As someone who is always looking to tap into energies a place has to offer, it was surprising to experience what I did at the City Palace Udaipur. There was a positive vibration that I hadn’t felt elsewhere apart from significant religious places. It was reason enough to tap into City Palace Udaipur history to look back to a phase that has thousands of stories to tell. This post helps you navigate all you need to know about the second largest palace in India.
City palace Udaipur ticket price
- City Palace Udaipur entry fee is Rs. 300 for adults and Rs. 100 for children/teens ages 6 to 18
- For children below the age of 5, the entry is free
- Guide charges Rs. 500 for 5 people
City palace Udaipur timings
- The palace is operational between 9 am to 5 pm
- It is open on all days
History of City Palace Udaipur
It took 400 years and 22 royals of Mewar to build the lakeside palace in Udaipur. The Mughals were constantly at war, which forced the capital of Mewar to shift from Chittorgarh to Udaipur.
Established by Maharana Udai Singh II in 1559 AD, was how Udaipur came into being. It was a more secure option due to the Aravalli range. Who knew that this would at one time become a beautiful abode for Rajasthan tourism. Udaipur is one of the most romantic places to visit in India and makes a perfect weekend getaway from Gujarat.
The palace is not just massive in size but has an architectural layout that feels like a ‘bhool bhulaiya’. What looks like a skillfully crafted layout to tourists was created to confuse attackers.
City Palace Udaipur entrance
The main gate of the City Palace is called the Bhairav Sthan, which marked the foundation of the palatial grounds. It was chosen on March 16, 1559 AD, when Maharana Amar Singh I (the grandson of Maharana Udai Singh II) was born.
The newborn was taken to their Kuldev, Eklingji to seek blessings. Maharana Udai Singh II hunted a rabbit to carry out an auspicious ritual. A stone was established at that very spot and it marked as the space for their palatial residence.
It is believed that a family sage by the name Prem Giri Goswami ji Maharaj was the one who suggested the proposition. A temple was made in his honor within the premises and it is believed that his blessings kept the palace protected at all times.
Pratap Kaksh
The Pratap Kaksh is a dedicated area that stores all the weaponry that belonged to Maharana Pratap. It is believed that he used to have 35 kilos of armory before going to war.
Interestingly, he used to disguise his horse and make it look like a baby elephant. When elephants of enemy attackers used to see the horse, they would not attack their own kin.
Some of the significant aspects of Mewar is described through pictorial descriptions. One painting where Maharana Pratap is seen writing a letter to king of Prithviraj Rathore of Bikaner is quite significant.
He was informing the king dismissing rumors spread out by Mughal emperor Akbar. The emperor deceitfully spread the word that Maharana Pratap was accepting defeat in front of him. When the king of Bikaner raised distress regarding the same, Maharana Pratap wrote back to him saying that a lion does not bow down in front of a jackal.
Lakhu Kund
A bathtub made of single stone marble called Lakhu Kund is constructed within one of the rooms in the palace. Every time a new king would begin his reign, he would sit inside the tub while 100,000 silver coins would be showered on him.
Out of 100,000 coins, 25,000 used to be showered onto common men who would grab them as they fell. The remaining 75,000 used to be donated for religious purposes. The last time the bathtub was used was in 1930.
Cages for pigeons
There is a room that showcases hanging pigeon cages made of brass. Back in those days, these birds were used to send messages. The room also exhibits walls made of Makrana marble – the same that was used to construct Taj Mahal.
Swimming pool
One of the interesting parts of City Palace Udaipur history is 4th floor that had swimming pools amidst a garden full of trees. Since the palace was constructed by breaking down a hill, the trees that were rooted in this part of the hill were kept intact.
It is an architectural marvel as it stands tall almost at a 100 feet of an establishment that is full of stones. But the trees are rooted to the ground and creates an aesthetic environment that was best suited for a bathing area.
Chair of Maharaja Fateh Singh
When India was under British rule, George V had called a meeting in Delhi and ordered all the kings in the country to be a part of it. The Mewar ruler back then was Maharana Fateh Singh, who did not comply to the command.
He knew that he would have to bow down in front of the British ruler and the royals of Mewar never complied to such demands. It is said that the royals of Mewar could have their heads cut off but never bowed down.
Surprisingly, this impressed George V and he sent a special chair from Delhi in honor of the king of Mewar. The chair is still kept in the palace with an image cut out of the king right beside.
Narrow staircases
City Palace Udaipur history reflects commonality among most forts in India that have narrow staircases. These were constructed in a way to restrict the number of people that could move together. During an attack, fewer people could move together, thus restricting movement of the attacking army.
