We ie wifeAparna & me had another memorable trip. This time it was to Mewar, the land of the brave best symbolized by Rana Pratap. We left Mumbai at 3pm via the Ranakpur Express to reach Falna in South Rajasthan at around 6.30 am. We decided to travel around Mewar by hiring a car. After having some garam ginger pudhina ki chai (tea) we started the process of selecting the taxi. Parameters were car should be new; driver should give us a feeling of confidence and seem the flexible type. After interviewing three car rivers we narrowed down on Om Prakash a decision that we did not regret. You cannot bargain since the rate is fixed ie Rs 4 per km for an Indica Diesel non a/c and a minimum running of 300 kms per day. Simply put cost is Rs 1200/ per day. Most drivers charge Rs 150/ night halt but we got Om to agree that we would pay for his food only; he ate at the same Bhojnalaya as us. Before getting into the taxi we photographed car number and driver.

For the last four years I was planning this trip. As I travel along the journey i.e. called Life I have realized that every great holiday has come after years of dreaming and a couple of plans that never materialized. I went to Mount Kailash in 1998 after planning to go there thrice.

This is our third big trip together in the last nine months. Wifey’s presence has made the trip more fun & complete. She suggests photo angles, listens to the Pandit/Guide carefully, takes down notes and lastly edits the content. This has helped improve the quality of content that I share through esamskriti. We covered places below in five days so trip was very hectic. Wifey did this trip with a smile. Most people would have given up half way.

We stayed at Rajasthan Tourism guesthouses everywhere. Rooms are neat, bathrooms are clean and they are reasonably priced. A non-a/c double room in Udaipur cost Rs 800 per day and Mount Abu Rs 450/.

Sources of Content: One notes copied from boards outside the temple/palace. Two words of our Guide & local Pandit. Three is History & Culture of Indian People published by the Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan. Given volume & page number references below. Four print outs given by the Maharana’s palace hotel in Udaipur. Five is Rajasthan tourism site. The piece gives you history of place & travel insights. In case of any omissions or suggestions please mail me at exploreindia@vsnl.net. We covered places in the following order.

1. Ranakpur Temple – it is about an hours drive from Falna, situated at foothills in the midst of nowhere. We drove into a huge wonderfully maintained complex ie spotlessly clean, has dharamshalas & a restaurant. The temple is at one end. We were lucky to have the temple ka Pandit take us around the temple. His name is Pandit Jayantilal Sharma and number is 9352007414. Request him to take you around the temple, give him Rs 51 or more as you please. If you want to click pictures of the temple inside (excluding icons) you can do so from 12 to 5pm by paying a nominal charge of Rs 50/.

Background - Rana Kumbha (ruler of Mewar) ka Prime Minister Sanghvi Dharnashah Porwal had a dream of Nalini Gulmohar viman in which he saw trilokhi deepak viman ke aakar ka temples. The foundation for this temple was laid in Vikram Samvat (VS) 1433, A.D.1490 and completed in VS 1496, A.D. 1553. It cost Rs 15 crs then. When we saw the Light & Sound show at the City Palace we got to know that Rana Kumbha had given a grant for the construction of this temple so it was named after him. From Rana came Ranakpur.

Every day 1500 masons and 2700 laborers worked on the site. The foundation goes down 35 feet and is filled with Panchdatu by which it can withstand any earthquake. Shikhar is made of limestone and brick yet has survived over 600 years. Rising in three storeys it has four subsidiary shrines with a total of 80 spire supported by 420 columns. Temple area is 90,000 sq feet, has 350 icons, 1,444 pillars and 24 Mandaps. Of these 20 mandaps are small and 4 are big called Megh Mandaps in four directions ie north, south, east & west. The temple plan was drawn by Deepaji Mistry who was a bhakt (devotee) of Jagdamba Devi. The temple has four entrances. Normally temple entrance is from the east but this one if I remember correctly is from the west. Due to security or convenience reasons I have found that the entrance to temples are no longer from the east even though it existed earlier for e.g. Dwarkadwish mandir in Dwarka.

Within Temple - Main temple has Bhagwan Adhinath ka icons on all four sides. The outer wall of temple consists of smaller temples each having an icon of a tirthankara. Wherever you stand you can see a Tirthankara, none of its 1,444 pillars ever come in the way.

As you enter the temple on your left is a small icon of Dharnashah Porwal. It is placed at a point from where he always gets darshan of Adhinath Bhagwan. There is a 600 years old Ryan tree within the temple premises ie similar to the one at Palitana (Gujarat). Inside the bark there is a Ganesha taking shape. As you enter look up and you will see Kalpa Vriksha ka leaf. Om ke aakar see you can see 108 Oms. Mantra sah Sidhi kiya gaya. Another roop is full Moon ka aakar. Panditji said after darshan stand on the step, with shraddha (faith) ask Adhinath Bhagwan for something and your wish will be fulfilled.

See Kichak who has one head and five bodies. He was killed by Bhima in Mahabharat.

Three Megh mandaps have icons of Lord Ganesh at the lower point of the mandap. After third megh mandap see Sahasthrapana Parshinath. The icon has 1008 snakes which are intertwined in a way by which you cannot see the snake’s tale. Fourth megh mandap too has Ganesh. Here you will see one pillar is tilted to avoid buri nazaar (evil eye). Here look up and you see scene of Krishna Nag Daman. Nagini is praying to Lord Krishna to leave Kalya Nag since the Lord was dancing on the Nag.

Also see an icon of Marudevi Mata mother of Adhinath Bhagwan. Main Adhinath Bhagwan temple has icons of Lord Brahma, Indra, Shiva with Nandi and Kuber (dhan ka malik) and Bhairav. In the main temple below Adhinath ka icon there is Mahalaxmi and Navgraha sitting at the base of the icon. The main temple has got two mandaps.

