The MPs of Rajasthan have asked the Railway Minister to restart the Udaipur-Kota train which earlier was running between the cities on trial basis since the last two months.
The train brought relief to passengers travelling between the cities on a regular basis. It was stopped from running after 1st January 2020. This caused a lot of inconvenience to people who were regularly travelling between Udaipur, Mavli, Chanderia, Bundi and Kota.
Earlier, the train used to start from Kota at 1 PM and reach Udaipur via Bundi, Mandalgarh, Chanderia, and Mavli at 6:40 PM. This same train was leaving from Udaipur at 6:40 AM and reach Kota the same day at 12 noon.
Since the train has been called off, the people are now dependent on Nizamuddin-Udaipur Mewar Express if they want to travel to Kota by train. The Mewar Express is usually crowded and the seats already reserved.
Why should there be a dedicated train between Udaipur and Kota?
Udaipur and Kota both are Metropolitan Divisional Headquarter. One is the tourism destination whereas the other is the education hub. Since both are the major cities of Rajasthan, there should be a proper facility for people travelling between the cities.
It’s summer, why not take a trip to our favorite ice cream destination and satisfy our cravings for some ‘Thanda.’ Here are the 6 best places in Udaipur to feast on the yummy combination of Ice cream.
Gujarat Ice-Cream
No doubt this is one of the oldest outlet or ice-cream parlor in Udaipur that has charmed all of us since childhood. Gujarat Ice-cream is a famous name in Udaipur and gives the best combination of ice creams.
I tried their best, Gujarat Special, a combo of 5 flavors of ice cream which can get anyone drooling.
Gujarat Special
Location:Surajpole
What I tried: Gujarat Special
Price: 80 Rupees
Standard Kulfi
Rabdi Kulfi
It is famous for its Rabdi kulfi. The taste is mouthwatering, and I could not believe that I could get a kulfi for rupees 5, yes, he sells Mawa Kulfi for just rupees five.
Location: Jhini Ret
What I tried: Rabdi Kulfi
Price: Ranges from 10, 20, 25, 35 rupees
Live Tawa Ice-Cream
This is a new outlet near town hall opposite the petrol pump. Well, he makes ice cream in front of you and serves with tasty garnishing. The menu started from rupees 79.
Ferrero Rocher Rolls
Location: Near Town Hall
What I tried:Ferrero Rocher
Price: 129 rupees
Shiv Sagar Ice-Cream Shake
A sober outlet, just apt to relinquish your ice cream hunger pangs. It serves a variety of ice creams and shakes and every little bit and sip is exceptionally delectable.
Anjeer Scoop
Location: Bank Tiraha
What I tried: Anjeer Scoop
Price: 30 rupees
Happinezz
It is one of the well-known ice cream parlors in Udaipur and no doubt why it’s famous. The presentation of the triple sundae I had was pretty striking and the taste did utmost justice to my sweet cravings.
Happinezz marine
Location:New Fatehpura, Panchwati
What I tried: Happinezz Marine (triple sundae)
Price:250 rupees
Utsav Ice-Cream
It is one of the oldest ice cream parlors and serves some of the best ice creams. Good in taste, great in price. I had their specialty, Gotala and it was a mix of 5-6 flavors of ice cream topped with cashew nuts, raisins, and jelly; sumptuously delicious. MUST-TRY!!!
Gotala
Location: Opposite Town Hall
What I tried: Gotala
Price:60 rupees
Drooling? Aren’t You? These super-yum utterly delicious ice creams are sure to satisfy your sweet-tooth.
Know any other place to replenish? Mention in the comments, I would be glad to know!
Rajasthan is distinguished for its famous style of paintings which include murals and miniature paintings. The wall murals found in Udaipur are truly marvelous- from graffiti to traditional- everything can be found on the street walls of the city. Palaces, Havelis, streets, buildings, all are covered with these amazing arts. Multitudes of murals greet you, and many of them vary from being painted recently, to those which are quite old found within the beautiful interiors of the palaces, temples, etc.
These exquisite murals found adorning the walls of the city are a thing to watch. Well, these are specifically found in the ‘Old-City’ of Udaipur. Some are modern arts made by the travelers who come to Udaipur while some of them are made by the city dwellers. Many of them are also made under the ‘Beautification’ process of the city.
