Stretching along the eastern shore of Lake Pichola, Udaipur’s City Palace is a fascinating combination of Rajput military architecture and Mughal-style decorative techniques. Its stern, fortress-like façade, topped by a profusion of graceful balconies, cupolas and turrets, has been aptly described by one writer as a massive plain cake topped with fabulous icing. The largest palace in Rajasthan, covering an area of 2 ha, the City Palace is actually a complex of several palaces, built or added to by 22 different maharanas between the 16th and 20th centuries. Much of it is now a museum, and parts of it are luxury hotels.7.

Exploring the City Palace

The older section of the City Palace Complex dates from 1568. Behind its fortified walls is a maze of royal apartments, reception halls and courtyards. They are linked to each other by narrow passages and steep staircases – a feature typical of Rajput palaces of that period, designed to confuse invaders. The superb City Palace Museum is spread out through several palaces in this section, and is entered through the imposing Tripolia Gate. Above the entrance is the Mewar crest – a large Sun face, flanked by Rajput and Bhil warriors. Beyond this is the Ganesh Deorhi Gate where entrance tickets for the museum are checked. It leads into a courtyard decorated with frescoes of horses and elephants, and a marble relief of the god Ganesha surrounded by dazzling mirror and glass inlay.

The next courtyard is the Rajya Angan Chowk, from where steps lead to the Chandra Mahal. One of the loveliest palaces in the complex, it has beautiful columns, fretwork windows and striking marble reliefs of Rajput women, one of whom carries a shield. There is a magical view of Lake Pichola and its island palaces from here.

Another flight of steps from here leads to the charming Bari Mahal. Perched 27 m above the ground, it is built on a terraced hillside that is completely enclosed within the palace walls. Deep halls with receding rows of carved arches open into an enchanting courtyard with a marble pool in the middle. Tall neem trees stand around it, providing dappled shade

The Bari Mahal leads to the Dilkhushal Mahal with two remarkable chambers – the Kanch Burj inlaid with red and silver glass, and the Krishna Niwas which exhibits outstanding Mewar miniature paintings. This was the room of 16-year-old Princess Krishna Kumari, who committed suicide in 1807 when rival suitors from Jodhpur and Jaipur threatened to go to war over her hand.

To the left of this palace is the ornate Moti Mahal, the chamber of the dissolute Maharana Jawan Singh, who once promised a dancing girl half his kingdom if she could walk a tightrope across Lake Pichola. The girl had almost reached when the maharana’s alarmed courtiers cut the rope, and the dancer drowned. Still further left is the Mor Chowk, with its brilliantly colored 19th century mosaics of three dancing peacocks. The southern end of the City Palace complex has three other opulent palaces built in the late 19th and early 20th centuries – Shambhu Niwas where the descendants of the rulers now live; Fateh Prakash with its magnificent Durbar Hall, fine portraits and gallery of crystal furniture; and the semi-circular Shiv Niwas built as the royal guesthouse. Fateh Prakash and Shiv Niwas are now luxury hotels, but are open to non-residents for tours and meals.

How to reach the City Palace

By Air
Nearest airport is Maharana Pratap Airport, Udaipur, connected to Jaipur, Jodhpur, Aurangabad, Delhi and Mumbai.

By Rail
Udaipur Station has speedier connections with Delhi with the recently launched Mewar Express from Nizamuddin Station. The Lake City Express and Mewar Express are excellent options from Jaipur. Good connections from Ahmedabad as well as Mumbai.

By Road
Udaipur is on NH8 which links Delhi to Mumbai via Jaipur and Ahmedabad. It is a 9hr drive from Jaipur, a 14hr drive from Delhi and a 17 hr drive from Mumbai. Halt for the night at Ajmer if driving down from Delhi, and at Ahmedabad if coming from Mumbai