The temple had 108 torans of which only 3 are left. Aurangzeb destroyed the balance in 1605. The temple has two ghantas (bells) weighing 250 kgs each. The sound of these bells goes up to 5 kms. According to Panditji the first sound is OM, one bell is male & the other female because the noise is different.

Insights – Mitras we were very impressed. For starters the complex was very clean. Great piece of work – there is a degree of serenity within the temple. As we entered one could feel the positive vibrations. Do not walk through the temple but get someone to explain to you the significance of each piece of art. This way you can relate with what you see. Keep 2-3 hours. The restaurant serves clean wholesome breakfast/meals at rock bottom prices. The temple looks very simple from outside such that you can never such outstanding piece of work exists within. May be a simple exterior was made to dissuade the Muslim rulers from discovering & destroying this temple.

2. Haldighati: is 40 kms from Udaipur. The site is also known as Yellow Vale because the color of the earth is of haldi (turmeric). Haldighati is of immense interest as it is the site of the battle between Rana Pratap & Man Singh, General & brother-in-law of Mughal King Akbar. A cenotaph with delicate white marble columns is dedicated to mark the indomitable hero and loyal charger Chetak.

Rana Pratap became king on 3/1/1572 while Haldighati was fought in June 1576. Evidently long time must have been spent to equip the Mewar army and get the support of the Afghans like Hakim Sur Pathan and more importantly the Bhils through their general Raja Punja. One can only imagine the enthusiasm amongst the Bhils (called OBC’s today) when for the first time they were recognized as fighting partners by the proud ruling Kshatriyas.
Pg 336 volume 7, “The Maharana had originally taken his position in the ghati which could be reachby a narrow & rugged path about a mile and a half long. Man Singh waited for him in the plan below, and on the morning of June 21 the Maharana came out and attacked the Mughal army. Although the Rana practically broke through the Mughal army the rout was stopped by Man Singh & others. There was a personal encounter between Maharana & Man Singh. But while Man Singh, on an elephant ducked & avoided the Maharana’s javelin, Pratap’s famous horse Chetak which had placed its forelegs on Man Singh’s elephant was struck by the sword which the huge beast carried in its trunk. Chetak immediately turned and fled and with last breadth carried his master out of danger”. We were told that Chetak ran for some 5kms and gave up his life.

Rana Pratap was smart to realize not to stake a kingdom on the outcome of a single battle, and this alone can satisfactorily explain the reason of his leaving the field before the battle was over at Haldighati. Though defeated in the battle of Haldighati by the combined forces of Akbar & the chiefs of Marwar, Maharana Pratap subsequently regained his territory and saved the honor of Mewar. Akbar tried relentlessly to destroy one man ie the Rana who braved all adversities to remain triumphant. The Maharana died in 1597 at the age of 58. He was one of the greatest leaders of medieval India.

Insights: Having never traveled to Mewar before I thought Haldighati was a big maidan where the war was fought. Actually it is a valley with hills on either side. Do visit the Rana Pratap Museum there. There is a 15-20 minute show where you get to hear about the battle of Haldighati & Rana Pratap’s life. There are some arms on display too. The museum is a must see.

3. Udaipur: Amidst the Aravali hills of south Rajasthan is the city of lakes. Udaipur is proud of its heritage as a center of performing arts, painting & crafts. Maharana The rulers of Mewar are a 1400 years old ruling dynasty. They claim descent from Kush, the son of Lord Ram. Rishi Harit Rashi handed over the state of Mewar to Bappa Rawal in 753 A.D. The rulers maintained honor & tradition despite hardships. India thus looks upon the Maharanas of Mewar with respect and call them the ‘Sun of the Hindus’.

On 16/3/1559 Rana Udai Singhji was blessed with a grandson. He paid a customary visit to Shri Eklingji. On his return he went hunting and killed a deer at this spot. Then he met an ascetic Goswami Prem Giriji who told him to make his palace on this spot i.e. modern day City Palace. Since Chittor was constantly under attack he decided to shift his capital to Udaipur. Today the city is known for its lakes, palace hotels and hills. Udaipur region is also known for its mineral wealth particularly green marble, zinc mining & soapstone. Places of Interest:

a) Fateh Sagar Lake: Large & beautiful lake. Has boating too. There is an icon of Rana Pratap on the banks of the lake. Get good pani puri and chai too. The lake was originally built in 1687 by Maharana Jai Singh, reconstructed in 1888 by Maharana Fateh Siingh. Surrounded by hills on 3 sides, the fateh sagar dam is 2800 feet long, depth of 30 feet. During the holy month of Shravan a grand fair is organized i.e. called Hariyali Amavasya Mela. Also see Nehru Park.

b) Sajjangarh Fort: also known as Monsoon Palace on a distant mountain range. It was built by Maharana Sajjan Singh in the 19th century, predominates the skyline and is visible from most parts of Udaipur. It gives you a scenic view of the city palace, its lakes and the city. It now forms part of the Sajjangarh Wildlife Santuary. You get a very beautiful view at sun set time. The Palace is illuminated at night & from a distance looks like something of a fairy tale. Site has pictures.

Insights: This fort is a must see. It is a great drive, very steep & picturesque. You can go by auto rickshaw or car. As you reach the fort to your right is a huge two level garden. Sit there, relax and have a great view of Udaipur. One you will see hills all around the city so the location of Udaipur made strategic sense from a defence point of view as the hills were a natural barrier for enemies. Two as you stand you get to see the beautiful hills & valley on eastern side. Three you get a view of Udaipur’s lakes, the big ones being Fateh Sagar & Pichola. You get to see the Lake & City Palace too. Do not miss going there.

Now climb up into the Fort. It has two floors. On floor 1 is a small gallery on animals found in the sanctuary. Floor 2 is huge. Go towards the balcony area from where you get a breathtaking view of the mountain ranges behind fort & sun set.

c) Sahilyo ki Bari: was made by Maharana Sangram Singh II between 1730-1734 for the entertainment of the royal ladies & their maids of honor thus the name Sahilyo ki Bari. There were many gardens below the Fateh Sagar Lake some of which were merged with this garden park by Maharana Fateh Singh.