Know about the StreetArt in Udaipur:
The Traditional Rajputana Art: The Decorative Wall Paintings
Ever thought why these elephants, men, and women are made on our streets? Just to look beautiful? No, there is also some significance behind the traditional art form.
There are a plethora of Rajputana paintings in which a common theme is found throughout. Rajputana artwork is a great manipulation of space. The insertion of fuller spaces is meant to emphasize the lack of boundaries and inseparability of characters and landscapes. In this way, the individuality of physical characters is almost rejected, allowing both the portrayed backgrounds and human figurines to be equally vivid.
In ancient times Mewar rulers wanted paintings and wall murals to portray their determination, establishing their heritage. Hence, paintings were often indicative of a king’s legacy or their changes made to better the society.
As a mark of beautification, whether during festivals or marriage ceremonies or simply otherwise, these paintings are done on the outside walls of houses and buildings. They display colorful and elaborate portraits of men, women, elephants, horses, riders and deities.
Both recent and historical paintings can be seen on the walls of the city. Walking down narrow streets of Udaipur’s old city is alike wandering in an art gallery. Whitewashed house walls make canvases for local and foreign artists, who draw cows and elephants, or princely men and women with beautiful clothes or something totally different like some graffiti or abstract art. Most often, the traditional paintings adorn the entrances of houses. They are believed to create a harmonious ambiance, to seek spiritual guidance and cut off evil. Many are decorated with tiny mirrors or mosaic.
Embellishing the Walls of Udaipur: The Modern Street Art
While there are plenty of traditional arts on the streets of Udaipur, the old city is also decorated by modern arts like graffiti by foreign travelers who come here from various parts of the world and leave a mark on the City. Some of them are quotations written on the walls of restaurants while some are typical abstract art that is very alluring to watch.
The Painted Peacock Project
One of the wall mural, somewhere near the Chandpol Bridge is the most famous in the city. It was made by 4-5 women artist from New Zealand. The women came here under a special task ‘The Painted Peacock Project‘, a trip that aimed at sharing knowledge with local children in need and teaching them the art of stenciling, painting and jewelry making.
A lot of people do not know this fact that the painting was initially made by a stencil and then faired out. Interesting!!!
For people who are missing out on what Graffiti is, these are writings or drawings that have been scribbled, scratched, or painted on a wall or other surface, often within public view.
Another quite famous wall painting is at Ambrai Ghat, made by Action Udaipur under the beautification process, making the worn out walls of Udaipur beautiful and worth staring! No doubt the mural at Ambrai is remarkable; the use of bright colors on a pale peach wall embosses the painting. The grandness of the Action Udaipur wall mural is mesmeric and entices a lot of people to click.
Action Udaipur Wall Art at Ambrai Ghat
A huge art at the Zostel is one that can mesmerize any onlooker. These murals are timeless marks on the walls that represent diverse culture and inhabitance on the globe. These have also become a spot for unmatched photos and selfies for the localities and tourists.
The streets of Udaipur are ornamented with unparalleled art that is admired by many residents and tourists as well. Indeed all such arts and elements of beauty attract a lot of tourism to our city.
I have listed down some of them, which I loved the most. Try to guess the locations of these by seeing the pictures, if you can. Also, tell me if I have missed any significant wall art anywhere in the city by mentioning the location in the comments below.
Udaipur, the city of lakes has managed to get itself rated in Asia’s top 10 cities for 2016 by readers of US Travel + Leisure Magazine. The list has Chiang Mai, Thailand at the top followed by Luang Prabang, Kyoto, Siem Reap, Bangkok, Vietnam’s Hoi An Bali’s Ubub, then India’s Udaipur, Tokyo and Tibet’s Lhasa. Ranking 8th in Asia, Udaipur is the only Indian City to feature in the list. Interestingly, Udaipur was also voted the best city in 2009 by Travel + Leisure Magazine.
Chiang Mai stood on the top with a score of 91.25 whereas Udaipur scored 87.19. Charleston, South Carolina a city in the US was the best city winner globally taking over from 2014-15 winners, Japan’s Kyoto.
The cities are rated on the basis of their scenic locations, landmarks, history, culture and food they offer. The ranking of the city is also a part of their annual World’s Best Awards which takes into account islands, spas, airlines and cruise lines.
