Categories
People

Brij Narayan | People from Udaipur You Should Know About

Our city – Udaipur is completely filled with beauty in and out. And this beauty is not reflected in just its history, culture and its places, but also in its people. There are some gem of the people belonging from Udaipur who, with their hard work and success, have not just made the city but the entire nation proud.

But sadly, with time we tend to forget the accomplishment of such people of the city. The series ‘People from Udaipur you should know about’ tends to glorify the journey of these famous and triumphant people from Udaipur who have become an epitome of success in their lives.

 

Brij Narayan

Brij Narayan is a renowned name in the field of Indian classical music. He is the eldest son and disciple of the world-acclaimed Sarangi maestro Pandit Ram Narayan. Born on 25 April 1952 in Udaipur, Brij Narayan was fascinated by the sound of Sarod right from his young age. He graduated from the University of Mumbai in 1972 after which he also worked on several movies while touring Africa, Europe, and America.

Source: YouTube

The powerful musicality and adaptability of his father to a range of ‘Gharanas’ (musical styles) gave the opportunity to Brij Narayan to develop his own original style. As a matter of fact, Narayan hailed from a family with musical expertise with his Uncle, Chatur Lal being a Tabla player and father being a sarangi player.

Over his long career, Shri Brij Narayan performed in many esteemed music festivals in India as well as abroad including the celebration of the Munich Olympics; and in the University of Pennsylvania, USA. He composed music for many films and has many recordings to his credit including a collaboration with Zakir Hussain. He has also been featured as an artist in a film by Dinkar Rao named as Magic in Fingers for Films Division of India, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India. In 1978, he played in a movie ‘Main Tulsi Tere Aangan Ki’ and composed music for the movie Bengali Night by Nicholas Klotz starring Hugh Grant.

Source: The Hindu

Awards and Recognition

Shri Brij Narayan has received many titles and awards for his contribution to Hindustani instrumental music which includes the President’s Gold Medal in All India Radio Music Competition (1967), the Dagar Gharana Award by the Mewar Foundation (1996), and the Marwar Sangeet Ratna Award (2012). He also received the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award for Hindustani instrumental music – Sarod in the year 2015.


Currently, Narayan lives in Mumbai along with his family. His son Harsh Narayan plays sarangi since 1997. Narayan also works for Pt Ram Narayan Foundation in Mumbai which offers a scholarship to Sarangi students.

Do you have feedback regarding the article? Or have something to share of your own? Write to me at juhee@udaipurblog.com, we would love to feature your story.

Categories
Places to Visit

5 Reasons why Enigma Restaurant and Lounge is the Best Hangout Place in Udaipur Right Now!

All the Udaipurites are always in search of new and trendy places to spend a good time with their friends, family or their loved ones. But it often becomes a mental dilemma almost every weekend to find a good place which offers a fine view, scrumptious food and an umpteen number of points where you can click a bunch of good selfies and groupfies.

And that is where the all-new Enigma Restaurant and Lounge falls into place. This restaurant has literally got everything you’re looking for. And we’ll give you 5 reasons why Enigma Restaurant and Lounge is the coolest place to hang out in Udaipur Right Now!

 

#1 An unbeatable dining experience

No matter what role other things are playing, until you don’t get an unforgettable dining experience, you are likely to get unsatisfied with the experience. So first things first, this multicuisine restaurant will not just treat your taste buds with the most amazing food of your life but will also take care of all your requirements. And having said that let me mention the special and the most romantic seating arrangement for 2 on the rooftop. There is also a Private Silver Dining Room with a sitting capacity for 10 people along with Personal Butler Service. What else would anybody want?

 

#2 Terrace lounge

A breath of fresh air while you savor every flavor of your favorite dish presented right in front of you. Is it your dream meal too? Then you can definitely fulfill it at the terrace lounge of Enigma Restaurant and Lounge. This also brings us to our next point.

 

#3 Mind bobbling view

Who won’t like a breathtaking view of Lake Pichola and the magnificent City Palace while creating memories with your friends and family? Wondering where to get it? You already know the answer, don’t you? The rooftop setting and the Terrace lounge will give you a panoramic view that will allure you for sure.