Insights: Great place a must see. As you enter there is a well maintained park with fountains at whose entrance is a photographer who will click you wearing local dress. Within the park is SKB that lies within a fortified wall. Next you enter the main area, which has a big fountain in the center of a big pond. Do not think this is all. Come out of this area and walk around the wall structure clockwise. First there is a beautiful park, which has lots of trees with a fountain in the center and on the sides too. Then exactly in the center of the park ie behind the SKB is a huge pond with fountain in the center. It has elephants on four sides and the cute thing is that you have water coming out of elephant’s tusks. Have captured that in the photos. After that move on and you will see some colorful bougainvillea trees. The pictures show wifey in the backdrop of one such tree.

d) Jagdish Mandir: is a few minutes away from the City Palace. It was built by Maharana Jagat Singh II in 1662. Built in Nagar style from the basement it is divided into three parts, ‘Pith, Manduvar & Shikhar’. Outer parts of temple are well ornamented with exquisite carvings. Colossal inscriptions in the Manduvar give historic information w.r.t the Guhil rulers of Mewar. Jagdish mandir is a Panchayatan mandir with miniature shrine located at four corners inside the courtyard. They are dedicated to Surya, Durga Devi, Shiv & Ganesh. It is one of the most venerated Vishnu temples in North India. Site has picture.

e) Shilp Gram: situated three kms from Fateh Sagar is Shilpgram (meaning craftsmen village) is a living museum of diversity, architecture representing traditional art, craft & culture of Rajasthan, Gujarat & Maharashtra. It is spread over 31 huts. All huts were built with traditional building material from respective regions. The annual Shilpgram Utsav is held every year for ten days in the month of December. Every evening there are colorful folk dances, musical programs organized on different themes.

f) Bhartiya Lok Kala Mandal: The world-renowned puppeteers of Udaipur, custodians of ancient tradition regularly put up first class shows every day. Dance timings 6 to 7 pm but please check before going.

g) Ahar: 3 kms east of the city are remains of an ancient city, which was once the capital of the Sisodias until Bappa Rawal founded Chittorgarh. It contains royal cenotaphs of the Maharanas of Mewar around a sacred tank Gangabhar kund. The cenotaphs are built with white marble and bears images of family deity Eklinghji, Maharana & his wives. Notable cenotaphs are of Maharana Amar Singh & Maharana Sangram Singh. Also see an archaeological museum there.

h) Rishabdeo: is 65 kms south of Udaipur. It is a 15th century temple of Keshariyaji (Rishabeo). It is a pilgrimage site for Hindu since they consider the deity to be one of the nine incarnations of Lord Vishnu while for Jains Rishabhdeo is the first of the 24 Tirthankaras. The black marble icon of Rishabdeo is smeared by saffron paste by his devotees. The temple has two massive sculpted elephants on either side of the entrance.

i) Jagat: is 58 kms kms south east of Udaipur. There is a 10th century Ambika Mata Mandir ie well preserved. It is dedicated to Ambika – one of the forms of Goddess Durga. Decorated gate, carved panel of dancing Ganesha, images of goddess Durga are a must see. Also gracious female figures in various poses, dancers/musicians decorate walls, couples making love because of which it is called the Khajuraho of Rajasthan.

j) Vintage Car Museum: a short distance away from the city palace is the Ranas car museum. Since we were short of time did not see but we are told it is a great place to visit for all car enthusiasts.

Insights: Great place, very beautiful, lots to shop and clean, good vegetarian bhojnalys (restaurants). Cost per meal was about Rs 40/. If you like to see Udaipur well keep two three days for a relaxed tour. Besides the palace hotels visit Oberois Udai Vilas Palace Hotel situated on the banks of the Pichola Lake. We were told it is a great hotel unfortunately we did not have the time. Go for boating in Pichola Lake. You get better boat rates from Lal Ghat. However, if you wish to see Jag Mandir (private property of the Ranas of Mewar and place where actress Ravina Tandon got married) you have no option but to avail of the boat service run by the Ranas company even though it is relatively expensive.

We reached Lal Ghat at 8am but the boating shop opened only at 9am. We could not wait till then since we had to visit the City Palace Museum after that, finish shopping and click pictures. The only way out for us was to take a pedal boat. Unsure but excited by the thought of pedaling our way thru Pichola lake we got started. A pedal boat has a stick behind which helps you navigate, change direction. Initially we struggled but gradually I got a hold of it. I had to let go to click pictures but Aparna has short hands which made controlling the stick virtually impossible. I had a tough time clicking the City Palace pictures from the Lake angle but somehow managed. After pedaling for about half an hour we reached Jag Mandir only to be told that it was private property. Disappointed we pedaled our way back. Our job was made difficult by the hotel ka motor boats which left a series of waves every time they passed by.

Do visit Sahilyo ki Bari, very beautiful. We felt a deeper purpose to our visit to the Jagdish Mandir, something special.

What I noticed that there was a Mosque close to a number of historic points like Chetak circle, Suraj Pole or a Dattatreya mandir close to Kajri (Rajasthan Tourism guest house). Seeing these mosques reminded me of Ujjain’s main market where next to the Gopal Mandir has come up a huge mosque, which has completely spoilt the aesthetics of the place. Wonder what goes on in the Muslim mind! Why do they want a mosque close to a Hindu temple or historic place! Wish someone could enlighten me.

4. City Palace Udaipur: On 16/3/1559 Rana Udai Singhji was blessed with a grandson. He paid a customary visit to Shri Eklingji. On his return he went hunting and killed a deer at this spot. Then he met an ascetic Goswami Prem Giriji who told him to make his palace on this spot. So the Rana started construction from Nan Chowki Mahal in the Rajya Aangan. Foundation stone was laid in this courtyard and coronation of King was held here in 1559. Maharana Udai Singh laid the foundation of this complex in the 16th century. Set on a hill overlooking the Pichola Lake is a white marble sprawling structure topped by domed pavilions and cupolas at different levels. It is a blend of Rajput martial architecture on the exterior and bewildering variety of individual palaces, gardens, and courtyards with Mughal inspired decorative art in the interiors.

