jauhar was committed can be seen in Padmini's palace. The fort has an air of romantic heroism. The complex also has a temple dedicated to
the saint, Mirabai.
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Vijay Stambh
Erected by Rana Kumbha in 1468 to commemorate his victory over Mahmud Khilji of Malwa,
the tower has nine storeys which can be climbed easily. Its walls are richly carved with mythological scenes.
The stairs are narrow, you need to watch your head.
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Lake Pichola
Lake Pichola in Udaipur was enlarged by Maharana Udai Singh
after he founded the city. The lake is four km in length and three km wide.
It is quite shallow and can actually dry up in severe droughts.
The lake has two islands -- Jagniwas and Jagmandir. One-hour
boat rides around the lake can be boarded at the City Palace jetty
during daylight hours.
Lying in the centre of the lake is the Lake Palace hotel run by the Taj group of hotels. Though it is open only to guests residing in the hotel, visitors can go for lunch and dinner. Otherwise, no visitors are permitted.
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City palace
The huge City Palace, towering over the lake, is the largest palace
complex in Rajasthan. It is a conglomeration of buildings added
by various maharanas. Yet it has uniformity of design.
Construction was started by Maharana Udai Singh,
the city's founder. The palace is surmounted by balconies, towers
and cupolas and there is a fine view over the lake and the city
from the upper terraces.
The main part of the palace is now preserved as a museum. A section of the palace has been converted into two luxury hotels. Around the area, a lot of houses have been converted into paying guest accommodation.
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Shilpgram
Shilpgram, the crafts village, is situated 3 km away from Udaipur. It contains traditional houses from four states - Goa, Gujarat, Maharashtra and Rajasthan. Spread over 80 hectares it has daily demonstrations by musicians, dancers, or artisans from various states. Although it is much
more interesting during festivals the village provides an opportunity to buy stuff directly from craftspersons.