#4 Picturesque interior

The restaurant is full of exclusive interior elements that will literally up your Instagram game. From Carved Winged Couple chairs at Indoor Dining to Hand shaped ones at the rooftop, from intricate chandeliers to stupefying wall arts, you won’t be able to help but click a stunning picture or two.

#5 Plentiful services

While you are at Enigma restaurant and lounge, one thing is for sure that you won’t leave the place disappointed. All the credits go to the plentiful services available at the restaurant. These services include A La Carte Service, Valet Parking Service, Personal Butler Service, and many more.

Bid goodbye to the days when you would search for another place to hang out with your buddies or spend quality time with your beloved ones. Enigma restaurant and lounge assures you an unforgettable meal experience that will invite you repeatedly to the place.

Have you visited Enigma Restaurant and lounge? Share your experience with us in the comment section below. We would love to hear from you.

Categories
News

April is Going to be the Travel Month for Udaipurites with 7 New Flights

The list of new flights in Udaipur is going to get extended very soon as 7 new flights are going to get introduced in the month of April giving a boost to better air connectivity to Udaipur with other cities. These new flight connectivities include cities such as Aurangabad, Bhopal, Ahmedabad, Jodhpur, and Kishangarh.

Source: The Financil Express

Currently, Udaipur has a total of 18 flights which will increase to become 25 in the month of April. There will be 2 flight each for Bhopal and Ahmedabad and 1 flight each for Kishangarh, Jodhpur, and Aurangabad. Udaipur has a large number of frequent travelers to Ahmedabad, thus making it convenient for them to travel. The Ahmedabad air route will be covered by Jet Airways and Spice Jet.

It is the Zoom air which is going to restart operating airlines from Udaipur to Kishangarh and vice versa. Hence, people traveling to Pushkar can also travel to Udaipur easily via Kishangarh flight.

On the other hand, the Bhopal flights will be operated by Jet Airways and Spice Jet and the former will operate the Aurangabad Flight as well which is going to be revived after a long time. Jodhpur flight will also operate the Jet Airways sector.

Do you have any feedback regarding the article or any such information to share with us? Then mention it in the comment section below or drop a mail to me at

Juhee@udaipurblog.com

Categories
Featured People

‘Aavaran’ From Udaipur Has Taken Mewar’s Dabu Hand Prints to International Levels!

Truly living up to its name ‘Aavaran- Echoes of Rural India’, has taken Mewar’s Dabu work to international levels. Aavaran derives its inspiration and beauty from the indigenous work of the families residing near Udaipur. The dabu work is an exemplary example of the art of indigenous communities of Rajasthan, known to be one of the best art forms in the entire nation.

My visit to Aavaran:

I visited Aavaran a few days back and as soon as I entered the main area I was startled by the fact that everything around me had the aboriginal Indigo color. The spreads, the cushion covers, the coasters, even the ‘chappals’ were made from the Indigo dyed cloths. Aavaran believes in zero waste hence even the ornamentations were made from the scrapes of the Indigo clothes.‘Aavaran’ From Udaipur Has Taken Mewar’s Dabu Hand Prints to International Levels!

I noticed motifs getting printed over cotton cloths via hand block printing- the blocks for printing are being hand carved. It is a long process but the output is simply stunning and pleasing to the eyes. I got into a conversation with the managing team there and came to know some staggering facts, figures, and information about Aavaran which surely made me awestruck, amazed and proud. Yes, proud that Udaipur has some hidden gems which we people are still missing on.

What exactly is Dabu Work?

Dabu is mud resist hand block printing technique from ancient Rajasthan. The practice almost died out in the last century but was revived and flourished by organizations like Aavaran. This technique of cloth printing is quite laborious and involves several stages of printing and dyeing. At Aavaran, artisans also make use of double and triple dabu techniques for cloth printing. Undoubtedly, the result is extraordinarily beautiful.

Aavaran- Echoes of Rural India

Based out of Udaipur, Aavaran was started by Ms Alka Sharma, who is a textile grad from Indian Institute of Crafts and Design, Jaipur. She, from her childhood, always had a thought for bringing out the craftsmanship of Indian rural communities. One such community lives in Akola, a village near Udaipur, which utilizes a cloth dyeing technique called Dabu.‘Aavaran’ From Udaipur Has Taken Mewar’s Dabu Hand Prints to International Levels!

