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City Palace, Udaipur

City Palace, Udaipur is a palace complex situated in the city of Udaipur in the Indian state of Rajasthan. It was built over a period of nearly 400 years, with contributions from several rulers of the Mewar dynasty. Its construction began in 1553, started by Maharana Udai Singh II of the Sisodia Rajput family as he shifted his capital from the erstwhile Chittor to the newfound city of Udaipur. The palace is located on the east bank of Lake Pichola and has several palaces built within its complex.

The City Palace in Udaipur was built in a flamboyant style and is considered the largest of its type in the state of Rajasthan. It was built atop a hill, in a fusion of the Rajasthani Rajput architecture providing a panoramic view of the city and its surroundings. Overlooking Lake Pichola, several historic monuments like the Lake Palace, Jag Mandir, Jagdish Temple, Monsoon Palace, and Neemach Mata temple, are all in the vicinity of the palace complex.

Great Gate (Badi Pol).
Gateways, colloquially called Pols, are set to the east of Udaipur city. A number of such gateways provide access to the palace complex.

  • The main entry from the city is through the 'Badi Pol' (Great Gate), which leads to the first courtyard.

Tripoliya Gate.
Badi Pol (built in 1600) leads to the Tripolia Pol, a triple-arched gate built in 1725, which provides the northern entry.


Between these Badi Pol Gate and Tripoliya Gate.
Between these Badi Pol Gate and Tripoliya Gate, eight marble arches or Toranas are erected.

  • It is said that the Maharanas used to be weighed here with gold and silver, which was then distributed among the local people.

Great Palace (Badi Mahal).
The Great Palace (Badi Mahal) also known as Garden Palace is the central palace situated on a 27 metres (89 ft) high natural rock formation bis-a-bis the rest of the palace.

  • The rooms on the ground floor appear to be at the level of the fourth floor in view of the height difference to its surrounding buildings.
  • There is a swimming pool here, which was then used for Holi festival (festival of colors) celebration.
  • In an adjoining hall, miniature paintings of 18th and 19th centuries are displayed.
  • In addition, wall paintings of Jag Mandir (as it appeared in the 18th century), Vishnu of Jagdish temple, the very courtyard and an elephant fight scene are depicted.

Royal courtyard (Rai Angan).
Udai Singh II chose the site near Lake Pichola for his new kingdom as the location was well protected on all sides by forests, lakes and the Aravalli hills.

  • He had chosen this site for his new capital, much before the sacking of Chittor by Emperor Akbar, on the advice of a hermit he had met during one of his hunting expeditions.
  • The earliest royal structure he built here was the Royal courtyard or 'Rai Angan', which was the beginning of the building of the City Palace complex.
  • The court was built at the location where the hermit had advised Maharana to build his new capital.

Peacock square (Mor Chowk).
This part of the palace was built during Maharana Sajjan Singh's reign (1874 – 1884), 200 years after the palace was established.


Amar Vilas.
Amar Vilas is the uppermost court inside the complex, which is an elevated garden. It provides entry to the Badi Mahal.

  • It was built in Mughal style as a pleasure pavilion.
  • It has cusped arcades enclosing a square marble tub.
  • Amar Vilas is the highest point of the City Palace and has wonderful hanging gardens with fountains, towers, and terraces.

Toran Pol.
Toran Pol is a gateway which leads from Moti Chowk (where the main entrance to the Zenana Mahal is located) into Manek Chowk. It was constructed by Maharana Karan Singhji.

  • The structure hanging in front of the Toran Pol is traditionally touched by the royal bridegroom with his sword, before entering the bride's house on his wedding evening.

Palace of Pearls (Moti Mahal).
After crossing the Toran Pol we enter the Palace of Pearls (Moti Mahal).


Ganesh Deodhi.
After walking through the entrance to the Palace of Kings and Udaipur City Palace Museum, the Assembly Hall opens to Ganesh Chowk.

  • At the east end, you'll find Ganesh Deodhi - an ornate idol of Lord Ganesh, the remover of obstacles and Lord of success.
  • The idol, sculptured from marble, was made by Rana Karan Singhji in 1620. The fine glass inlay work around it is absolutely superb.
  • From here, the staircase climbs upwards to Rajya Angan, the royal courtyard.