Sheesh Mahal
Maharana Karan Singh II constructed the most beautiful part of the Udaipur City Palace. It is a room full of colorful mirrors embedded across the ceiling, the walls, and the floors. The doors here are made of ivory. It used to be the bedroom of kings and queens that is also full of paintings that reflected royal lifestyle.
Vani Vilas
A library was made by Maharan Sajjan Singh in February 10, 1875, who named it Vani Vilas. The peach color room blended with floral patterns in blue borders send an instant calm to your senses.
The room has a picture of a writer named Kaviraj Shyamal Das who sat in the same room and wrote down the history of Mewar. The name of the book is Veer Vinod and it is available at the book shop located within the palace premises. The cost of the book is Rs. 4,000 and records a legacy worth knowing.
Madan Vilas
Maharana Bhim Singh had constructed a room and called it the Madan Villas for colonel James Tod in the 18th century. It is believed that James Tod had rescued the king of Mewar along with many other Indian kings especially against the Marathas.
Diwan-I-Aam and Diwan-I-Khas
The lawn area outside of the palace premises is the place where kings used to listen to his people. This place was called the Diwaan-I-Aam. But the topmost floor (also one of the most beautiful parts of the palace) was dedicated to the Diwaan-I-Khas. This area marked the place where the king would make important discussions with his subjects associated to administration, accounts, and more. The highest floor is situated at an elevation of 105 feet. There is mirror work done across Jharokhas that were constructed with Belgium glass.
Moti Mahal
Maharan Karan Singh II constructed Moti Mahal in 1624. It was used by the queens and female royals of the palace to enjoy entertainment presented at the Diwaan-I-Aam. The room is full of colorful glasses across the windows that allowed the females to look outside, but no one could see them from the other side.
Chess room
A pretty room colored with light blue hues with white patterns drawn all over was dedicated area for the royals to play chess. It also had an elaborate swing and a comfortable sitting area shaped out of stone.
Sun of Gold
The royals of Mewar belong to the solar dynasty. So, a big sun made of gold is an integral part of Udaipur City Palace history. During monsoons, when the sun would not shine brightly in the sky, the royals would face the holy structure to pray to the Sun God.
Pritam Niwas
The Pritam Niwas is a summer palace created within the premises made Maharana Jagjit Singh in the 18th century. He also established the water palace and named it the Jag Niwas. Today, it belongs to Taj Hotel Group and goes by the name Taj Lake Palace.
Manek Mahal
The dining room similar to that of Diwaan-I-Khas was established out of Belgium glass and fine artistry of mirror work. Maharana Karan Singh II had constructed this portion of the palace but was later improved by Maharana Swarup Singh in the 19th century.
Zenana Mahal
A specific area was dedicated for royal women who became widows. They spent the rest of their lives in the Zenana Mahal and were not allowed to be a part of festivities and functions. No men were allowed to enter this area.
The room had all the amenities including a silver bed, a place of worship, and attendants to cater to all the needs. The last queen who spent her last days in this place died in 1973.
Statue Room
There is a space where statues of idols were collected and kept from across Mewar and beyond. These were damaged idols that were attacked and broken by the Mughals.
Thankfully, the Udaipur City Palace was never attacked but many forts and palaces nearby fell prey. Statues from those places were brought and kept here. They also signify where they are from according to their structure and type.
Instrument Room
The royals had keen interest in music. Instruments from that time, also found a space in the palace premises and are kept intact. Interestingly, there are human figures made of brass and shaped in a way that look like they are playing music.
Udaipur City Palace history and beyond
The palace stands a testament of time to reflect the royalty of Mewar and their undying spirit. They are few of the royals in India that did not give up their power to invaders and attackers. When visiting the City Palace, make sure you immerse into the vibe of a piece of history worth commemorating.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Why is the city palace famous?
The royals of Mewar chose Udaipur as their abode and established the City Palace as their new home after leaving their capital of Chittorgarh, which was at threat because of Emperor Akbar.
2. What is the oldest palace in Udaipur?
Udaipur City Palace is the oldest palace in the city with foundation that dates back to 1559 AD. It took 400 years to complete what we see today and 22 royals contributed to establishing the structure over centuries.
3. What is the history behind Udaipur?
Udaipur set amidst the Aravalli was a perfect place to move for the Mewar royals to protect themselves against the Mughals. They came to Udaipur from Chittorgarh in 1559 and continued their rule from this place. It was laid out by Maharana Udai Singh II and the city is also named after him.
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