Ms Alka, fascinated by the artwork, urged to sustain this impeccable yet dying art form.

She calls Aavaran a journey started to uphold the rural indigenous communities and their traditional craft. Aavaran’s attempt is to evolve and sustain the traditional ‘Dabu’ mud resist technique of hand printing, specifically the indigo dyed ‘phentiya’ print which is a staple of Mewar Region.

Our efficient team works on minimal prints, with no compromise with comfort and style.” –says Ms Alka Sharma. She further adds, “As we are a zero waste company, we utilize all our scrapes in inventing home furnishings, jewelry, bags, pouches and so much more.”

Aavaran Family

‘Aavaran’ From Udaipur Has Taken Mewar’s Dabu Hand Prints to International Levels!
Aavaran Family

Aavaran has almost 280 people working with them, out of which 80 are skilled artisans. There are 200 ladies who with the support of Hindustan Zinc Limited and Aavaran by COS-V, have learned different skills like stitching, hand embroidery, rug making, accessory making etc. and work for Aavaran, which helps them to generate a livelihood for themselves. Rest of the 80 artisans work at the Aavaran production unit, where they are involved in the activities of Dyeing, Printing, Stitching and so on.

What makes Aavaran different?

Aavaran uses Dabu Mud resists hand block printing as the primary technique wherein natural dyes are utilized like Haldi Dye, Manjistha Dye, Kashish & Indigo Dye.‘Aavaran’ From Udaipur Has Taken Mewar’s Dabu Hand Prints to International Levels!

Apart from this, Aavaran has developed Ayurvastra which is a 5000-year-old philosophy revolving around Ayurveda. Here organic cotton is treated with a defined combination of herbs and oil which treats ailments and heals inside out. Clothes dyed under the concept of Ayurvastra help in increasing the immunity and reaching a better mental equilibrium.

Aavaran in the markets and other accomplishments

Aavaran, not only produces goods under their label but also for other renowned labels. This has subsequently increased Aavaran’s presence in India as well as in the entire world.‘Aavaran’ From Udaipur Has Taken Mewar’s Dabu Hand Prints to International Levels!

One of the prime people working with Aavaran is Mr. Ramkishore Ji Chippa, who has received an award from CRAFT COUNCIL OF INDIA, for the natural dyeing process in the year 2016, which is indeed a big accomplishment for Aavaran.

The workspace of Aavaran is a beautiful premise with loads of dedicated workers and artisans joining hands together to create impeccable and outstanding pieces of apparels. With 3 different outlets in Udaipur, Jaipur, and Bengaluru, Aavaran has established its name in the textile industry via reviving a unique art of hand dyed prints.‘Aavaran’ From Udaipur Has Taken Mewar’s Dabu Hand Prints to International Levels!

The journey of Aavaran has been through ups and downs. With climate changes and other factors, it has seen quite a number of hurdles in its journey and despite all these issues it has risen and planned a better life for artisans.

 

Categories
People

Udaipur’s Sejal Sharma in Star Plus’ Latest Show ‘Dil To Happy Hai Ji’

Udaipur has always been considered as a small town but there are people who constantly prove it to be nothing less than a metro city. Another example of the above statement is a young girl from the city who went all the way to Mumbai to pursue her dreams to become an actor.

Sejal Sharma is a 21-year-old girl from Udaipur whose determination and passion led her towards her dream career and to set a step in the acting industry. We had an exclusive conversation with Sejal where she talks about her journey and her latest show on the channel Star Plus ‘Dil to Happy Hai Ji’. Let us read what she has to say –

Tell me a bit about your early life here in Udaipur

I was born in Bharatpur originally but brought up in Udaipur. I grew up in a very simple family where my father is a government teacher and my mom is a housewife. Since childhood, I have been a very shy girl. Now, you must be wondering how I thought of going into the acting career. But acting has been into my mind since my teenage. There’s one more thing which I love even more than acting and that is dancing. I’m too fond of dancing.

What was your family’s reaction once they got to learn about your dream?

