Maharana Pratap Memorial is a historic site that is dedicated to the gallant Maharana Pratap. Situated at the top of Moti Margi or Pearl Hill, the memorial overlooks the Fateh Sagar Lake. In Hindi, memorial is known as “smarak” and smarak is always made in the memory of loved ones. Maharana Pratap Memorial was constructed with the initiative taken by Maharana Bhagwat Singh Mewar with the help of a public trust.
The memorial comprises a life-sized bronze statue of Maharana Pratap balanced on his loyal and favorite horse, Chetak. It is believed that Chetak was a faithful horse. He was extremely protective towards Maharana Pratap and stood by his master till his last breath. Chetak was killed in the battle of Haldighati. People visit this memorial to pay their homage to the Rajput hero, Rana Pratap and his loyal mount ‘Chetak’.
This outstanding statue has also been picturised for various Bollywood movies. If you are a photographer, then you will truly love this place. From the comfortable height of the hill, you can click some of the best pictures of Udaipur city. One can also visit the attractive Japanese Rock Garden and the remnants of one of the forts of Udaipur, which are located near this hill.
History of Maharana Pratap Memorial
Situated on Moti Magri or Pearl Mount looking across Fateh Sagar Lake, the statuette is placed on a white plinth and housed in a beautiful garden with greenery all around. Travellers pay homage standing in front of this statue and revelling in the marvel of the architecture amidst the garden premises. This place is also popular for housing some of Udaipur’s ruined forts Udaipur Attractions.
As the history goes, Maharana Pratap, for whom this memorial was established, was the son of Maharana Uday Singh II of Mewar. Ascending to the throne in 1570, Maharana Pratap Singh ably fought against the Mughal Emperor Akbar defending his kingdom of Rajputana but lost the battle along with his brave horse getting killed in the battle of Haldighati in 1576. The statuette in bronze is a stupendous structure and extraordinary in its architecture so much so that a visitor will marvel in the glory of the edifice. Maharana Pratap Singh died in a battle in 1597.
There is an old fort overlooking Lake Pichola very close to Maharana Pratap Memorial which was built by the Prime Minister of Mewar, Amir Chand Badwa in 18th century. The palatial rooms and the exquisite architecture add to the charm of the place with the Haveli being converted into a resort with entertainment in the evening amidst the enchanting environment. The Japanese Rock Garden is adjacent to the Maharana Pratap Memorial.
Things to do Maharana Pratap Memorial
The statue itself is obviously the chief attraction here, and a great place to learn some more about the majestic warrior Maharana Pratap was. Few places pay a better homage to the great ruler than this memorial Udaipur Tour Packages.
Other than that, you can enjoy a spectacular view of the city of Udaipur from the hilltop of Moti Magri. The view offers a very picturesque background for your social media reel. Nearby, there are two more attractions which you can visit while you are at Maharana Pratap Smarak. One of them is the remnant of Moti Mahal, one of the grand forts of Udaipur and the residence of Maharana Pratap’s father Maharana Udai Singh. Another one is the unique and attractive Japanese Rock Garden.
Make some time to visit the Moti Mahal Museum as well, to know more about the history of Chittorgarh and Kumbhalgarh and the grandeur of their regimes. Here you will find models of the forts of Chittor and the Battle of Haldighati, and statues of other associates of the Rana, like Hakim Khan Sur, Bhilu Raja and Bhamashah, who fought with him in the battle. There are exquisite paintings as well, including one of Rani Padmini, the stunningly beautiful queen of Chittor, wife of Rana Ratan Singh, and one of the Vaishnavi saint Meera Bai.
Do not miss the light and sound show that takes place every evening, which tells the story of the thousand-year rule of the Rajputs in Mewar, and all the tales and folk lores that are associated with it.
How To Reach Maharana Pratap Smarak
Maharana Pratap Memorial is situated at the top of Moti Magri Hill or Pearl Hill on the eastern banks of Fateh Sagar Lake in Udaipur. The attraction is around 5 kilometres away from the Udaipur City Palace and 5.5 kilometres away from the Udaipur Railway Station.
By Road: Maharana Pratap Memorial is located on the shore of Lake Fateh Sagar of Udaipur city. One can easily reach here with the local taxi, private buses or cab.
By Rail: Maharana Pratap Memorial, Udaipur is well connected through nearest Udaipur Railway station to major cities railway stations like Delhi, Agra, Mumbai, Chennai, Bikaner, Jodhpur, Jaipur, Ahmedabad.
By Air: Maharana Pratap Memorial can be reached through nearest Udaipur Airport which is well connected with regular domestic flights to Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Jodhpur, and Jaipur.