, the property carries his name. It was turned into a museum in the year 1968. This palace, exhibits various kinds of weapons, a rich collection of sculptures from temples and buildings in the Fort.
Timings: 10:00 am to 04:30 pm
Seven Gates of the Fort
Source: Rajasthan Tourism
To enter into the Fort of Chittorgarh, the person has to go through seven huge gates or Pol. Each gate is different in its name, design and its size. Below is the list of these gates:
Padan Pol
Bhairon Pol
Hanuman Pol
Jorla Pol
Ganesh Pol
Laxman Pol
Ram Pol
Bassi Wildlife Sanctuary
Your trip to Chittorgarh isn’t complete if you haven’t been to the Bassi Wildlife Sanctuary.
The Bassi Wildlife Sanctuary covers an area of 50 Sq km and has panthers, wild boars, antelopes, mongoose and migratory birds. The Sanctuary is situated at a distance of 5 km from the Fort of Chittorgarh. Orai Dam and Bassi Dam located within the sanctuary are also prominent attractions of the place.
We have come across the word Video Jockey a lot. But there is another term for VJ and that is Visual Jockey, an artist who makes your experience a vivid one through their visuals in various album art, merchandise, and visuals for music artists playing live.
The unique and experimental nature of a Visual Jockey certainly makes it an exciting career choice.
Ravi Soni from the City of Lakes is making us mesmerized with his unparalleled visuals. We ran talking to him and found some really interesting things!!!
Let us share it with you!
Tell us a brief about yourself.
I was born and brought up in Udaipur, I did my masters in Computer Science and was working as Assistant Professor when I first saw the LED Screen and immediately decided to enter into the field of Visuals.
Ravi Soni
It has been 5 years since I did my first show and have played for lots of artists including big names like Saleem-Sulaiman, Mika Singh, Yo Yo Honey Singh, Neha Kakkar, Vishal-Shekhar, Meet Brothers and a lot more.
We have always heard about a ‘Video Jockey’. Tell us about what exactly a ‘Visual Jockey’ is?
A Visuals Jockey is an artist who mixes the visuals LIVE to display them on a screen. This screen can be an LED Wall, Projector screen or any other display device. The visuals being displayed contain various images, photos, videos, loops, texts etc.
Mika
What made you choose such a different profession? Were your family and close ones supportive of your career choice?
It was my love towards music and live shows what brought me into this. This is a creative job where you need to show your skills each and every day.
Badshah
My family and friends have always been a huge support through my journey as a Visual Jockey. Most of the times, I am out for my shows but they never complain and rather always help me getting things done.
What are the hurdles that you have faced, or are facing to be a Visual Jockey?
I shall say there are no institutes for learning this profession and so it is a bit difficult to reach up to a competitive level. Without getting proper guidance, it is a must for one to get into self-learning and which takes lots of time and dedication. Also, bringing yourself to a level where your work is recognized enough to make you being paid a handsome amount is the most necessary thing.
Neha Kakkar
What are the trends in the industry regarding visuals?
This profession is related to show-business and just like every other profession in this industry, trends in this also keep changing with time.
The future is very bright as daily new technologies are being introduced in visual presentations. Projection Mapping and Interactive screens are a few examples.
Tell us about the places/festivals/events etc. where you have played? Any experience worth mentioning?
Over a past few years, Udaipur has become an events hub with Big Fat Weddings being held and a lot of celebrity performances are organized. I have done various events pan-India.
There are lots of good experiences when my work was appreciated but if I have to mention one, I must never forget this event when I was playing visuals for artist “Gurdeep Mehndi”. I noticed that again and again, he was showing visuals to his band as the visuals were going exactly in theme with the song he was singing.
Gurdeep Mehndi
After a few songs, he suddenly shouted “Stop Stop” and everyone went silent and then he asked, “Graphics pe kaun hai?”.
I replied to the question and then he said: “Sabse pehle saare log graphics ke liye taaliyaan bajayenge, maine itne shows kiye par aise exact matching graphics pehli baar dekh raha hu”.
Indian Visual Jockeys are making their names on the world front. Any advice you want to give to the budding VJs?
I consider myself as a beginner who is trying to learn something new daily and that is the only thing I consider as the most important part of any profession.
One of the major attractions in the City of Lakes, Udaipur is the Sajjangarh Biological Park, which is a zoological garden. It is located in the foothills of the Monsoon Palace (Sajjangarh Palace) and is about 4 km from the city center and 6 km from the city railway station.
The park was inaugurated on 12 April 2015 by Prakash Javdekar, Minister of Environment and Forests, Gulab Chand Kataria, MLA Phoolchand Meena, MP Arjun Lal Meena and Minister Rajkumar Rinva. Sprawling in an area of 36 hectares, it is a home to a massive variety of wildlife.
The main objective of the park is to make people aware of the flora and fauna of the region and otherwise. To create sympathy towards the wild animals, which are ruthlessly killed for benefits and other reasons.
The animals in the park are kept in enclosures and visitors and spot these while on their visit to the park. Further, for taking care of the animals inside the park various measures have been taken and deployed to maintain the health of the fauna present in the Sajjangarh Biological park.
There is a Zoo Hospital for taking care of the ill animals. The Biological park at Udaipur prohibits the usage of plastic covers/bags inside the zoo. There is a Nutrition Center at the zoo which serves to the feed requirements of wild animals of the zoo. There is a full-time experienced veterinarian and a trained compounder to take of the animals. Also, CCTV cameras are installed in the zoo for 24 hours surveillance.
Wildlife at the Sajjangarh Biological Park-
Himalayan Black Bear
Jungle Cat
Leopard
Tiger
Sambar
Striped Hyena
Lion
Indian Porcupine
Common Fox
Sloth Bear
Chital
Blackbuck
Jackal
Chousingha
Chinkara
White Tiger
Gharial
Marsh Crocodile
Star Tortoise
Facilities for the visitors at the Sajjangarh Biological Park-
An easy and spacious Vehicle Parking
Golf carts (ticketed) are available which tour the major routes of the zoo
Drinking water Facility
Rest areas at various points
Canteen facilities
Cycle Facilities also available
Children’s Park for recreational activities
The zoo also provides toilet facilities
Wheel-chairs are available for physically handicapped visitors
Timings of the Sajjangarh Biological Park-
Winter Season
21 October to 15 March
Monday, Wednesday to Sunday: 9 am to 5 pm
Tuesday Closed
Summer Season
16 March to 20 October
Monday, Wednesday to Sunday: 9 am to 5:30 pm
Tuesday Closed
Entry Fee-
The Entry in the Biological park Udaipur is ticketed. Below is the ticket information:
Adult: Rs. 30
Foreign Tourist: Rs. 300
Photography
Camera: Rs. 80
Video Camera: Rs. 200
The Biological Park, Udaipur Prohibits the following activities-
Feeding by the visitors
Vandalism or damages caused by the visitors
Teasing the animals is strictly prohibited
Smoking or consumption of alcohol
Cooked food isn’t allowed
Location:
Sajjan Garh, Main Gate, Malla Talai, Eklavya Colony, Udaipur, Rajasthan
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