If you are a solo traveler or you want to spend your vacations with your family, the one place every kind of traveler dreams to visit is a small city in Rajasthan, known as Udaipur. Often called as the city of lakes, this city is blessed by nature as it is surrounded by lakes and other natural wonders like the Aravali Hills and has become the number one tourist spot for people all around the world. Be it a newly married couple or those who want their special day to be celebrated as a destination wedding, Udaipur will be their first choice.
Udaipur was established by Maharana Udai Singh of Mewar in 1559 AD and has served as the capital of his kingdom till 1818 AD when it became a British princely state. So, for almost two and a half centuries, Udaipur has experienced the Rajput royalty which also had an impact on the heritage and culture of this city. The glorious past of Udaipur fascinates many historians and travelers who love epic sagas of the Rajput kingdom. The antique architecture of Old palaces and streets shows us a glimpse of the ancient Udaipur even to this date. All these historic elements are well preserved by the people of Udaipur even after their democratic independence several years ago.
Popular for its people, culture, folk dances and scenic beauty, Udaipur has been a wanderer’s lust. The land of *banna’s* and *baisa’s*, the city has grown from an ancient marvel to a modern wonder. Old city will still give you a feeling of the historic era with its buildings and architecture but the development around the city will give you an idea of its modernization while keeping the heritage safe. Just to give you an idea of Udaipur’s development progress, it has been included in Indian Prime Minister’s 100 Smart Cities Development Program. It is famous for its culture and local art too. Folk dances performed by local artists are worth a watch. Miniature paintings, leather bags and hand-loom items are world famous because they are still manufactured by artists using ancient techniques and thus have very high demand outside. The royal Rajasthani Culture is settled deep down into the heart of local people and can be espied even in this modern era. Local festivals like Jagnnath Rath Yaatra and Gangaur Pooja are celebrated just like other mainstream festivals of India. Men and women dress up in traditional Rajasthani clothes for these festivals. Such festive rallies will give you a very beautiful insight of local traditions and culture of the city.
Even the cuisine of Udaipur is mouth watering. Dal-Bati-Choorma is one of the most consumed local cuisine in all over Rajasthan. Other than Dal-Bati, many other dishes like Ker-Sangri and gatte ki sabzi also add up into a must have local cuisine chart. Street food is amazing in Udaipur with various joints available in almost every busy street, especially the food joint at Sukhadia Circle.
Udaipur is known as the Venice of East as it is surrounded by lakes which are also considered as the lifeline of the city. It was originally established on the banks of Lake Pichola and later the city expanded to the outer skirts. Fabulous lakes like Fatehsagar attracts tourists from all over the world and is a must see spot. Udaipurites call it the heart of their city. The adjoining food market, called the Mumbai Bazaar, will definitely put some twists in your taste buds. And the best part is – sipping the famous hot coffee of FS (that’s what Udaipur call it). One thing we can bet on places like Fatehsagar, your mind will get the peace it wants.
Moving towards the old city, you will experience a very different Udaipur. Local shops and buildings with palatial designs will leave you mesmerized. And then the architectural wonder that stands tall, right into the heart of Udaipur, is the City Palace – a historical beauty with majestic glory. The *ghats* beside the Lake Pichola are best spots to get your thoughts together and relax peacefully.
Best time to visit – Udaipur looks more beautiful in winters
When the sun rise in Udaipur on a foggy winter morning, it gets filled with colors of nature. The sky gets an orange texture and the sparkling water of the lakes along with Aravali hills and city structures, creates a scene of fairy tale.
The joy of watching a tranquil lake and the alluring Udaipur with your love on a warm winter morning is a priceless moment one can gather for his life. Romance flows in the air of Udaipur and couples can get their best memories while travelling this town.
Let us share one experience that you should definitely get while your stay in Udaipur. Go to the best ghat you found in Udaipur, we would prefer Ambrai Ghat, stay there for the sunset. The whisper of rippling water, calm surroundings and natural scenery will bring an unexpected smile on your face. With blue sky made beautiful by the Sun and the clouds, you will slowly feel that nature has created a wonderful serendipity.
And when Nature has played its role, the city starts to rise up. Peace can be found in loud sounds of temple bells, and lights around you create an aura of happiness deep inside your soul.
All these natural scenarios will then make a perfect evening for you to get dinner at a lake side restaurant.