Goddess Lakshmi statue.
Ganesh is associated with the goddess of luck and prosperity, Lakshmi.


Shrine dedicated to the hermit.
Shrine dedicated to the hermit, Goswami Prem Giriji Maharaj, who advised Maharana Udai Singh II to build the Udaipur City Palace at this location.


Statue of Lord Rama.
Rama is a major deity in Hinduism. He is the seventh and one of the most popular avatars of Vishnu. In Rama-centric traditions of Hinduism, he is considered the Supreme Being.

  • The entire life story of Rama, Sita and their companions allegorically discusses duties, rights and social responsibilities of an individual. It illustrates dharma and dharmic living through model characters.
  • See more at Rama - Wikipedia.

Marble archways and basin.

Lake Pichola seen from the Palace.
Lake Pichola, situated in Udaipur city in the Indian state of Rajasthan, is an artificial fresh water lake, created in the year 1362, named after the nearby Picholi village.

  • Pichola Lake was built in 1362 AD. It is a hearsay that it was built by a banjara (gypsy) and it got its name from nearby village Picholi, during the reign of Maharana Lakha.
  • Later, Maharana Udai Singh, impressed by the charm of this lake with the backdrop of green hills, founded the city of Udaipur on the banks of the lake and also enlarged the Lake by constructing a stone masonry dam in the Badipol region on the shore of the Lake.
  • See more at Lake Pichola - Wikipedia.

Bavji Chatur Singhji.
Lok-Priya Sant-Kavi Maharaj Chatur Singhji reverently known as Bavji Chatur Singhji, was born on Monday 9 February 1880 at Karjali Haveli to Rani Krishna Kunwar and Maharaj Surat Singh of Karjali.

  • Bavji Chatur Singhji was a popular people's saint-poet of Rajputana, now Rajasthan, India, who was an accomplished yogi also and is rightly remembered as Patanjali and Valmiki of Rajasthan.
  • Maharana Bhagwat Singhji Mewad (reign 1955–1984) republished Bavji's major literary works during his birth centenary year (1980) and set up a room in Bavji's honor in the City Palace Museum, Udaipur.
  • See more at Bavji Chatur Singhji - Wikipedia.

Garden Palace (Badi Mahal).
Badi Mahal, known as the Garden Palace, is the highest point in the Udaipur City Palace Museum.

  • It was built during the reign of Rana Amar Singh II, in 1699.
  • Its 104 intricately carved pillars have been made out of local marble.
  • On the ceiling are cleverly fixed marble tiles, highlighting the amazing skill and craftsmanship of the local artisans.
  • Back in time, Badi Mahal was used for royal banquets on special occasions such as Holi, Diwali, Dussehra, birthdays of royal family members, and in honor of visiting dignitaries.
  • What makes Badi Mahal unique is its location. Despite being the highest point in the palace, it is actually at ground level. This has enabled plant life to flourish there. The courtyard is full of large shady trees, and is a peaceful place to relax and take in the palace surroundings. Its height also provides a great vantage point for viewing the town and Lake Pichola.

Pearl Palace (Moti Mahal).
Head through the antique ivory doors to Pearl Palace (Moti Mahal), and you'll find yourself surrounded by mirrored walls and stained glass windows. It creates an astonishing array of reflections.

  • This section was also built by Maharana Karan Singhji and used as his private residence.
  • Maharana Jawan Singhji added to the ornamentation 200 years later.

Colourful ceiling.

Badi Chitrashali Chowk with Kaviraj Shyamaldas room.
Badi Chitrashali Chowk lies between the courtyards of Badi Mahal and Mor Chowk, in the Udaipur City Palace Museum. It was constructed by Rana Sangram Singhji II, during 1710-1734.

  • The blue Chinese tiles, colored glass, and wall murals make Badi Chitrashali Chowk a bright and cheery place to be. Indeed, it was used as an entertainment space by the kings. Music and dance performances, and private parties were held there.
  • The sign in Kaviraj Shyamaldas room reads: «On 10th February, Maharana Sajjan Singh established the first special library in Udaipur and Kaviraj Shyamaldas sat here and wrote "Veer Vinod" the story of Mewar.»
  • Kaviraj Shyamaldas (1836-1893), popularly referred to as Kaviraja (Hindi: king of poets) was one of the early writers involved in documenting the history and culture of the Rajasthan region of India.
  • Maharana Sajjan Singh, ruler of Udaipur (princely state), assigned Shyamaldas the task of compiling an authentic history of Mewar. Titled Vir Vinod ( Hindi: Heroes' Delight ), this is the earliest known comprehensive history written in Mewar.
  • See more at Kaviraj Shyamaldas - Wikipedia.

