Udaipur’e

“Nestled in the arms of Rajasthan, but so expansive

Historic yet historically forward

Intimate, yet beckoning

So tiny, but so generous.

Like a secret you want to preserve and at the same time shout out from the rooftops ❤️

Udaipur, you have my whole heart.”

Taking Off

It is 12 midnight, my flight is at 6 am. Minutes seem like hours, but it was hours that flew by in minutes. I’m harrowed and sleep deprived but it’s 3 am and it’s time to roll.

I was stupid enough to have booked a connecting flight from Jaipur to Udaipur instead of a direct one from Hyderabad to the latter. Lugging around with baggage while travelling solo especially, ain’t my idea of an adventure.

Anyway, after an hour long redundant wait at Jaipur airport, I finally catch the intended flight and step foot in a nostalgic land of fables and folklore, untainted by the present.

Udaipur, you’re an absolute feast and I know this the second I land upon your feet.

Day One

I check in to my hotel in the afternoon, sleep off an acutely uncomfortable and physically testing flight. I wake up in the evening and set out to explore the bylanes of Hathipole Market. The autoricks here are warm and friendly. The drive to anywhere in Udaipur, is a stone’s throw-It is quite tiny. I know I’ve reached my destination when I am greeted by the portrait of a mighty elephant adorning a wishy washy, but pretty yellow wall, only to be overshadowed by haphazardly glued posters of ”Stick-No-Bills”. Graffiti, with a side of discipline, haha. Udaipur has already begun working its charm on me.

I begin a determined stroll around the shopping market, dotted with ill-spaced, but gorgeous Bandhini/Bandhej what have you. You might not find the most intricate or bareek bandhej here, but you surely will unfurl the versatile spirit of tie-dye, which btw, is being laid out in front of my eyes by a very good-looking salesman called Palash (Yes, I ask handsome shopkeepers for their names. lol). There’s a lot of fabric in bold colours, but what catches my eyes are the wild flowers, in hand-paint, interspersed with the technique. Palash sells me one of these beauties. I buy two ????

Morning

I am a morning person, sorry, but I am. And I like to start my day nice and early while I’m travelling. Leisure can wait for when I’m back from holiday ???? Jokes aside, pro-tip, the early bird does get the worm. I am travelling in a group of lovely, like-minded friends whom I genuinely adore and get along with. Our first stop is the famed Saheliyo-ki-Bari; a magnificent fountain garden for the princesses, which btw, we thought we were for the day and so I dressed in a long, loose cotton dress with ”churidar” sleeves.

A short autoride takes us there. We pay a small fee and enter. The gardens are lush and well-manicured, and boast beautiful architecture that pillars the lake in the center. What really gets me frolicking is the fountain-yes my inner child thirsts for thrills like these. There’s an in-house art museum inhabited by miniature paintings magnified on canvas sheets. We admire and try to appreciate. But then we are more interested in the water fountains. We splash around and take a few pictures, and bask in the girly, almost feminine magnificence of this area, reminiscent of whispers of secrets, chirpings of high pitched but very polite girl talk and murmurs of soft, sweet gossip enstoned within marble carvings and chalk walls. Walls do have ears, don’t they? ????

Some of us walk over to the Vintage Car Collection, which is apparently quite spectacular. However, I decided to rest my feet. I regret it a little.

Afternoon

We have a quick meal at an Italian bistro before heading to the most spoken-of, City Palace. The Palace is in levels and touring it comes for a slightly higher price than the rest of Udaipur’s attractions. Is it going to be worth it? We surrender and hire a golf cart to ease the climb. At the gate, we hire an enthusiastic and very eloquent guide. Is hiring him going to be worth it?

And so the tour begins. First and foremost, we are guided into the rooms opposite the main entrance. These house some of the most delicious art and craft work in Udaipur. Miniature painting, Banana leaves woven into fabric, intricate Bandhini and what have you. We smile politely and window-shop, and then step out, to find a pretty cafe on one side of the Palace. I like my coffee with some Palace. haha.