At first, they were quite reluctant as you know in a city like ours, parents expect their daughters to get a good education and get married. So nobody was ready for me to pursue it but eventually, they realized that this is where my happiness lies and I was able to convince them. Now they are the biggest supporters of my life and constantly push me on my low days. My mother often says to me that whatever you want to do make sure you’re happy in it. I’m very blessed to have parents like them.

 

How did you get into the acting field? Where did it all begin?

When I was 15 year old, I worked in a feature film named Mumbai 143 but due to some circumstances, the film couldn’t release. This incident was very heartbreaking for me and I thought to quit. I rather thought of living a simple life and getting into the corporate world as anyone here is expected to be. But some time later I realized that this is not the way I’m supposed to live. Then in 2017, I came to Mumbai alone. I was completely clueless about where would I live, what would I do and how will things go. I lived in Vashi initially, and then I shifted to Versova because I couldn’t find the thing I came here for.

And then one day, I met a guy who led me towards an audition and in the first attempt itself; I was selected for the role. This audition was for the web series for Being Indian named ‘Azaad Parindey’.

After that, I worked for several TV commercials for brands such as Motorola, Usha fans, Clean and clear, Honor mobiles, Mumbai Indians, Vivo Mobile, Veet etc. These TVC were followed by daily soaps such as Laal Ishq aired on &TV and then Zindagi U turn aired on Zing Channel. The show ‘Dil to happy hai Ji’ would be my third show. I also worked in a music video for Sony Liv named ‘Kho Jaate Hain’.

What were the difficulties and hurdles you had to cross to reach there?

First of all, moving to such a big city like Mumbai for the first time was the biggest challenge ever. Working out such a hectic schedule where you have to get up in the morning and go for the auditions regularly, get ready for them and travel so far to the venue is very difficult, trust me. My life at Udaipur was very comfortable with my mother doing everything for me. Here, I have to do everything on my own, from cooking food for myself to washing my own clothes.

Another problem is that from age 15 I started earning so I don’t ask my parents for money since then. Now managing the expenses here in Mumbai given that as an actor you are always expected to look at your best, dress nicely, is tough to keep up.

But my fate has helped me a lot. Unlike other struggling artists who have given 100-200 auditions, I have just given 20 of them which turned out to be great for me. I always used to get my path i.e. getting the right opportunities at right time.

 

Tell me about your character in ‘Dil to Happy Hai Ji’.

I am playing a girl’s character named Simmy who want to marry but only to a guy she loves. As the story proceeds, the character will take a twist making it more engaging and entertaining for the audience. People will surely love the show as it will deeply connect to them.

 

What message would you want to give to the budding actors of Udaipur?

I would want to tell them to not quit on their dreams. Obviously, it would be difficult, full of struggle and hard work but in the end, it will be worth it. If you really want to get in the field, get out of your little shell, explore yourself, come to Mumbai, explore the industry and find a way out to chase it. And if you ever come across a ‘Shortcut’, know that it won’t help you in the long term success. Choose your moves wisely and follow what your heart says.


When asked about her future goals, she simply said that she wants to go with the flow. Because planned things don’t work in her case. She also expressed her wish to work in a Bollywood movie someday.

These people are really the feathers of our city that helps the city to fly. We wish Sejal all the very best for her show and future endeavors.

Watch her latest show ‘Dil Toh Happy hai Ji’ on star plus at 7:30pm from Monday to Friday.

Do you have any feedback regarding the article or any such story you would love to read on UdaipurBlog? Then write to me at

juhee@udaipurblog.com

We would love to feature your story!

Categories
Events

Mewari Runners Club to Organize ‘Run with National Flag’ on Republic Day

The event will take place at Fatehsagar Lake, Udaipur. It is a great opportunity for all the running enthusiasts out there on such occasion which is a proud day for every Indian. In this way, all the runners of the city can show their pride for nation.

The participants will assemble at 6:30 am and the run will start at 7:00 am. The running route would be minimum of 8.2 km where the participant can run as many loops as he wants.

Runners would run this distance while carrying the Indian flag in their hand to celebrate the republic day. The participants are requested to bring their own flags.

You can confirm your participation by January 23, 2019.

