Udaipur,
the city that definitely has an aura of romance around it, captures
imagination instantly as you fix a gaze upon the dreamlike Lake Palace,
located in the middle of the picturesque Lake Pichola. The exquisite palace
is positioned on the Jag Niwas Island. Today, the palace serves as an iconic
palace-hotel maintained by the world renowned Taj Group of Hotels. The
architectural opulence and the luxury inside the palace makes one recollect
the days of the maharajas of yore. During your stay at the Lake Palace, you
can also indulge in romantic boat rides along the Lake Pichola.
Glimpses From The Past
The Lake Palace of Udaipur was erected by Maharana Jagat Singh in 1743,
with a view to making it the summer palace of the royalty. Jagat Singh, who
ruled Jaipur between 1628 and 1654, was on friendly terms with Mughal
emperor Shah Jahan. Thus, the maharana advised his sculptors and craftsmen
to imitate some glorious works from the Shah Jahan's splendid buildings at
Agra.
Maharana Jagat Singh highly appreciated the Mughal buildings at Agra and
had a good sense of aesthetics. He employed well versed artisans to create
wonderful courtyards, cusped arches, pillared terraces and other detailed
works of art. After the construction of the palace was complete, it was used
as the maharaja's summer resort. Even Jagat Singh's successors chose the
palace as their summer refuge.
Architectural Attractions
The
interiors of the Lake Palace are replete with beautiful courtyards,
sprawling gardens, lively fountains and exquisite pillared terraces. The
palace comprises of 83 aesthetically designed rooms that include 17 suites
and 53 deluxe rooms. The rooms are the palace speak of the opulence of the
maharjas of Rajasthan. Embellished with cusped arches, floral patterns and
excellent mirror works, these rooms are truly worth exploring. In fact,
every corner of the palace is redolent with the traditional beauty and the
style of the Rajput rulers.
To add to a tourist's delight all the more, the palace offers to see and
experience luxurious apartments like the Bada Mahal, Khush Mahal, Ajjan
Niwas, Phool Mahal and Dhola Mahal. These apartments come along with all the
modern amenities, thus offering a cocoon of comfort for tourists. The royal
banquet rooms of the palace today serve the guests in the form of
restaurants and bars. Each of the rooms of the hotel is designed following a
particular theme and is rich with the state's rich art and craft.
The 250-year-old palace hotel is a favourite stay option with tourists from
all across the globe. The rich interiors, huge portraits of the maharajas,
murals from the Mewar School and the ornate wood furniture coupled with all
the luxurious amenities and a world class service are enough to win over the
hearts of the guests.
Reaching There
Udaipur's Dabok Airport is located at a distance of 24 km from the city
centre. The Indian Airlines has regular flights from Udaipur connecting to
cities like Jodhpur, Jaipur, Aurangabad, Delhi and Mumbai. By rail routes,
the city has links with Jaipur, Jodhpur, Ahmedabad, Delhi, Chittor etc. Road
route of Udaipur is also well linked. Through road network, you can access
the city from places like Jaipur (406 km), Jodhpur (275 km), Mount Abu (185
km), Ahmedabad (262 km), Agra (630 km) etc.
Best
Golden Traingle Tour (7D) 
