Rajasthan, the land of forts and forests, deserts and
folklores, and bravery and sacrifice, is one of the topmost tourist
destinations in India. Udaipur and the places around it were on my bucket list
since long time. Winters were about to end and I decided to make this trip
happen before the mercury starts to rise. I booked my flights for the last week
of February and started to plan the itinerary. I had six full days, excluding
travel days, and wanted to make the best of it. After a lot of browsing on the
internet, reading travel forums on Facebook groups, and talking to friends who
have been there, I finalized my itinerary. I decided to spend the first day in
Udaipur to explore the city, visit Kumbhalgarh and Ranakpur on the second day,
go to Mount Abu on the third and explore the places of interest there. On the
fourth day, I thought of exploring some more places in Mount Abu in the morning
and reach Jawai Bandh in the afternoon. Do the leopard safari in the morning on
the fifth day and travel to Chittorgarh. Spend the sixth day exploring the fort
and travel back to Udaipur on the seventh day to board the flight in the
afternoon. There’s nothing more exciting than
making a solid plan. I applauded for myself!
Finally, the wait was over. On a bright, sunny Saturday
morning, I boarded the flight and landed at Maharana Pratap Airport, Udaipur. Although
it was 4 PM, the temperature was pleasant at 24 °C.
I had booked three nights at Banjara Hostel. The hostel was in the heart of the
old town. I checked in and went out for a stroll in the town. The famous
Gangaur Ghat was just in the next gully. The entrance of the ghat was beautifully
decorated with arches. The waters of the lake appeared calm and soothing. As it
was late afternoon, there wasn’t much
crowd. An old man sitting on the ghat was playing a musical instrument. His
tunes were creating a different vibe in the atmosphere.
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| Beautifully decorated gate at Gangaur Ghat |
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| Calm waters of Pichola lake |
The City Palace was a just at a walking distance. This is
the main attraction in Udaipur. The royal family still resides in a part of
this palace. The other parts have now been converted into a hotel. Some parts
are open for tourists. Unfortunately, the palace was closed to visit from inside;
however, one could walk through the premises. I took the ₹30 ticket and entered the
premises. It felt like a different world. Unlike the chaotic and noisy streets
of the old town, the palace premises were clean, neat, and tidy. The decorated
arches and domes of the palace were shining in the golden sunlight. Just behind
the palace is Pichola lake. This lake is truly the charm of Udaipur. I walked
to the promenade and sat there watching the red-orange sun playing hide and
seek with the dusty hills. Calm waters of the lake were showing a spectacular
reflection of the setting sun. Cool breeze made the evening even more
enjoyable. What a wonderful evening it was!
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| The City Palace of Udaipur |
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| Vast galleries of the palace |
After watching the picturesque sunset, I returned to the
hostel. Almost all buildings in the old town of Udaipur now sport a roof-top
restaurant. These eateries offer the best view of the city of lakes. The hostel
I stayed at also had a restaurant on the terrace. I went upstairs, grabbed a
cozy corner, and ordered a chilled beer. What else do you need to compete the
picture of a spectacular evening?
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| The setting sun and the royal architecture |
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| The sun playing hide and seek with dusty clouds |
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| The perfect boat journey |
To be continued...
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