But then, the tour begins. And as if on cue, our hunger is nipped in the bud. Standing mighty and tall, looming large over us, as explained by the guide, are the sun and the moon gates. We follow the light and through the sungate, emerge out on the other side. Here we find our friends in the stable. We admire these faithful creatures who look like royalty themselves and have names to match. Then, we turn around and are told, we have two options: a) The exit door b) The main door. After a minute of discussion, we decide to step in through the… main door. The walls and passages of the Palace were intentionally made to be low. ”Why?” the guide puts us in enquiry. ”Because the royals were short?”, he offers. And then, almost immediately chimes in with a, ”No, the corridors were made narrow and ceilings low, to constrain enemy armies incase of an attack!” The victory of this strategy still shines as warm, sweet pride in his voice.

We become fast friends with this gentleman. He isn’t out to charm, but is very charming. Somebody you like and respect equally. We are meander through the many ”Instagrammable” rooms of the Palace, most of which are decorated with such awe-inspiring work in glass, especially stained glass, that we just stand, watch and look. There’s the archways, the Crystal Gallery, the King’s throne, the pink and blue salon, the durbars, the cornish-studded terrace, the this and the that, and the what not. I don’t mean to be facetious, but I am honestly bereft of words to describe this place.

The City Palace is an experience. And if its grandeur can melt the heart of a ”minimalist”, then rest assured you’re in for a treat.

Evening

This evening in Udaipur we are invited for our friend Maria’s wedding. It is in quintessential Bohri style. Studied with this girl for 10+ years. Studied with my best friend, who is her best frined, for 10+ years. Not easy to give her away, not easy watching Nida, give her away. But truly, trust the cynic in me when I say this- She found the right guy. And we, are going to celebrate this union over tasteless jokes and with a ”mouth full” of innuendos (muahhahahahhha)

Day Three

Morning

A friend of mine and I wake up before it’s appropriate to wake up and decide to have a little trip-within-a-trip. This is us deciding to spend the morning exploring the (supposedly) faraway Sajjangarh/Monsoon Palace and the adjoining Animal Sanctuary. We hire a full day taxi for the same. The cab driver is extremely helpful, reasonable and friendly. He takes us through a winding climb that encircles the kingly repose. The altitude of this place stuns me, and so does its simplicity. In many ways, the Monsoon Palace is the antithesis of the City Palace. In other ways, it is a continuation. Boasting gorgeous wooden doors and panoramic views, Sajjangarh is a must-visit. There is also plenty of greenery around this arched marvel.

I also laud the conservation efforts put together by this area. It isn’t a zoo, isn’t an animal park. This place smacks of reverence- even for the oft-neglected flora and fauna. Won me over.

Afternoon

After a stint in Sajjangarh, we drive down to the art and craft tableau village of Shilpgram, home to a number of artisans and craftsmen. Time for some flea, and some shopping!

We’re attracted to the costume shop, which offers the traditional Rajasthani garment on rent. (Are they dry-cleaned? Yes, says he! No, I say! But who cares, says my friend) and yes, as ”unwashed miscreants”, we just go for it and get pictures clicked, haha. Next, we are invited by a miniaturist to get a mini-painting done on my nail! And despite having stubby, bitten nails, I still go for it. We later found another master of the same art who painted a peacock on my other thumb-nail. They both loved what they did, and I loved both. There’s expressions of creativity in various forms in this village. You have music, you have painting, you have dance and you have shopping. It’s truly an Alladin’s cave for a soul searching for aesthetics.

I admired. I shopped. And I did yoga!

Evening

We rejoined our group for the Sunset cruise on Lake Picchola and for a visit to the Taj Lake Palace, of Octopussy fame. Vibrant boats, embellish the boathouse, inside which we are entertained by a man in an equally vibrant turban, singing songs of Rajasthani folklore using the native instrument. Busking is his jam and is mine too. Loved it!

We then plod into a bright-yellow boat and are instructed to wear a life jacket. I, ofcourse, the obedient girl that I am, oblige(chuckles). Reflecting on this journey, is one of my most favourite parts of the entire holiday. The limpid waters of the lake, calm and serene in its sagely glory, have lessons to teach us all. But for the time being, the only lesson I see and imbibe, is there sometimes is no lesson. Just pure, endless beauty.

The lake is surrounded by famous buildings, including the Lake Palace and the City Palace and in its waters, the entire city of Udaipur is reflected.

We meditate on the same before disembarking.