If you are an Udaipur citizen than this experience will make you realize that it was a blessing that you live in a city which is rich in its culture, got blessed by nature itself and have a hint of royalty in its environment. Even if you do not live here, you should definitely come to Udaipur and have this once in a lifetime experience of serenity and who knows, it helps you find out the reason for your existence.
So travelers, couples and people on vacations, if you have an opportunity to travel to a destination that combines history, culture, beautiful natural spots and amazing people, then we would definitely suggest you our City of Lakes – Udaipur.
India, a world within itself, is full of adventure, charm and beauty. One such destination that adds mysticism into any traveler’s diary for India is Udaipur. Udaipur is considered to be one of the most romantic places in India. Surrounded by three lakes, the city converges beauty with royalty in more ways than one. If Udaipur has been lingering in your travel bucket list for a while, this year you must make it a point to visit it. Along with your backpack, don’t forget to carry your internet travel bag, which can easily fit into your pocket. A smartphone with the right apps will help you enjoy your Udaipur trip to the hilt. Here are few apps— all free —that you must install on your smartphone, even before you book your flight.
When in Rome, do as the Romans do. Ditch your car when you are exploring Udaipur. The best way to enjoy the mesmerizing city, after camels, is by auto-rickshaws. Autos-rickshaws are one of the most affordable and convenient modes of public transport available in the city. But the last thing you want is to be disoriented as far as the routes and directions are concerned. An app that has your back for navigating through the beautiful streets of Udaipur is Google Maps. This app provides comprehensive, accurate and easy-to-use maps, with built-in Google local search, voice-guided, turn-by-turn navigation, and public transport directions. It will also come handy if you are planning a road trip to the city. There are no meters for auto-rikshaws in Udaipur, so be sure to bargain & keep Google Maps handy before you actually get on board. (Available across all platforms)
Accommodation options in Udaipur are quite varied. You can choose to stay in anything from royal havelis to modern 5-star hotels. TripAdvisor is a great way to check out new hotels, B&B, inns and hostels in Udaipur. With this app, you can compare prices offered by various travel portals such as Booking.com or Hotels.com, check availability and book your room in Udaipur. This app can also help you plan your day with suggestions about places to visit, activities, shopping, etc. It has millions of traveler reviews and opinions to help you plan that perfect holiday. (Available on iOS, Android, Windows and Symbian)
The ingredients of a successful trip include saving money while enjoying whatever the place has to offer. Traveling can cause your mobile bill to soar, since accessing mobile internet while roaming can prove to be quite expensive. Yet, browsing the web with your mobile phone can be useful when you want to learn more about Udaipur’s City Palace on Wikipedia or to share your updates with friends on Facebook and Twitter. With the Opera Mini browser, you can make your web browsing experience faster and cheaper. Opera Mini shrinks webpages by up to 90%, so your phone processes little of what you see on your screen. This translates into cost savings, especially while roaming, and less processing also brings along battery savings. (Available across all platforms)
Experiencing food in Udaipur is like basking in the Rajasthani culture. From street food to the delectable shahikhana, you can have quite a gastronomical journey here. But how many of us actually remember the names of the traditional dishes that we relish on our trips. With Evernote Food, you will be able to discover, collect and share your favorite dishes. You can also use the app to take down the famous Rajasthani recipes and try them when you go back home. So, from finding great new restaurants to documenting how to make authentic recipes, Evernote Food gives you one place to discover, collect and remember your life’s memorable moments in food. (Available on iOS and Android)
The beauty of Udaipur lies in its picturesque landscapes, beautiful forts and the gorgeous lakes. This destination is a photographer’s delight. Even though you might carry a separate camera for photography, there will be some breathtaking sites you might like to share with friends and family in realtime. With Instagram, you can pick from one of its several gorgeous filtered effects or use tilt-shift blur to breathe new life into your mobile photos. Transform your travel moments into works of art before sharing with friends and family on social networks. (Available on iOS and Android)
You might have a good looking sporting bike or a stylish car or some other luxury vehicle to roam in the city. You would feel delighted to be a proud owner of a vehicle and your own means of local transport. And of course you should be because it saves lot of energy and precious time to travel here and there, except the fact that travelling on your own vehicle costs you a little more and put some load on your pocket. In comparison to the time saved this cost seems to have been compensated against your valuable time.
