Udaipur is a royal city that had been the capital of Mewar rulers for centuries. The romantic city of Udaipur has a legend behind its origin and it goes like this. Once, Maharana Udai Singh happened to meet a holy sage when he was on his hunting expedition in the Aravalli Hills. The Sage counseled the King to establish a kingdom in the fertile valley that would be well-protected by the elevated Aravalli Hills. Subsequently, Maharana Udai Singh laid the foundation stone of Udaipur in 1557 A.D.
Chittorgarh was the previous capital of the Rajput kingdom of Mewar. Maharana Udai Singh was a successor of the Sisodias, who claimed to be the descendants of the Sun God. The Sisodias are believed to be the oldest ruling family in the World. Amongst the warrior clans, Sisodias are recognized as the most powerful ones in Rajasthan. Another reason for shifting the capital from Chittorgarh to Udaipur was constant attacks of enemies.
In 1568, Chittor was attacked by the Mughal emperor, Akbar and to ward off this danger, Udai Singh shifted the whole kingdom to Udaipur. Udaipur was naturally safe under the fortifications made by Aravalli Hills. Since that time, Udaipur developed into a full-fledged city. Slowly when the Mughal Empire undermined, the Sisodias reasserted their freedom. They recaptured most of the parts of Mewar with the exception of the Chittorgarh Fort.
Udaipur continued to be the capital of Mewar, till it became the princely state of British India in 1818. When India got independent in 1947, the Maharaja of Udaipur granted the place to the Government of India. At that time, Mewar was merged into the state of Rajasthan. In the present date, Udaipur enjoys a favorable position on the maps of Rajasthan. Udaipur is known for its picturesque surroundings and its royal past. Various ancient monuments, massive palaces, architectural temples and beautiful lakes fascinate people to visit the ancient land of the Royalty.
Udaipur History
The city of Lakes is today, a major municipal corporation in Rajasthan. This region did not exist as a city prior to 1553. In 1553, King Udai Singh II of Rajput shifted his capital from Chittorgarh, a hill region to Udaipur, a fertile region. It remained the capital of Rajput until 1818 when British took control of Udaipur. In 1947, when India got independence, Mewar region that included Udaipur was attached to Rajasthan.
In 1553, Udai Singh planned to move to a fertile valley from the hill region. In 1559, the Udaipur area became famous. Udaipur was famous in the past for Ayad, a bustling trade town in Mewar region. Akbar attacked Mewar and threatened Udai Singh. Since then, he wanted to create a safer kingdom. When Udai Singh was in his exile, he decided to move his capital to a secured place and chose the eastern side of Lake Pichola. This was the place where he met a hermit while hunting in the ranges. The hermit blessed him to build a palace in the spot and assured him that the region will be well protected. The hills of Aravalli provided natural fortification and the hilly region made it difficult for armored Mughal horses to climb. He created a residence in the spot, as blessed. In 1557, he laid a foundation for the palace and it was completed in 1559. Still, Chittorgarh was the capital of Mewar. In 1567, when Mughal Empire was threatening Mewar and captured Chittorgarh fort, Udai built a large, six-kilometer long wall to protect Udaipur from attacks. The wall had seven gates. Even today, this region is called as the walled city. However, Mughal took control of the region around Udaipur and Chittorgarh fort.
Culture of Udaipur
Every year, a crazy number of tourists visit the ‘City of Lakes’ Udaipur, by getting enchanted from its vibrant culture. It is still inhabited by the people of Bhil tribe, so you can see people dressed in traditional Ghagra-Choli, laden with huge silver jewellery, even today. People of all religion- Hinduism, Islam, Sikhism and Christianity reside here. The modern city of Udaipur is a hub of cultural activities, music and folk dance. During your trip, you can see both kinds of people- those following their age-old traditions and also those who have adopted a modern style of living. They are extremely friendly and good natured. The city plays host to a number of fairs and festivals of the country.
Shopping in Udaipur
Shopping in Udaipur can be an interesting activity with its big showrooms, small shops and roadside stalls offering a vast variety to get our hands on. You can opt for pottery, imitation and precious jewellery, handicrafts including puppets, wooden boxes, wall hangings, cloth lanterns, antique items, wooden toys, miniature paintings, pen stands, metal and mud pottery, terracotta and Brassware sculptures, clothes with hand-made prints and batik print and much more.