The palace construction was in two main phases. One was from the late 16th to the early 18th centuries. Two was from the late 19th to the early 20th centuries. There were some minor extensions in the 20th century too. Altogether 22 Maharanas have built and added to the City Palace.

The approach is through Hathi Pole (gate), Main street of the old city leading to Bari Pole leading to Tripolia gate. It is called Tripolia gate as it consists of three adjacent gates. Maharana Sangram Singhji II constructed it in 1713 to signify his royal prerogative. The oldest part of the Palace has a temple of Dhuni Mata where the Maharana was blessed.

Other important places are Dilkush Mahal (palace of joy), Krishna Vilas (both have mirror work), Chini Chitrashala (proclaimed painted gallery with tiles & mirror work), Moti Mahal (Pearl Palace with inlaid mirror work), Bhim Vilas (prayer room), Mor Chowk (Peacock Courtyard), Suraj Gokhanda (Sun balcony built by Maharana Karan Singh ruled 1620-1628 a.d.), Manak Chowk (Ruby Palace), City Palace Museum (founder was Maharana Bhagwat Singhji ruler from 1955-1984) has collection of Rajput weaponry and Shiv Niwas & Fateh Singh palace hotels. The former hotel was built between 1865-1870. The latter has a Durbar Hall (built by Maharana Fateh Prakash) ie decorated with portraits of Maharana dynasty & a Crystal Gallery with rare collection of items made of crystal.

You also have a Light & Sound show at the Manek Chowk, City Palace (7pm) is a journey through the glorious history of Mewar. The two dimensional narrative articulates Mewar’s intense & extraordinary history through 15 centuries. Palace timings are 9.30 am to 4.30 pm. It is very well written and choreographed. Persons who spoke including Arvind Singhji, present ruler made it a pleasure to hear.

Insights: Today the City Palace can be divided into many parts. Part 1 is the Shiv Niwas hotel. Part 2 is the Fateh Palace hotel. Part 3 is the private palace of the Maharana of Mewar. Part 4 is the Janana Mahal ie part museum and whose courtyard is rented out for dinner parties. Part 5 is the Mardhana Mahal that also contains the City Palace Museum. Part 6 is the point from where guests of the Lake Palace Hotel take the boat ride to go the palace. Above that is a Sun set restaurant. See picture on site.

Prior to the Muslim invasion there was no separate mahal for men & women but with the invasions attitude towards women changed? Then there became one Mardana (male) mahal and a Zanana (ladies) mahal. Earlier residence did not provide for isolated quarters. As the palace expanded in the 17th/18th century the older wings were converted into Zanana mahal.

In the Fateh Palace Hotel is a Durbar Hall and Crystal Gallery. We saw the former. It gives you an idea of the royal splendor in which the erstwhile Rajas ruled. It is a huge hall with some three chandeliers as you can see in the photos. It has a covered balcony area that overlooks the Pichola Lake and Sajjangarh fort. You can have sit in the balcony and have chai (tea) to enjoy the royal experience. We did not visit the Crystal Gallery although we are told it is very impressive.

Visit the well laid out City Palace Museum. As you enter you see a collections of arms used by the Ranas. It has lots of pictures and notice boards on the history of the Maharanas of Mewar and the city palace. See the intricate glasswork and get an overview of Udaipur city.

In 1980 Maharana Bhagwat Singh gave the property to a private trust. What I liked about the City Palace is that it is run & maintained as a business. There is an entry fee of Rs 25/ to enter the complex. Boating cost Rs 250/ per head. Light & sound show cost Rs 125/ per head. Everything cost. While some of us might crib on being charged what Arvind Singhji has managed to do is to run the palace on professional lines. We tried convincing employees for some small favors but they refused. Hats off to the Maharana of Mewar, a man of foresight and business acumen.

We also got to know during the show that Maharana Bhupal Singhji was the first ruler to sign the Instrument of Accession to India 1947. When the most respected ruler of Rajputana signed the Instrument it inspired confidence in others to follow suit. A truly patriotic & strategic act!

Rajputs are known to have big moustaches. In the city palace we met R C Tanwar who had an enviable moustache. You can see a picture of wifey with him. My moustache is big by Mumbai’s standards but still a long way to go for me to come close to a Rajput moustache.

5. Chittorgarh: Chitor was the capital of the Gohalit & Sisodia kings of Mewar from the 8th to 16th century A.D. Tradition attributes the building of this fort to Chitrangada Maurya after whom it is named Chitorgarh. But the Sisodia ruler Ajay Pal (1174-77 A.D.) seems to have improved the earlier fort all built by the Gohalit king in the 9th century A.D. The fort is famous for its architectural features & feats of valor of its rulers who fought for its independence.

The fort is fish shaped, is situated on a 180 meter high hill, 600 metres above sea level. It covers an area of 700 acres, had 13 temples & 84 reservoirs and a fortification wall ie 13 kms in length.

The traditional entrance is from the east whose picture we have on site. However, today you drive into the fort from the western side. As you drive by you see many gates ie Padan pole, Bhairav pole (restored by Maharana Fateh Singhji), Hanuman pole, Ganesh pole, Jorla pole, Laxman pole and Ram pole. There are seven poles in all. Since the Maharanas are Suryavanshis or followers of the Sun God whose chariot had seven horses so also the fort has seven gates.

The first sack of Chitor took place in 1303 A. when Alauddin Khilji attached the fort to gain possession of Padmini, the queen of Rana Ratansingh. Padmini & her followers entered the funeral Pyre (Johar) to save their honor. The Rana & his eight sons died fighting in the battle. Bahadur Shah of Gujarat sacked Chitor again in 1536 A.D in the reign of Vikramaditya when Rawat Bagh Singh Deolia & Queen Jawahar Bai died fighting.

