Udaipur District :

Udaipur district is situated in the state of Rajasthan. The region has a generally hilly terrain. The Jaisamand Lake located here is a man-made lake created in the 17th century.

History :

Pre-Historic Era :

The Ahar River bank was inhabited by men in about 2000 B.C. There are footprints of two different civilizations, which provides claims about earliest inhabitants of the Ahar culture: the first ones are the Bhil/Bheels, the indigenous tribes originated at this place, and are still residing in the area in large numbers. The second footprints were of Rajputs, who once entered the enclosed valley, and then continued to live in this place for centuries.

The Establishment of Udaipur as a city :

Udaipur was founded in 1559, by Maharana Udai Singh II in the fertile circular Girwa Valley to the southwest of Nagda, on the Banas River. The city was established as the new capital of the Mewar kingdom. This area already had a thriving trading town, Ayad, which had served as capital of Mewar in the 10th through 12th centuries. Girwa region was thus already well known to Chittaud rulers who moved to it whenever the vulnerable tableland Chittaurgarh was threatened with enemy attacks. Maharana Udai Singh II, in the wake of 16th century emergence of artillery warfare, decided during his exile at Kumbhalgarh to move his capital to a more secure location. Ayad was flood-prone, hence he chose the ridge east of Pichola Lake to start his new capital city, where he came upon a hermit while hunting in the foothills of the Aravalli Range. The hermit blessed the king and guided him to build a palace on the spot, assuring him it would be well protected. Udai Singh II consequently established a residence on the site. In November 1567, the Mughal emperor Akbar laid siege to the venerated fort of Chittor. To protect Udaipur from External attacks, Maharana Udai Singh built a six kilometre long city wall, with seven gates,[15] namely Surajpole, Chandpole, Udiapole, Hathipole, Ambapole, Brahmpole and so on. The area within these walls and gates is still known as the old city or the walled city.

As the Mughal empire weakened, the Sisodia rulers, reasserted their independence and recaptured most of Mewar except for Chittor. Udaipur remained the capital of the state, which became a princely state of British India in 1818. Being a mountainous region and unsuitable for heavily armoured Mughal horses, Udaipur remained safe from Mughal influence despite much pressure. At present, Maharana Mahendra Singh Mewar is the 76th custodian of the Mewar dynasty.

Location :

The district of Udaipur is bounded on the northwest by the Aravali mountain range, across which lie Sirohi and the Pali district. It is bounded on the north by the Rajsamand district, on the east by the Chittorgarh district, on the southeast by Banswara district, on the south by the Dungarpur district, and on the southwest by the state of Gujarat. It is part of the Mewar region of Rajasthan. 

Geography :

The district is generally hilly. The western portion of the district is drained by the Sabarmati River, which originates in the Aravali range of Udaipur district and flows south into Gujarat. The northern portion of the district is drained by the tributaries of the Banas River, including the Ahar River, which flows through the city of Udaipur. The southern and central portion of the district is drained by the tributaries of the Mahi River, including the Som River and the Gomati River. Dhebar Lake, also known as Jaisamand Lake, has an area of 50 km square (20 square miles) when full, and was created in the 17th century when Rana Jai Singh of Udaipur built a marble dam across the Gomati. 

Culture :

Culture of Udaipur district is seen exhibited in the various festivals that are celebrated in the district. These festivals are celebrated with a lot of fun and gaiety, and are usually held to mark the advent of a particular season. Like the Teej festival heralds the advent of the monsoon season, and the Mewar festival is held at the onset of spring. A number of traditional dances, songs and other cultural programs are put up during these festivals which are a real sight to behold when on a visit here. Shilpgram is a crafts village which holds a ten day festival exhibiting the various traditional art and craft forms of the state, and is a must-visit when on a trip to Udaipur. 

Economy :

Udaipur has a diversified economic base. The major contributions to the city's economy come from tourism, agriculture and mineral industries. The handicraft and cottage industry sectors play an important part in contributing to the growing economy.The city has also been included under the Smart Cities mission initiated by the Government of India, and is selected in the list of first 20 cities to be developed as smart cities. In the 2001 census of India, 36% of Udaipur resident was reported to be meaningfully employed.

Tourism :

City Palace, Udaipur : Standing on the east bank of Lake Pichola is a massive series of palaces built at different times from 1559. Its main entrance is through the triple-arched gate - the Tripolia, built in 1725. This gate leads to a series of courtyards, overlapping partitions, terraces, corridors and gardens. The palace now houses a museum with many antique articles, paintings, decorative furniture and utensils from the royal era.

Lake Palace : Situated over an island in Lake Pichola, the Lake Palace was constructed to serve as a royal summer palace. Built of white marble, the palace is now a luxury 5 Star hotel, operating under the "Taj Hotels Resorts and Palaces" banner.

Jag Mandir : Jag Mandir is a palace built on an island in the Lake Pichola. Also known as the "Lake Garden Palace", it was constructed by three Maharanas of the Mewar kingdom. The construction started in 1551 and was completed by 1652. The royal family used the palace as a summer resort and pleasure palace.

Kesariyaji Temple : The temple is dedicated to Lord Rishabh dev, the first Jain Tirthankara. The fifty-two pinnacles of the temple are seen from a long distance. The main idol in the temple is of Tirthankara Rishabha, carved in black stone in padmasana posture, about 3.5 feet (1.1 m) tall.

Monsoon Palace : Monsoon Palace, also known as Sajjan Garh Palace, was built as an astronomical center to keep track of the movement of monsoon clouds in the area and also served as the summer resort of the Maharanas. Built with white marble, it is located on Bansdara peak of the Aravalli hill range at an elevation of 944 m (3100 ft) above mean sea level. The palace offers a panoramic view of the city's lakes, palaces and surrounding countryside.

Fateh Sagar Lake : Lake Fatehsagar is an artificial lake situated in the north-west part of Udaipur. The lake was originally built by Maharana Jai Singh and later reconstructed and extended by Maharana Fateh Singh. It also houses an aquarium named 'Under the Sun' inaugurated in 2017.

Saheliyon-ki-Bari : Sahelion ki Bari is a garden and tourist space in the northern part of the city. The garden with its fountains and kiosks, a lotus pool and marble elephants, was laid for a group of forty-eight young women attendants who accompanied a princess to Udaipur as part of her dowry.

Lake Pichola :  Lake Pichola is an artificial freshwater lake and is one of the several contiguous lakes in the city of Udaipur. The lake's surroundings and the several islands within the lake have been developed over the centuries, with palaces, marble temples, family mansions, bathing ghats (Gangaur Ghat, Ambrai Ghat, Hanuman Ghat) and chabutaras (a raised platform, normally within a courtyard).

The district has a rich historical legacy, and this tradition is still carried forward in the cultural life of the state. The various festivals celebrated by the district are a must see site when on a visit here. Most of the times, these festivals are held to mark the advent of a particular season, such as Teej which marks the beginning of the monsoons and the Mewar festival which celebrate the onset of spring.