Udaipur, a major city in Rajasthan, founded in 1559 by Maharana UDAI SINGH II, the final capital of the erstwhile MEWAR kingdom, its name being changed to the Kingdom of Udaipur. It is still the home of Mewar's Royal Family, and headquarters of the family's prestigious HRH GROUP of Heritage Hotels. (This was not the first time the valley had been the capital of Mewar. Between the mid-900s and the late 1100s, the ancient city of AHAR, now an eastern suburb of Udaipur, was the kingdom's capital-in-exile, Chittor having been conquered by the Paramaras of Malwa.) The City Palace, on the shore of Pichola Lake, was the focus of the original layout of Udai Singh's new city, and was surrounded by the noble mansions of the Sisodia aristocracy, beautiful gardens and ever-flowing fountains, and sweet-smelling orange and lemon groves. A massive, bastioned wall, the remains of which can still be seen in some places in the inner city, surrounded the city, a great deal smaller in area than today's metropolis. Until the middle of the 20^th century, the city gates were still closed every night when a signal gun was fired. Towards the south the wall climbed the steep and rugged hill of MACHHALA MAGRA and enclosed several large gardens. The western side of the city was protected by the lake, which supplied water for a moat on the northern and eastern perimeters.

The city was assaulted several times: for instance, in 1736 during the reign of Maharana Jagat Singh II, Maratha Peshwa, Baji Rao I, captured Udaipur. Ongoing payments of tribute soon decimated Mewar's economic base. In the reign of Maharana Ari Singh II (1761-1773), during the civil war engendered by the relatively short-lived rise of Pretender Kunwar Ratan Singh, the new Peshwa, Mahadaji Sindhia, was paid by the government's enemy to besiege Udaipur but, finally, was paid by the government to remove his forces (see UDAIPUR, SIEGE OF). Then again, during the reign of Maharana Bhim Singh (1778-1828), Sindhia again attacked Udaipur; the Maharana was advised to put various nobles and their forces at different posts around the city. The Mewaris offered strong resistance and Sindhia's army was forced to withdraw. Earlier, in the early 1600s, Mughal Emperor Jahangir captured Udaipur, in a desperate effort to crush Mewar resistance. At the time, Maharana AMAR SINGH I was regrouping his forces in the Aravalli Hills. In 1614, he negotiated a peace treaty with the Mughals and regained the capital. Udaipur then remained the Mewar seat of government until Indian Independence in 1947.

In 1956, the Princely States of RAJPUTANA were integrated into the modern State of Rajasthan, of which Jaipur is now the capital. Today, Udaipur is the headquarters of Udaipur District. It is a major road and rail junction and has an agricultural distributing centre. Agriculture is the most important occupation; maize (corn), sugarcane, oilseeds, sorghum, and gram are the chief crops. The district is rich in mineral deposits, which include zinc, silver, lead, and iron ore, beryllium, mica, emerald, garnet, and glass sand. Following Indian Independence in 1947, the Municipal Council of Udaipur, the Government of Rajasthan and the Urban Improvement Trust gave close attention to the beautification of Udaipur. The city's total area is 37 sq. km., and is 577 m. above sea level. Approximate average temperatures: summer, 28º-38º; winter, 12º-28º. The average rainfall is 61 cm.

Udaipur has won a number of complimentary epithets: a "cool oasis in the dry heart of Rajasthan", "Venice of the East", "City of Sunrise", "City of Dreams", and "the most romantic city in India." During the reign of Maharana Fateh Singh, one writer extolled its virtues as the picturesque modern capital of the Sisodias of Mewar, "the Supreme Head of the Aryan race, the first gentleman of Aryavarta (the Aryan world)". Modern Udaipur still exudes that air of romance with its urban ramble of roads, circles (roundabouts), meandering laneways, lively bazaars, and a picturesque panorama of old whitewashed dwellings.