The third sack of Chitor by Akbar in 1568 A.D. took place in the reign of Udai Singh when his commander Jaimal & his clausman Fatta died a revengeful death. 9 queens & 5 princess performed ‘Jauhar’. Each time ‘Jauhar’ was performed when women immolated themselves on a huge funeral pyre which asserted the heroic spirit of the Rajputs.

Though defeated in the battle of Haldighati by the combined forces of Akbar & the chiefs of Marwar, Maharana Pratap subsequently regained his territory and saved the honor of Mewar.

Several temples, tanks, towers and museums ranging in date from the 9th to the 17th century are situated inside the fort. Besides the fort wall with its gateways, memorials of Rajput kings & soldiers see the towers of victory & fame, Meera Bai & Kumbha Shyam mandir, Kalika Mata mandir, Kumbha & Rani Padmini palaces, Jaimal & Patta’s palaces, government Museum, temple of Annapurna, the Naulakha Bhandar or nine lakh treasury), Gomukh reservoir.

Kumbha Palace: This magnificent palace provides faint glimpses of past time of glory typical domestic architecture of the Rajputs. Maharana Kumbha (1433-1468 A.D.) made several additions & alterations to the earlier palace. The palace is approached through two gateways to the east – Badi pol & Tripolia pol. These gates led into open space to the south of the palace & to Darikhana. A small doorway on the back the darikhana gives access to the main apartments – the Surya Gokhra, Zanana Mahal, Kanwar Padeka Mahal & other residential structures & open courts. Built of dressed stores, the exterior walls have decorations including sculptured bands serving as stringcourse & large flower – head roses.

The palace is situated on the western side ie from where the entrance is today. Next to his palace was the treasury so if required he could escape with money/jewels from the backside of the fort. We clicked a picture of the treasury on the right and the jharokhas in the left. From the jharokhas the queens & princess could see the king when he returned from war. Prior to the Muslim invasion there were no separate palaces for men & women. Also women did not feel the need to hide their beauty from others. Things changed with the Muslim invasion hence we see the construction of jharokhas where queens sat & watched the proceedings.

Very close to the Kumbha palace is Panna Dai’s palace. The story of Panna Dai is well known. Banwir Singh wanted to kill the young Udai Singh so that he could ascend the throne. Before he came to kill the child Panna kept her son there instead and sent off Udai Singh from the western side to Kumbalgarh.

From here we clicked the Audience ground. It shows where the Maharaja sat when he gave darshan. People entered the ground through the Tripolia Gate next to which was Hathiwada where an elephant was always kept. An elephant was supposed to be a symbol of luck. Before going for any yudh (war) the Rana always took the blessings of the elephant.

Kumbhaswamini Mandir: Originally dedicated to Varaha, this mandir was renovated by Maharana Kumbha (1433-1468 a.d.). Raised on a high plinth it comprises of a sanctum, a mandapa, a portico & an open pradakshinapati area. The sanctum appears to be original & shows bold podium moldings decorated with sculptured niches. On the projections. The roof of the mandapa is in the form of a pyramid while the sanctum is crowned by a tall shikhara. The interior of mandapa is composed of 20 pillars. In front of the temple is an icon of Garuda under a canaopy supported by four pillars. On the south, there is a small shrine called Meera Mandir. In front of this there is a four-pillared chhatri, said to have been built in the memory of her Guru.

Originally a Sun mandir was constructed in 8th century A.D. in the time of Bappa Rawal. A Khilji destroyed it in 1303, renovated by Rana Kumbha. It was destroyed again by Akbar in 1568 a.d. Mandir stands on a chariot. Like Jagannath Puri Mandir architecture middle roof like pyramid and entry have toran.

Vijaya Stambha: also used as a watchtower, built like a ‘Damroo’. It is 37 mtrs in height, has a girth of 30 feet at the base, is 9 storeys and has 157 steps. Rana Kumbha built it in 1440 to commemorate the victory over the combined forces of Malwa & Gujarat. cost Rs 90 lakhs to make. It has 9 storeys.

Gaumukh Tank: from 8th century onwards water came from cow’s mouth. This was destroyed by Muslim invaders. Water continues to come today ie a natural source. The water is very clean. I drank the water and did not have any health problems later.

Samadesvara Mandir: contains trimurthi of Siva. Maharana Mokal repaired it in 1428. The guide explained the temple to me closely. Level one ie bottom has lotus flowers. Level 2 has devils. Level 3 has elephants for protection of God & good luck. Lever 4 has various scenes like dance & war. Level 5 has deviyo ki pratima. Level 6 has apsara ki pratima in dancing shape. Next to the Shikhara you can see a Lion which is a symbol of good luck & strength. At the top is a Kalash.

The 3-faced icon was damaged in 1568 as is visible in the picture. It was restored around 1935. This power temple is not east but west facing. Twice a year during March & September setting suns rays fall on one of the three icons ie Brahma (smiling face), Vishnu (normal) and Shiva (angry face).

Kalikamata ka Mandir: this is the oldest temple in the fort that was built by Bappa Rawal. Originally dedicated to the Sun God. In 14-15th century Kalika & Durgamata ka icons were installed since the Ranas of Mewar worship Shakti.

Rani Padmini’s Palace: This palace is of immense historical importance in the history of Mewar. Associated with Rani Padmini, this beautiful building stands in the northern part of the Padmini Lake. It is said that there Rana Ratan Singh showed a glimpse of legendary beauty of his wife Padmini to Khilji through a mirror. After which, Khilji went to the extent of ravaging Chittor to posses her. In the middle of the lake there is a three storied structure with arched openings locally known as Jal Mahal. The Rani sat on the steps that you see in the center of the picture. Khilji was in a room in the building on left of the picture.