What in case if you ought to travel through public transport apart from a private cab or auto? If you have ever traveled in Jaipur, Delhi or Kolkata you might find the experience somewhat pleasant or satisfactory. Although all means of transport are crowded, but what makes them different. What is there in the public transport of Udaipur? Jaipur has a sophisticated network of low floor buses. Delhi has got CNG buses, autos and moreover Delhi Metro is the best option to travel in Delhi. Metro never faces things like traffic jams or traffic signals. It is fast and effective medium of transport. Kolkata has got underground metro and trams. Even in Jaipur the first route of metro would get operational by the end of year 2013 or in the beginning of 2014.
Although Udaipur is a very small city and its comparison to cities like Delhi or Jaipur is not worth talking about. But looking at the population of the city and the density of vehicle per square kilometers is on higher side. Even the worst part of it is its poor local transport system. The only available local transport at Udaipur is three wheeler tempo or vikram. There are over thousands of such vikrams running around the streets of the city and all run on diesel. These vikram or tempo is among the most polluting vehicles. The level of air pollution is on constant rise in Udaipur. Our city has always remained in lime light as the world’s best tourist destination. The mark of such level of pollution would seldom make it a world class heritage city. Similar is the problem with our lakes. From past few years we have been blessed with plenty of water but the level of pollution proves a blotch on its beauty.
This is the right moment to intervene and understand the sensitivity of the issue. An improvement in the transport system is the next major necessity of our town. Local buses are nowhere seen running. The places where buses could not be operated may have CNG operated small vehicles or the next generation battery operated vehicles instead. Before that Udaipur need to be equipped with CNG pumps. The PUC certificate could be made compulsory so that the private vehicle owners could also keep a regular watch on their vehicle’s emission level.
If there would be proper means of local transport like busses it would bring many benefits together like less pollution. Hundreds of buses would pollute less than the thousands of three wheelers. Buses would be safer than the three wheelers and it would also be able to carry more number of passengers at one go.
The journey is long to go. Such a big change could not be attained at a blink of an eye. We need to spend some quality time and start giving a thought. Awareness needs to be generated among the mass. Then in the coming year we would see the fire coming out of the spark that we would ignite today. This is all for our well being and for betterment of our own city UDAIPUR.
Gaining popularity as the favorite venue of many famous personalities for royal marriages, functions, congregations and shootings, yesterday City of Lakes witnessed one of the biggest ever Birthday Blast when the Real Estate Tycoon Kushal Pal Singh aka K.P. Singh (Chairperson, DLF) stepped in the 80th year of his life. Claimed as one of the expensive birthday parties ever thrown, a billion of money was spent to make the evening a memorable one. Impressed by the beauty and tradition of the city, daughter of Mr. Singh, chose Jag Mandir for the venue of his party over Las Vegas.
Maharana Pratap Airport gleamed as the celebrities and royal guests landed there one after other to join the Birthday Party. Businessman Prakash Hinduja was the first to step in Udaipur at 1:15 PM, followed by renowned singer Adnan Sami, who was looking great in his slim and smart ‘Avtaar’. Actor Kabir Bedi arrived at 2 PM. Host for the party, Mr. K.P. Singh, arrived with his family at 3:15 PM. Sunil Bharti Mittal (CEO, Airtel) arrived at 4:15 PM.
Standing amidst the peaceful water of Pichola, Jag Mandir was glowing under a dim blue light that got hold of every eye, leaving everyone mesmerized with its elegancy. Guests and celebrities were comforted with the luxurious preparations that were made under the head of Piya Singh, daughter of Mr. Singh. The Guest list listed many popular faces including Adnan Sami, Sunil Mittal, Kabir Bedi, Pawan Kumar Munjal, and of course the most awaited of all Latin Pop Star Shakira. A 15 feet high stage was set up which was flooded with decorative lights and flowers. Colourful floating Fountains were placed in Pichola that took the breath of guests and also of Udaipurites who were standing at the ‘Paal’. A huge balloon was revolving above Pichola Lake from which beautiful angels landed up rendering everyone hypnotized. Crackers worth 2 Crores were brought but Collector Mr. Gera and the administration didn’t give permission for late night fireworks.
