Udaipur ("City of Sunrise") lies in the hills of the Aravali Range. It was made the capital of the princely state of Udaipur in 1568 by Maharaja Udai Singh after the sack of Chittorgarh. A walled city, it stands on a ridge crowned by the Maharaja's palace, which was begun in 1570. To the west lies Lake Pichola with its two small islands and marble palaces, one of which served as a refuge for the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan (reigned 1628-58) when, before his accession, he revolted against his father, Jahangir. A major road and rail junction, Udaipur is an agricultural distribution centre. Its factories produce chemicals, asbestos, and clay. Cloth, embroidery, ivory, and lacquerware handicrafts are also manufactured there.
Udaipur (Mewar) princely state was established in the 8th century by Sisodia Rajputs (warrior rulers of the historic region of Rajputana). The dynasty later made a long resistance to the Muslim invasions. In the 18th century the state suffered from internal dissension and incursions by the Marajhas and came under British paramountcy in 1818. In 1948 it merged with the union of Rajasthan. [Adapted from Encyclopedia Britannica]
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City Palace & Museum |
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Tripolia gateway  |
Mardana Mahal (more)  |
Badi Mahal (more)  |
Palace courtyard  |
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Kanch ki Burj  |
Palace room  |
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Palace room  |
Moti Mahal  |
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Surya Gokhda  |
Palace room  |
Palace room  |
Courtyard  |
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Kitchen utensils  |
Mardana Mahal  |
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Zenana Mahal
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Zenana Mahal  |
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Jagdish Temple |
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Commissioned in 1651...  |
...by Maharana Jagat Singh  |
Wall detail  |
Wall detail  |
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Side view (more)  |
Dedicated to Jagannath...  |
...a form of Vishnu  |
Wall detail  |
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Lake Pichola and Gangaur Ghat |
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Lake palace hotel  |
Dried-up lakebed  |
At play  |
City of dry lakes?  |
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Lakebed  |
View from the lakebed  |
Bathing boys  |
Swimming in a pond  |
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Sahelion ki Bari |
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An ornamental garden...  |
...for royal women  |
Pavilions  |
Marble elephants  |
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Tropical vegetation  |
Swimming pool  |
Chamelion  |
Main entrance  |
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Ahar |
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Cenotaphs...  |
...of maharanas of Mewar  |
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Sea of domes  |
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Fateh Sagar, Moti Magri, Bagore ki Haveli, Etc. |
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Remains of Fateh Sagar lake
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Maharana Pratap on Chetak
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Haveli courtyard
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Bagore ki haveli
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Udaipur town
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Street scene
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Psychedelic refreshment
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Local house
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Udai Vilas Palace Hotel |
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