To register, visit – https://www.townscript.com/e/run-with-national-flag-mewari-runners-republic-day-run-2019-110203

If you have any feedback regarding the article or a story you would like to read on UdaipurBlog, then share it in the comment section below or write to me at

juhee@udaipurblog.com

Categories
Social

This Bank in Udaipur Serves Sanitary Pad instead of Money

Till now, you might have heard of many banks which serve money, blood or books. But here in a small village of Udaipur district named Dodavali, a unique bank is going to have opened. This bank is a ‘Pad bank’ which will be entirely dedicated to women.

This bank is meant to serve sanitary pads used by women during menstruation, absolutely free of cost. Usually the person who runs a bank and is the head of the same is highly educated and even the employees should be educated but in this case, it is quite opposite. The head of the ‘pad bank’ is an illiterate who belongs to the tribal family.

But her education is not going to stop her from proceeding. The tribal woman will spread awareness in the entire village amongst the women residing there.

The bank was started with the worship of goddess Saraswati in a school of ‘Nichli Gavaadi’. The director of the bank, Walki, said that the Bank will work for raising awareness of using sanitary pads amongst the tribal women. Women in the bank will also work and sell sanitary pads so that they can earn some money as well.

‘The bank was initiated jointly by Taleem welfare social development organization and Nightingale care from Nathdwara’ said Hemant Joshi from Krishna Adivasi Seva Sansthan. The initiation was held to spread awareness for health and hygiene amongst the tribal women. These women were explained with the benefits of using sanitary pads

Do you have any feedback regarding the article? Share it in the comment section below or write to me at

juhee@udaipurblog.com

Categories
News

Udaipur to Jaisalmer Direct Flight to Begin in April

Indigo Airlines will initiate the first air connectivity of Udaipur to the golden city of Rajasthan – Jaisalmer. These airlines are initiated under the Regional Contact Scheme or RCS. This flight connection will prove to be great and very convenient for people as until now there was no direct connection with Jaisalmer, not even via rail. People keen to visit the Jain temples, the forts, and Ramdevra at Jaisalmer had to go there via Jodhpur which was a long route.

Source: YouTube

The duration to reach Jaisalmer from Udaipur would be around an hour and the fare charges for the same would be Rs. 2500/-. The flight will begin from the month of April. The flight route of Udaipur is expanding at a rapid speed. After the direct flight to Aurangabad and Jodhpur, this is good news for the travelers of Udaipur.

Do you have any feedback regarding the article or a story you would want to read at UdaipurBlog, then write to me at

juhee@udaipurblog.com

Categories
People

Brothers from Udaipur whose Talent in Sports Made them Travel the World

Dilip Khoiwal and Suresh Chandra Khoiwal are two brothers from Udaipur who found their passion for volleyball and Badminton respectively. This talent of theirs in sports made them travel to various countries to fight in different matches and ultimately achieve victory and made the people of Udaipur proud.

Even after being brothers, their journey differed a lot.

Dilip Khoiwal, a senior volleyball player, was brought up in the government school. While his schooling, he used to play cricket along with volleyball which was a work of interest initially. Later he thought cricket to be too mainstream and decided to move ahead with volleyball instead. He inherited his interest in volleyball from his father, who was a university volleyball player.

Dilip Khoiwal

Before achieving heights all around the world, he was awarded awards such as Aravalli award and Maharana Pratap in the year 2017. Throughout his journey, he has achieved various titles and positions in the country as well as the world. Major highlights of his accomplishments have been mentioned below.

International achievements

  • 17th Asian Games Incheon, 2014 (5th place)
  • 4th AVC cup volleyball championship in Kazakhstan (silver medal)
  • 3rd AVC cup volleyball championship in Vietnam, 2012 (4th position)
  • 16th Asian senior men volleyball championship Iran, 2011 (6th place)
  • President volleyball cup Almaty, Kazakhstan, 2011 (Gold Medal)
  • 11th International volleyball championship Tunisia, 2011 (Gold Medal)
  • Junior world championship Brazil 2011 (8th place)
  • Youth world championship Italy, 2009 (7th place)

National achievements

  • 35th National Games Kerela, 2015 (Bronze medal)
  • 63rd senior national volleyball championship Chennai, 2015(bronze medal)
  • Senior National volleyball championship Moradabad, 2013
  • Senior National volleyball championship Jaipur, 2012
  • Senior National volleyball championship Chennai, 2011
  • All India Inter University championship Kurukshetra, 2011 (gold medal)
  • Senior National volleyball championship Raipur, 2010
  • Senior National volleyball championship Gwalior, 2009

Whereas on the other hand, Suresh Chandra Khoiwal, the younger brother of Dilip Khoiwal was also very keen towards Volleyball since his childhood, but instead of walking on the path of his brother, he tried his luck in Badminton.