Programme started with the performance of Adnan Sami at 8 in the evening as per the schedule and received a huge roar of appreciation from the guests. After his performance, a film casting the various phases of Mr. Singh’s life was shown. Tears welled up in eyes of everyone, especially Mr. Singh. His son and daughter shared the golden moments of their father’s life and called him up on stage. Overwhelmed with emotions and many memories of his long journey from serving in army to this stage in the business world, he cut his 80th Birthday Cake.
Being the Brand Ambassador of UNICEF, Waka Waka girl Shakira also visited SIERT where she met the rural girls and motivated them to get educated and achieve high positions in the society. When she reached at the place, small girls dressed in traditional ‘Lehangas’ welcomed her according to Rajasthani Culture. Despite of being such a famous celebrity, she easily got mixed up with the school girls. She even danced with them and answered each and every question very politely. Girls also sang many folk songs for Shakira and Shakira also encouraged them by clapping and dancing with them.
Pictures: (Credits: UNICEF Press Release)
Media Interviewing Girl from SIRT
After making a promise to visit Udaipur again, she said goodbye to all of them and proceeded for JagMandir where she practiced with her drummer for the evening performance. Shakira mounted on stage at 10:20 PM and thrilled everyone with her sizzling performances. Her voice filled the air and her grace made the breeze to dance with her. She made every feet dance as she performed on her hit and famous songs. Following the rules, the party ended up at about 11:15 PM.
Everyone present for the party was dumbstruck with the charm of LakeCity, its beautiful lakes, warmth present in hearts. Mr. K.P. Singh also said that Udapiur is one of the best city in the world and it feels great to be here. So now it becomes our moral duty that we give the best of impression about us and our city to every tourist and visitors. Let us put this city ahead of all others. 🙂
Here are some more pictures from Jagmandir : Credits : ( Rupesh Mehta )
The Superb Pictures of Jagmandir from Outside & Pichola Lake are captured by Yash Sharma 🙂
Article Edited by : Palak Jain
: Few More Photos From HRH Group of Hotels Facebook Page of Jagmandir and Party :
The Only Videos of Shakira in Jagmandir Exclusively By Your UdaipurBlog.com
Struggle between the forces of good and evil, and the eventual victory of good over the evil, is the basic theme of Ramayana. Now u might have understood why I am telling all this here and now , yes because friends today’s the festival of Dussehra, which you all know symbolizes the victory of good over evil. It is being celebrated throughout the country including Udaipur with immense joy and delight. Do you know Dussehra also symbolizes the triumph of warrior Goddess Durga over the buffalo demon Mahishasur.
The Dussehra festival celebration is unique in its perception and significance. I hope everyone knows the story behind one of the greatest era of Ramayan but for the people who are not aware about the preceding section let me yet again reprise the episode in brief on this conspicuous Occasion of Dussehra. On the day of Dussehra / Vijay Dashmi, Lord Ram, killed the great demon Ravan, who had abducted Ram’s wife Sita to his kingdom of Lanka. Ram, who was a devout believer of Durga, the Goddess of War, prayed to her for the first nine days of battle and killed the evil Ravan on the 10th day along, with his brother Lakshman follower Hanuman, and an army of monkeys fought a great battle to rescue Lord Ram’s divine wife Sita. He shot Ravan with a bow that pierced his navel and Out flowed the nectar of immortality that was stored in a pot in his navel, thus destroying his invincibility. Sita had been returned to her husband Ram and they now make their way to Ayodhya in triumph and glory.
So in the months of Ashwin and kartik, we Hindus observe a 10-day ceremony of fast, rituals, celebrations and fests to honor the mother Goddess Durga and triumph of Lord Ram over demon Ravan. It is a ten-day celebration, during which Ramlila, which is based on the epic story of the Ramayana, is staged at various places in most of the cities and towns in northern India with elaborate rituals. The idols of Devi Durga after the Navratri celeberation is immersed in various rivers, lakes and ponds and on the last day i.e, Vijay Dashmi (today) the dummies of Ravana, kumbhkaran and Meghnath are buried at various places by the stars of the night – Rama, Sita and Lakshman taken around in huge chariots. Crowds of people shouting Jai Shri Ram (Victory to Rama) joins the procession…
In Udaipur also, the effigies of three Ravana, kumbhkaran and Meghnath are burnt at Gandhi Ground, in presence of thousands of individuals with performances of Ram leela in existence of colossal fireworks celebration.