This room had a mirror that you see in the photo section. The mirror was placed at such an angle that Khilji could see Padmini’s reflection as she sat on the stairs. However if Khilji turned around to see the Rani he could not see her since the steps were at a lower point. We tried it out and the logic seemed sound. How true the story is is anybody’s guess.

Kirttistambha: is dedicated to Adhinatha, the first Jain tirthankara. This elegant stambha was built by Shreshthi Jija & Punyasing of Baghwewal clan in 1301 a.d. It is a 6 storied tower, 24.5 metres high, stands on a square platform. A central staircase winds up on a square shaft through 6 stories to a small partition of elephant design, the roof of which rests on 12 columns. Large standing images of Tirthankaras are placed in 4 pillars on the lower storey. Hundreds of small figures are carved on the upper stories. Standing next to the tower is a 14th century Jain temple. Raised on a high platform, it comprises of a sanctum & a mandap. Its walls are beautifully carved.

We had the benefit of a good guide in Anil Kumar Sen. His contacts are 91 9314110810 or anil10810sen@rediffmail.com. Coming from a family of barbers he chose to do his M.A. in history and become a government approved tourist guide. Approved rate is Rs 280/ per guide, takes app 3-4 hours to see the fort.

6. Eklingji – 20 kms from Udaipur is this temple of Eklingji famous for its 108 temples. Eklingji is an incarnation of Lord Shiva and the family deity of the Maharanas of Mewar. The temple was built by Bappa Rawal in the 8th century and rebuilt in the 15th century by Maharana Raimal. It features four-faced image of Eklingji in black marble. Outside the temple in the courtyard is a large icon of Bappa Rawal standing besides Nandi. Temple timings are 4.15 to 6.45 am, 10.30 am to 1.30 pm, 5.15 to 7.45 pm.

Insights: At the entrance we saw a number of local women selling flowers, wanted to capture the color but photography within temple is prohibited. After darshan both of us felt the power of Eklingji. There is something special about the mandir which makes it a must visit. Within the temple & outside there were a large number of colorfully dressed Rajasthani women singing devotional songs. They were having bhang too.

7. Devigarh: Thanks to the movie ‘Eklavya’ by Vidhu Vinod Chopra, Devigarh was high on our list of places to see. Devigarh has an imposing entrance. After driving for about a km we saw Devigarh.

When you enter the fort there is a huge garden in the center with a backdrop of the hotel as you can see in the picture. On the left is a walkway that takes you to a landing area from where you can go to the restaurant or well laid out rooms. Next wifey and me set to discover the place and relate every room to the movie. Accidentally, we walked into guest rooms too. The hotel is very well maintained, spotlessly clean. By virtue of having hills on all sides it makes a great view just as we saw in the movie.

It was lunchtime so we decided to try out the restaurant. In an absolute sense the prices might look steep but the food is very good, ambience excellent with a great view thrown in. Bottom line it is worth every rupee we spent. Try the pudhina ka chatni; I ate it as if were having dal, very tasty. To know more click on www.deviresorts.com or call 9511 23354554 or 95 2953 289211.

8. Kankroli: is 65 kms from Udaipur beyond Nathdwara. It is about an hours drive from Nathdwara. It is the site of a 16th century temple of Dwarkadhish or Lord Krishna. This Vaishnava mandir ranks very high among the temples of the Vallabhacharya sect and resemble the Nathdwara mandirs. Just next to the temple is the Jaisamand Lake measuring 14 kms in length & 10 kms in width, is one of the largest artificial lakes in the world. It was created by Maharana Jai Singh in the 17th century. There are eleven islands on the lake which have migratory birds for various species. There is a boat ride too.

Insights: This mandir like many others is on the top of a hill and situated on the banks of the Jaisamand Lake. I have always wondered why our temples are situated in the hills! Was it to make it less accessible & visible to invaders or to make devotees undertake arduous journeys for darshan? We had darshan of the Lord Krishna and felt nice thereafter. Wifey spent time in the temple while I was more interested in the lake. What we missed out doing is go on the Dam where lies a beautiful garden and from where you get a great view of the temple, fort.

Nathdwara: is 48 kms from Udaipur. It is a Vaishnava mandir devoted to Lord Krishna popularly known as Shrinathji. The black marble icon was brought from Mathura to save it from the Mughal king Aurangzeb. The image is put to daily routine of getting up in the morning, bathing, changing of clothes and jewellery, offering meals, putting it down to sleep and accordingly temple closes and opens. Outside the temple in the streets you will find shops selling Pichwai paintings & Meenakari jewellery. Molela near Nathdwara is famed for its unique terracotta folk art; with tradition going back a thousand years.

Insights: Shrinathji is a very powerful icon. Both of us were impacted by the darshan. Early morning darshan is supposed to be the best around 5.30 am. Nathdwara market is a fun place. I saw devotees enjoying chat, hand made kulfi and dosa. After morning darshan we had garam garam chai and poha. Since there is only one picture it is part of Udaipur.

To see pictures Click Here

9. Kumbalgarh: is 84 kms from Udaipur. Attributed to Maharana Kumbha this fort was built between 1443-1458 a.d. under supervision of the famous architect Mandan. It is believed the fort was built over the remains of an earlier structure associated to Jaina prince Samprati of the 2nd century B.C. It stands on the Aravali hills with a strategic position in relation to the kingdom and is the second most important fort after Chittorgarh. In its long history the fort was never captured. There is an entrance from the east known as Danibatta which connects Mewar with Marwar. Fort is situated at a height of 3,600 feet.

It has a beautiful defence system with thick walls running for 36 kms and has 7 gates. The way Kumbalgarh is designed & located you can only see the fort entrance when you come close. Fort is well known for Badal Mahal (Palace of Clouds built by Rana Fateh Singh 1884 to 1930 a.d.). Reaching there is quite a climb. If you like to reach the Mahal from the forest or Marwar side you have to cross two levels of fort walls. Enroute to Badal Mahal is a small monument that shows the place where Rana Pratap was born. Also see the water reservoirs, royal chatris and Rana Kumbha’s Mahal.