Top City Sights. PICHOLA LAKE, a peaceful and romantic expanse of water, fringed by the city on the east, with the magnificent backdrop of the Aravalli hills to the west. LAKE PALACE (JAG NIWAS), one of the world's most famous and elegant palace hotels, on an island in the middle of Pichola Lake with landscaped courtyards, fountains, gardens and swimming pool. JAG MANDIR, the picturesque island palace in Pichola Lake where SHAH JAHAN took refuge in the 17^th century. FATEH SAGAR, a large pleasure lake just north of Pichola. NEHRU PARK, a popular garden island with restaurant, in the middle of Fateh Sagar. PRATAP SMARAK, a grand statue of Mewar hero Maharana Pratap astride his charger CHETAK; atop MOTI MAGRI (Pearl Hill) and overlooking Fateh Sagar. SAHELION-KI-BARI, the charming and peaceful Princess's Water Garden where it is difficult to imagine that there is a busy world just beyond the walls. JAGDISH TEMPLE, a fine Indo-Aryan temple 150 m. north of the entrance to the CITY PALACE, which is the majestic symbol of Udaipur extending 2 km. along the eastern bank of Pichola Lake and dominates the city.

Beyond The City. JAISAMAND LAKE (48 km.), the second largest artificial lake in Asia, with beautiful marble chhatris around an embankment, each with an elephant in front, and the summer palaces of Udaipur's queens. Nearby is the JAISAMAND WILDLIFE SANCTUARY. KUMBHALGARH (84 km.), the most important fort in the Mewar region after Chittor. JAGAT (58 km.), with its ancient Ambika Mata Temple. NAGDA, 1 km. from Eklingji, original capital of the Mewar Dynasty; interesting temples. HALDIGHATI (40 km.), the battlefield where Maharana PRATAP SINGH I valiantly defied superior Mughal forces (1576); in the same area is the chhatri (memorial) to Pratap's amazing horse, CHETAK. NATHDWARA (48 km.), a popular pilgrimage site because of its important shrine of Sri Nathji. RAJSAMAND LAKE (65 km.), a vast waterway created by Maharana RAJ SINGH I (1660). RANAKPUR (98 km.), one of most important and largest Jain temple complexes in India, an extremely beautiful religious site in a remote and peaceful valley.

Despite being off the traditional Indian tourist circuits (e.g., the Golden Triangle of Delhi-Agra-Jaipur), Udaipur is readily accessible by road, rail and, particularly, by air. Therefore, tourism plays an important role in its economy and lifestyle (catering to the needs of a vast number of visitors each year). For bargain hunters, Udaipur has fascinating markets that sell Indian clothing for ladies and men, paintings (many of them original works by local artists and art students, others being copies of famous miniatures, and traditional facsimiles of antique artefacts), plus interesting tourist souvenirs. The main tourist season is in the cooler months from September to April. Daily tours of Udaipur and its environs are available; contact your hotel reception or the Tourist Reception Centre, Suraj Pol (Fateh Memorial), Tel: 411 535. See also UDAIPUR, LEGENDARY FOUNDING OF.

Udaipur Equine Institute, a Public Registered Society, part of the Non Commercial Division of the MAHARANA MEWAR INSTITUTION TRUST; established for the breeding and preservation of the Marwari breed of horses. Here, ARVIND SINGH MEWAR breeds and trains prize polo ponies for the Mewar polo team.

Udaipur Hospital, near Gulab Bagh, Udaipur; a private hospital run by the Tej Singhji Sarupuria Trust.

Udaipur Laboratory, the island location in Pichola Lake of the UDAIPUR SOLAR OBSERVATORY.

Udaipur Solar Observatory, at the Udaipur Laboratory, which is on an island in the northern sector of Fateh Sagar Lake. It has a powerful and special kind of telescope, which cost over Rs. 4 crores, which the American Institution donated to the city. Only five other similar telescopes exist in the world: Western Australia, Spain, Chile, California, and Hawaii. The telescope observes and records events of the sun each day, one of the Observatory's most memorable days being October 24, 1995, when it recorded a solar eclipse.

