Udaipur

INTRO
Udaipur is a city located in Rajasthan, which is known also as "the city of lakes", "the Venice of the East", "the city of Dawn" and "the capital of Mewar". All these names present one city with an astonishing landscape - beautiful gardens, fairy-tale hills amd many crystal-water lakes as well as some charming temples and sights, which reflect the heroic past of this city.

City Profile
City: Udaipur
Country: Rajasthan
Elevation: 598 m (1,962 ft)
Area:17,279 sq. km
Population: 550,000
Districts: 5
Language: English, Hindi, Mewari
Rating:

LOCATION
Udaipur's coordinates are 24.58° N 73.68° E. The city cuddles under the hills of the Aravalis and looks just like a green isle in the middle of the desert. Accompanied by the lake Pichola, the city is situated in the southern part of Rajasthan, northwestern state of India.

TIME TO VISIT
Udaipur's climate is tropical, which makes it extremely hot and wet in the summers, reaching temperatures of 42.3°C. It is better to visit it in the winter, from September to March, when the maximum temperatures rising is 28.8°C and the minimum temperature is 2.5°C.

POPULATION
As of the end of 2001, population of Udaipur was around 550,000, males being 53% of the population versus 47% females. The city's literacy rate is around 77%, which comparing to the national average of 59.5% is very high.

DISTRICTS
Administratively Udaipur is divided into 5 districts:

Udaipur is the largest one. It has administrative control and basically monitor the whole division. It is also blessed with many tourist spots.
Rajsamand comprises 3 sub-divisions and two industrial areas. It has great export of cotton, pulses, sugarcane and oilseeds
Chittorgarh is a place of great historical value. Its main attraction is a massive hilltop fort, which rises on a 180m high hill and can be seen from a large distance.
Banswara is named after the bamboos (Bans), which were found in the forests nearby. This district is also popular with its festival which is a big tribal fair. It is also a very small town and you don't need almost anything to score it around - just your feet.
Dungarpur - it is the smallest district in Rajasthan covering just a 1.13% of the total area. Most of its landscape is hilly and there is the Mahi River that runs west of it.

SIGHTS & ATTRACTIONS

City palace is Rajasthan's largest palace complex. It is situated in the centre of Udaipur standing on the lake Pichola looking directly on another beautiful sight - the lake palace. The complex is a real maze, where you can find yourself lost between one of its hundreds corridors or you can watch the beautiful view from one of the many terraces. There are also magnificent hanging gardens, gorgeous rooms and splendid pavilions. http://www.webindia123.com/monuments/palaces/udaipurcity.htm
Jagdish Temple astonishes vistors with its black stone idols and massive statues of elephants, horsemen, dancers in this divine place. Standing on a terrace and looking like a real masterpiece, this sacred place is the largest temple and the most beautiful in Udaipur. http://www.udaipur.org.uk/temples/jagdish-temple.html
Fateh Sagar Lake is situated in the north on Lake Picholas, the little lake which is one of the most romantic places that ever can be seen. With its astonishing panorama, it is a true miracle paradise for lovers and hopeless romantics. Build in 1678, it was damaged by heavy rains and reconstructed later. http://www.rajasthan-tourism.org/prime-attractions/fateh-sagar-lake.html
Gulab Bagh & Zoo is a beautiful rose garden that contains a library and a zoo. The library has some very ancient manuscripts and the zoo - wild animals and rare birds. http://www.rajasthantravelguide.com/city/tourist_places/udaipur/gulab_bagh_udaipur.html
Ahar is a city located 2 kms east of Udaipur. There is a spectacular mass of cenotaphs cremated there. There is also a museum, where can be seen a collection of ancient pots, iron objects and other items. There is also a metal figure of Buddha, which is a main attraction. http://www.rajasthantravelguide.com/city/tourist_places/udaipur/ahar_udaipur.html
Dudh Talai is a rock garden that was a battle field once upon a time. It has a splendid panorama towards the Lake Pichola and in the back - old Royal hunting places can be seen.
Pratap Smarak (Memorial) - it is a statue of a horseman in memory of Maharana Pratap and his favorite horse, named "Chetac". The bronze figure is looking towards the Fateh Sagar Lake and is standing on the Pearl Hill. http://www.asiarooms.com/travel-guide/india/udaipur/sightseeing-in-udaipur/maharana-pratap-memorial.html

AIRPORT
There is one airport that operates in the city:

Udaipur Airport called also Dabok Airport or Maharana Pratap Airport is a local airport situated 24 km from the centre. It offers convenient flights to and from Udaipur. Regular destinations are Delhi, Aurangabad, Mumbai, Jaipur and Jodhpur. The price is usually around Rs200. There is bus shuttle and taxis that will take you to the centre in some 30 minutes.

LOCAL TRANSPORTATION

Bicycles are the main and the cheapest way to get around Udaipur. It costs around Rs 25 per day. You can also rent a moped for Rs 200 per day and motorcycle Rs 250 a day.
Taxis and Rickshaws are very popular but they cost more than the bicycles. It isn't very expensive to rent a car, which will cost around Rs 250 per day.
Local buses - There aren't many bus lines, the most regular are to the airport (Dabok), to Badi Lake, Bedala and Saheliyon Ki Bari, and also to some of the sights.

HISTORY
Maharana Udai Singh, once a ruler of the Mewer kingdom, is the founder of Udaipur. His old capital (Chittaurgarh) was destroyed by enemies army and he was forced to move his people somewhere else. He chose Udaipur, because of a holy man's advice. The banks of Pichola Lake protected the city from further attacks and later it was named after him.

CITY LINKS

http://www.rkaymall.com/ - The first mall in Idaipur, located in the heart of the city
http://udaipur.nic.in/ - a site about the statistic, education, agriculture and business in Udaipur
Useful Tips And Interesting Places: http://wikitravel.org/en/Dhaka
http://www.udaipurplus.com/telephone/hos_nursg.htm - a city with hospital's telephone numbers and other medical care

UNIVERSITY LINKS

Mohan Lal Sukhadia University http://www.mlsu.org/
Maharana Pratap University of Agriculture & Technology http://www.mpuat.ac.in/
Agricultural University http://www.hridir.org/countries/india/PROVCOUN/agricultural_university_udaipur/index.htm