The original name of the fort was Kumbal Meir. It is said Rana Kumbha wanted to make a fort at Keliwada 7kms from here. What ever was constructed during the day would fall down by night. He then met a Sage of caste Meir who advised the Rana to make the fort at this point. Since the Sage belonged to the Meir caste it was named Kumbal Meir. After the fort was made the Sage told Kumbha to cut his head. His head fell at Bhairav pol after which the body continued to walk and eventually fell at a point in Badal Mahal where his samadhi lies today.

Like Chittorgarh this fort too has number of Pols or gates some of them are Halla pol, Hanuman pol, Ram pol, Bhairav pol, Nibhu pol, Chaugiri pol and Pagda pol. The fort has 360 temples, 300 Jain & 60 Hindu of which only Hindu temples are practicing ones. As you enter the fort there is a Ganesh mandir, to your right is a three storied Vedi Mandir, Adhinath & Mahadev ka mandirs. Also see the Golrao group of 9 temples of which 3 are Jain & 6 Hindu. There is a Pitalsaya mandir at one end of the fort. There are a few Vaishnav families and a Muslim cluster that live in the fort.

The Kumbalgarh Wild Life Sanctuary is the only one where the Indian wolf is breeding successfully. Mostly west of the fort are dense forests that provide a suitable habitat for endangered species & rare wild life animals. The monsoon brings attractive flora & autumn russet colors. A 5 kms trail has been made to enjoy the beauty of the sanctuary. About 2 kms away is Malagarh the site where Maharana stored his weapons for fighting with the Mughals.
Rana Kumbha was killed in Neelkantha Mahadev mandir by his son who is now referred to as Udai Hatyara. The next Rana was Raimal followed by Rana Sangha who fought with Babar, then Udai Singh who founded the city of Jaipur, then Rana Pratap.

Insights: After the Great Wall of China, at 36kms Kumbalgarh has the longest fort wall in the world. I could see steps at the fort wall on most sides. If the tourism department were more enterprising they could have restored the steps, converted that into a walkway, created some points from where tourists got the best view. If tourists walked local vendors would set up tea shops along the way. The 36kms trek could be positioned as a Kshatriya Dharam yatra something akin to the Kailash parikrama or the trek to Kedarnath. All those who have imbibed the spirit of living life as warriors can go through the Agni pariksha of this 36 kms walk.

Mitras! coming to Kumbalgarh was a dream fulfilled. Looking at the climb wifey decided to chat with the restaurant owner. I climbed for about a km to reach Badal Mahal. The view is awesome. You get an overview of the fort, hills on all four sides and temples within the fort. I was really happy to be on top and spent nearly one hour there. The mahal is separated into two parts for men & women. The Rana’s bedroom was huge with windows on three sides, very windy. It is quite a climb. On my way down I had to cheer up people as if they were on a Tirth Yatra.

After coming down I had a soft drink and decided to go for a temple walk. Terrain was hilly, up and down, must have walked 5kms both ways in scorching sun. Got badly tanned in the process. Anyway I first climbed on the entrance fort ka wall from where you get a good view of Badal Mahal. Next I went to the Shiv temple. It is unique in the sense that it has a very big lingam. A number of temples have lost their Mukha Mandapa and are not in very good condition. By the time I was back was dead tired. A few kms from there we had our most expensive lunch of the tour at Rs 70/ per head against an earlier average of Rs 35/.

10. Ambaji mandir: “Ambaji (Banaskantha district) is the seat of Ambe Mata, the mother goddess. Hers is a household name in the state. People pay homage to her during Navratri in song and dance. She is an aspect of goddess Parvati Shiv's consort. Amba or Ambe Mata is shown riding a tiger during the Navratri celebrations. Navratri in Gujarat is comparable to the worship of Saraswati in Bengal.

Hindus do not believe in gender bias where divinities are concerned. Krishna says in the Holy Gita, "I am the father of this universe and even the source of the father. I am the mother of the universe and the creator of all." The logic is simple. If god is our father why can't he be our mother? Ambe Mata is the Adya Shakti- the primordial female power the mother goddess.

The Ambaji temple which is situated on the Arasur hill in the Aravali Range does not contain any idol. It has only a Yantra engraved in a niche. The shrine is made of marble. Large number of devotees visit the shrine during the Purnima fairs held on the full moon day on Kartik Chaitra Bhadrapad and also Navratri i.e. celebrated on a grand scale here.

Ambaji is one of the 64 Shakti Piths. The Shakti Piths were established at those places where the pieces of Sati's body fell. It came about this way. Shiv's father-in-law Daksha Prajapati felt insulted when the son-in-law did not stand up to receive him. In order to slight him he organized a Yagna and did not invite Shiv. Sati went to the Yagna uninvited. She too felt slighted when people failed to take note of her presence. According to Puranas she fell into the sacrificial fire. Shiv picked up her body and rushed about in great grief. Vishnu had to intervene. He cut up the body with his discus, so that Shiv may regain his composure. According to tradition one of the pieces fell at Ambaji. A short distance from Ambaji is the Gabbar Hill. It is said that the goddess revealed herself on the Hill and left her footprints”. Content from Gujarat Tourism site - http://www.gujarattourism.com/destination/religious-temples/ahm_ambaji.html

Insights: We drove straight from Kumbalgarh fort to Abu road. From here Ambaji is about an hours drive. Most of the drive is in the hills. Since Ambaji is situated in Gujarat your driver would need to pay road taxes at the state border. It is about Rs 180/ that you need to reimburse your driver. Temple entrance is very impressive. As you enter you walk on an elevated structure that has shops on both sides. After walking for about five minutes you enter the temple courtyard. I was in shorts and not allowed to enter the mandir. I took a dhoti on hire, enjoyed the experience, you can see my picture on the site.