Udaipur, legendary founding of. One day in 1559, while hunting many kilometres southwest of Chittor in the wilds of the southern Aravallis (near the ancient city of Ahar), Maharana Udai Singh II reached Pichola Talao (now known as Pichola Lake). Seeing a rabbit, he killed it with an arrow. Suddenly, a miraculous light surrounded the body, and the royal hunter took this as a signal that the city should be built here. When the Maharana was discussing this with his nobles on the banks of the lake, he saw a Hindu holy man deep in meditation nearby. As was the custom, he shared darshan (worship) with him. The sage told the Maharana, "If you are planning a new city, right here is the most suitable place. Your descendants will rule Mewar for a long time, and the city will be unique because of its beauty." Indeed, the Maharana liked the place: the valley was picturesque; the lake was well watered from the seasonal run-off from the surrounding hills; and those same rugged hills provided natural protection. He even went so far as to construct a summer palace, MOTI MAHAL on MOTI MAGRI, overlooking the lake. Several years later, after Mughal emperor Akbar's disastrous sack of Chittor (1567-1568), Udai Singh was dispirited by the loss of the ancient capital and of so many of his loyal subjects. He accepted that Chittorgarh the Invincible had finally met its match in the destructive power of modern weaponry. He stayed in the mountain town of Gogunda for a while, before continuing on to his summer retreat at Pichola Lake. In 1570, while the royal family resided in Moti Mahal, Udai Singh constructed a more spacious dwelling, the CITY PALACE, a couple of kilometres to the south. The foundation stone at the heart of the new lakeside palace marked the spot where the Maharana had met the holy man. Around this magnificent palace, the Court nobility and subjects established their own dwellings; merchants set-up market areas; and a huge city wall with impressive gateways was erected. The Maharana named the burgeoning city after himself-Udaipur. (And the place where the rabbit was shot is worshipped even today.)

Udaipur, Siege of. In the year 1768, a state of civil war existed in Mewar. Because of the extreme unpopularity of Maharana ARI SINGH II (1761-1773), a major percentage of the leading nobles had rebelled and made it their business to put a Pretender, Kunwar RATAN SINGH on the throne. They hired the services of a couple of the Maratha chieftains who had invaded Mewar and taken over several of the State's domains. On advice, the Maharana retaliated by hiring the services of other Maratha chiefs. Both warring factions each wanted the assistance of the incumbent Maratha Peshwa (supreme leader) Mahadaji SINDHIA, and his powerful army. Separately, they went to Ujjain where Sindhia was currently encamped. Arriving first, the Pretender secured Sindhia's services and, when the Udaipur army arrived, a deadly battle ensued (see UJJAIN, BATTLE OF). Ultimately, Sindhia was victorious, and the Maharana's army, having suffered important losses, retreated to Udaipur. The Pretender and his cohorts urged Sindhia to capitalise on the victory and march on Udaipur, with the intent of taking the throne for the would-be king, Ratan Singh. Sindhia agreed, however some time elapsed before he could make his move. Finally, the Maratha Peshwa, the Pretender Ratan Singh, the rebel Mewar nobles, and the auxiliary Maratha force, headed by Peshwa Mahadaji Sindhia, marched from Ujjain, through the mountain passes surrounding Udaipur, and besieged the Mewar capital.

Maharana Ari Singh II's cause now appeared hopeless. Bhim Singh of Salumbar, uncle and successor of the Salumbar chief slain at Ujjain, with the Rathore chief of Badnor, were the only nobles of high rank who were on hand to defend their prince and capital in this emergency. Fortunately for both the Maharana and his kingdom, an aging but extremely capable ex-minister of Mewar saved not only Udaipur but also the kingdom (see AMAR CHAND). The siege of Udaipur terminated in 1769. The rebellious Mewar nobles abandoned the Pretender's ambition for the throne, and renewed their allegiance to the Maharana. Ratan Singh was forced to forego his promised monarchy, the puppet of disenchanted nobles wanting to replace an unpopular king. The cause was now lost and Ratan Singh, the prince who would be king, disappeared from the pages of Mewar's history. The State, though still dominated by the Marathas, returned to relative peace until the nobles made their next move, which resulted in the assassination of Maharana Ari Singh in 1773.