Fateh Singh of Udaipur and Mewar.
Maharana Sir Fateh Singh (16 December 1849 – 24 May 1930), ruled Mewar for 46 years from 1884 to 1930, with Udaipur as capital, and resided in the City Palace, Udaipur.

  • He also built Fateh Prakash Palace in Chittorgarh fort, which is an edifice with a tower on each of its four corners crowned by domed chhattris. This palace is a grand specimen of modern Indian architecture and at present houses a museum.
  • The Shiv Niwas Palace at Udaipur was also built by him. The palace was reserved exclusively by the House of Mewar for visiting dignitaries and guests during British Raj. It now has been turned into a luxury hotel.
  • See more at Fateh Singh of Udaipur and Mewar - Wikipedia.

Zenana Mahal Interiors.
Inside the Zenana Mahal, it's possible to walk through the queen's chambers.

  • The rooms have been beautifully restored and feature arts and crafts, frescoes, balconies, and alcoves.

Courtyard (Manek Chowk) seen from the Palace.
The Courtyard (Manek Chowk), where elephant fights were staged in the past to test their prowess before starting on war campaigns.


Bedroom with wheelchair.

Bas-relief with Lord Surya.
Surya Chopar is a special room dedicated to the God of Mewars (Warriors). The room is square, hence the name Chopar. It houses a statue of Lord Surya (Sun) who is worshiped by the Mewars dynasty. The ornamental statue is made of metal and is mounted on a wall. Currently the statue is covered with glass. Surya Chopar is located near the Mor Chowk towards the City Palace Tour exit.

  • Surya is the sun as well as the solar deity in Hinduism. He is traditionally one of the major five deities in the Smarta tradition, all of whom are considered as equivalent deities in the Panchayatana puja and a means to realise Brahman.
  • Surya is particularly venerated in the Saura tradition found in Indian states such as Rajasthan, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, and Odisha.
  • See more at Surya - Wikipedia.

Peacock square (Mor Chowk).
Mor Chowk or Peacock square is integral to the inner courts of the palace.

  • The elaborate design of this chamber consists of three peacocks (representing the three seasons of summer, winter, and monsoon) modeled in high relief and faced with coloured glass mosaic, built into successive niches in the wall area or jharoka.
  • These were built during Maharana Sajjan Singh's reign, 200 years after the palace was established.
  • The peacocks have been crafted with 5000 pieces of glass, which shine in green, gold, and blue colours.
  • The apartments in front of the Chowk are depicted with scenes of Hindu god Lord Krishna's legends.
  • At the upper level, there is a projecting balcony, which is flanked by inserts of coloured glass. In an adjoining chamber, called the Kanch-ki-Burj, mosaics of mirrors adorn the walls.
  • The Badi Charur Chowk within this chowk is a smaller court for private use. Its screen wall has painted and inlaid compositions depicting European men and Indian women.
  • Proceeding further from the Mor-Chowk, in the Zenana Mahal or women's quarters exquisitely designed alcoves, balconies, colored windows, tiled walls, and floors are seen.

Leaving the interior of the palace.

View of Udaipur from the Palace.
Udaipur is a city and municipal corporation in Udaipur district of the state of Rajasthan, India. It is also known as the "City of Lakes".

  • It was founded in 1559 by Udai Singh II of the Sisodia clan of Rajputs, when he shifted his capital from the city of Chittorgarh to Udaipur after Chittorgarh was besieged by Akbar.
  • See more at Udaipur - Wikipedia.

Pre wedding photographs.
The city palace is the one of the best locations for pre wedding shoot in Udaipur.

  • This complex of the royal home has been built entirely out of stone and marble.
  • The inside has delicate glass artwork, limestone work, frescoes, divided artistic masterpieces, silverwork, decoration work, and shaded intricate designs.

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Location

Location: Old City, Udaipur, Rajasthan 313001, India