The temple is made of white marble with excellent carvings & sculptures. We had darshan of Ambe Mata. My wife Aparna experienced strong vibrations, the visit gave her lots of strength. Over the years have realized that my only Ishta Deva is Shiva & none other so I admired the beauty & cleanliness of the mandir. After visiting the temple complex three cheers to the trustees, architect and workers who made & have maintained a very aesthetic & clean mandir.

11. Dilwara Temples: is a cluster of five Digambar Jain temples dedicated to the Tirthankaras dated between the 11-12th century a.d. The first of the two imposing temples were built in the year 1031 a.d. by Vimal Vasahi commander in chief of Bhurinder Solankhi, ruler of Gujarat. It was built at a cost of Rs 185.3 million and is dedicated to Adhinath the first Tirthankara. 1500 masons & 1200 laborers worked on this temple for 14 years. An icon of Vimal Vasahi on a horse overlooks the temple entrance.

The first temple has 57 temple small temples of Tirthankaras on the periphery of the main temple. Ceiling is beautifully carved, some have 3 layers of carving within, other have 2 icons in the ceiling, predominance of elephants & flowers. Inner mandap supported by exquisitely carved pillars & beautiful torans. See Chakeshwari Devi (sewika of Bhagwan Rishabdev) sitting on Garud.

Also see in front of temple is Vimal Vasahi elephant cell where you have Vimal on horse with ten huge elephants carved in marble.
The second splendid shrine was built by two famous brothers Vastupal & Tejpal. They were ministers of Virdhaval Solankhi ruler of Gujarat. It was built at a cost of Rs 125.9 million in the year 1231 and is dedicated to Lord Neminath the 22nd Tirthankara.

Both these temples were built with pure white marble delicately & exquisitely carved with their unimpaired freshness & architectural beauty.

Other temples dedicated to Lord Mahavir and built in 1582. Bhima Shah’s Pittalhar temple has the magnificent icon of Lord Rishabh Dev is built of 5 metres and installed in the year 1482 a.d. The weight of the icon is 4.5 tons, length 8.5 feet and width 5.5 feet. On darshan you are believed to get rid of eye, stomach, feet problems within two years provided you pray sache man see and with shraddha (faith).

Lastly a 3 storied temple Khartar Vasahi built in 1458 & dedicated to Lord Parshwanath, the 23rd Tirthankara was built by Mandlik & his family.

Pg 580 vol 5. “Dilwara consists of four principal temples each enclosed within a quadrangular court. Among them Vimala Vasahi & Luna Vasahi are noteworthy for the exuberance of ornamental detail minutely wrought in a manner that remains unsurpassed even in India which was justly famous for such kind of work. The setting of these temples on the rugged scarp of the hill at a height of over 4,000 feet makes a picturesque sight. Externally, the temples are plan without any architectural effect, the insignificant spires peeping in. The temple interior suprises you. A splendid display of sculptor’s skill is spread over the interior in the minutely carved almost fretted & traceried, decorations of the pillars, doorways and ceilings.

The carving of the pillars is delicate & intricate. In Vimala Vasahi they are all of a uniform pattern resembling those of the Surya Mandir at Modhera in Gujarat. In the Luna Vasahi hall much of the earlier vigor was lost & the bewildering maze of carvings failed to evoke the same aesthetic reaction that one experiences in that of Vimala Vasahi.

The exuberance of this sculptural magnificence reaches it climax in the treatment of the vaulted ceilings of the halls. Each of the ceilings is built of concentric rings, every one of which carries a beautiful motif, delicately carved while athwart the lower rings is placed a series of 16 brackets with representations of Vidyadevis or goddess of learning of the Jain pantheon, each contained within its own aureole. At the apex the dome culminates in a pendant of exquisite beauty hanging like a stalactite from the center”.

12.Mount Abu: We spent a day, very relaxing after a hectic four days earlier. Besides the Dilwara temples referred to above places to see are:

a) Nakki Lake: is believed to have been dug out by the gods with their nails. There is a very nice restaurant in the lake. Sit, have chai enjoy the breeze & view.
b) Toad Rock i.e. on the banks of the lake.
c) 14th century Raghunath mandir on the banks of the lake.
d) Sun set point.
e) Honeymoon point.
f) Gau Mukh: a holy spot has an old tank, which is supplied with water from a spout, shaped like a cow hence the name Gau Mukh. The temple of Vashishtha, and the fire pit, where Agnikula Rajputs are said to have been cremated are interesting & old sites. It was his ashram in which there are icons of Vishnu, Surya devta & Lakshmi. See picture on site.
Insights: This holy place is about 20 kms drive from the main market. The climb is very steep. You reach the top of a hill after which the way down consists of 700 steps. You walk in a virtual jungle, not a soul around. Running down might be easy but coming up 700 steps at 5pm was a tough & scary thought. It took all my stamina & courage to go down & come up in an hour. Since wifey was alone in the car was worried about her too. Luckily our cell phones were in network so we were in touch.
g) Guru Sikhar: is a must visit. It is about 15 kms away, 45 minute beautiful rive. It is the highest peak in the Aravallis at 1772 mtrs. It gives you a great view. There is a small Shaivite shrine and temple of Dattatreya. From car park to top is about 160 steps. From there you can see a planetarium too.
h) Jain temple at Achalgarh: we did not go but were told it is a must see. It is about a 20-minute walk from the car park. There is a Shiv mandir close to the car park whose Nandi ka picture you will see.
i) Om Shanti Bhawan also known as Universal Peace Hall is the Brahma Kumari’s World Spiritual University. Nice place but we did not have the time.
j) Ahar Devi mandir: was formed by a natural cleft, 360 steps lead you to this beautiful temple chiseled out of a huge rock.

Net net we had a great but hectic trip. For me it was a dream comes true. Rajasthan is amongst the most colorful states in India.