Suresh Khoiwal

He started playing in his school when he was in class 5th but who knew this little passion of his could take him to be State Badminton player. Later in his pursuit of Badminton, he got a bit discouraged because of the circumstances and also his height but that didn’t stop him from chasing his dream. He was hugely encouraged by his father who was a former university volleyball player.

 

The result turned out to be highly favorable for him. In the year 2006-2009, he played two under-14, two under-17, and one under-19 tournament as team captain (Junior). Finally, in the year 2010, he was declared as national youth team captain in the junior category. In the year 2012, he played his first senior-level match in Chattisgarh which is the same year when he was offered job by railways. From 2012 to 2018 he has been playing from railways.

The shining moment in his life was when recently in the year 2018 he participated in Asian games. Though, he had to end up in a hospital due to the injuries carried by an accident.

 

International achievements

  • Junior men’s volleyball championship at Iran, 2012.
  • Junior world men’s championship at Turkey, 2013.
  • International volleyball tournament at Kelibia, Tunisia, 2013.
  • Asian junior men’s volleyball championship at Bahrain (team captain) 2014.
  • Senior men volleyball championship camp, Bangaluru 2014.
  • Asian games camp at Aurangabad (injured) 2018.

National achievement

  • Senior national volleyball championship, Raipur, Chhattisgarh, 2012
  • Senior national volleyball championship Jaipur, 2013
  • Senior national volleyball championship, UP (captain), 2013
  • Senior national volleyball championship, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, 2015 (bronze medal)
  • National games at Kerala, 2015 (bronze medal)
  • Senior national volleyball championship at Bengaluru, Karnataka in the year 2016
  • Senior national volleyball championship at Chennai in the year 2017
  • Senior volleyball championship at Kerala year 2018

Apart from that, both the brothers will be participating in pro volleyball league 2019 which is organized by the Volleyball Federation of India. The inaugural session of the same will be conducted in February 2019. The game would be broadcasted live at 7pm from 2nd Feb onwards on Sony six, Sony ten 3 and Sony Liv. Suresh Khoiwal will be playing from the team Kochi Blue Spikers whereas Dilip Khoiwal will be playing from Ahmedabad Defenders.

Such young and talented personalities residing in our beautiful city is something which makes it more amazing.

Do you have any feedback regarding the article or any such story which you want us to feature? Then share with us in the comment section below or write to me at

juhee@udaipurblog.com

Categories
News

People Are Against the Food Court Construction at Swaroop Sagar in Udaipur

The new food court beside Swaroop Sagar is facing quite a negative response. Jheel Sanrakshan Samiti working for the welfare of lakes in Udaipur has submitted a letter to the Minister for Urban Development, Shanti Dhariwal, asking him to stop the cantilever projection in Swaroop Sagar lake for creating a food court.

The Jheel Sanrakshan Samiti is worried about the contamination of the lake post opening of the food court by the lake. They are concerned about the degree of damage that the lake would face due to the littering and trash discarded by the people and the food stalls at the food court.

People Against the Food Court Construction at Swaroop Sagar in Udaipur
Image Source: udaipurkiran

According to the Jheel Sanrakshan Samiti, Udaipur Municipal Corporation is constructing the food court without getting the required approval from the Lake Development Authority.

“The construction in question would adversely affect the existing heritage value and serenity of Pichhola- Swaroopsagar Lake and cause detrimental effects on the eco-health of the lake. It will prove to be fatal for the avian and aquatic life of the lakes and eco-sensitive surrounding areas” the letter read.

People Against the Food Court Construction at Swaroop Sagar in Udaipur
Image Source: udaipurkiran

Do you agree with the ideas of the Jheel Sanrakshan Samiti? If yes, mention your thoughts in the comment section below and discuss it or drop a mail at fouzia@udaipurblog.com