Wonders of RajasthanVibrant Rajasthan - Travel to the Land of History, Legends, Valorous Warriors And Heritage Hotels….

While on a trip to Rajasthan, I was searching for a pleasant destination to escape from the hot summers. What else could be more beautiful and romantic than the ‘City of Lakes‘- Udaipur? Lakes and watercourses not only provide a perfect backdrop to Udaipur, but also give a sense of relief. These lakes add some more beauty and appeal to this charming city. As I arrived Udaipur, I wqas welcomed by royal palaces, swaying trees, balmy weather and sparkling lakes- a perfect mixture for relaxing holidays.

I first came across the famous Pichola Lake. Located in the heart of the

city, it is the oldest (built in 1362) and one of the largest lakes of

Udaipur. With 3 miles of length, 2 miles of width and 30 feet of depth, it is cradled amongst hills, gardens, havelis, temples and ghats. The mesmerizing beauty of Lake Pichola is capale of making you fall in love with it. I was also surprised to see the splendid beauty of Udai Sagar Lake. Built between 1559 and 1565 by Maharana Udai Singh, the lake extends to 4 km in length 2.5 km in width. The dam on this lake is connected to Berach River. I loved spending some quality time alonside the serene waters of this lake while having lunch at a small restaurant/dhaba.

When it comes to other renowned artificial lakes, the Fateh Sagar Lake (built by Maharana Jai Singh in the year 1678 AD) and Jaisamand Lake (built in 1685) stole my heart. The Fateh sagar lake has three beautiful islands dotted by hills and woodlands. It is a nice place to explore and tourists like to

enjoy the tranquil beauty of this lake. On the other hand Jaisamand Lake, 52 km southeast from Udaipur, boasts of being the second largest artificial lake in Asia. It is quite close to the Jaisamand Sanctuary (built in 1957), which serves as a home to several birds, panthers, leopards, deer, wild boars and crocodiles. I also paid short visits to Badi Lake (built by Maharana Raj Singh I in 1684 at a cost of Rs. 688,000) and Rajsamand Lake (built in 1660) and enjoyed boat-ride in the evening. Such pleasant activities leave soothing impacts on the tangled nerves of the tourists. A few local people told me that Lake Swaroop Sagar, Kuwaria Talaab, Badi Jheel, Dhoodh Talai, Rani Sagar and Kaka Kiwad were also popular watercourses a few years back, but they dried up with course of time. Presently these serve as thoroughfares for the people and grazing grounds for animals. With all these natural attractions, Udaipur is a favourite tourist spot of the honeymooners, and holiday makers.

Flow in the wave of joy and merriment by participating in the Elephant festival of Jaipur. The celebration of this festival in the Pink

city of royal Rajasthan is legendary. This festival coincides with Holi, which adds more charm to it. Fortunately I got the chance to be a part of this wonderful and colorful celebration. Tourists from far and wide gather at the Chaugan ground in Jaipur to treat their senses to amazing sights of the festival.

Elephants are the main attractions of the festival giving a royal feel to the celebration. Adorned from head to toe, the elephants are beautifully painted and dressed. Elephant race and beauty pageant are the major highlights offering a great deal of fun to spectators. Mounted on elephants people play holi. How interesting! Music and dance performances are also a part of this festival.

Other famous fairs and festivals of Jaipur are:

Kite Festival
A unique concept, the kite festival is held on 14th January with great enthusiasm. Dedicated to kite flying, the festival is the time to adorn the sky with colorful kites. The competition is really tough. While striving to take the kites to great heights, the participants also enjoy feasting on delectable delicacies.

Jaipur Heritage International Festival

Reflecting the rich cultural heritage of Rajasthan, this festival is celebrated for more than a week. Wonderful cultural and folk programmes, art exhibitions, performances by international artists and gathering of the literary geniuses are the main attractions of the festival. You can attend any of the events in the festival for free!

Gangaur Festival

Holding great importance, especially for the womenfolk of Rajasthan, this festival is celebrated for around 10 days. Women worship lord Shiva and his consort goddess Parvati during the festival. Prayers are offered by women for a happy married life. They also take out processions in the streets during the festival.

Brimming with royalty and luxury, the heritage hotels of Rajasthan made me feel as if I was traveling to a different world altogether. The opulent palaces, havelis and forts of this land are a heritage of traditions, royalty and luxury beautifully accumulated over the years. My visit to the internationally famed heritage hotels opened up a path for me to slip into the bygone era of Raja-Maharajas. The experience was simply overwhelming!

Some of the Heritage Hotels I Visited :

Lake Palace, Udaipur
Standing tall on the charming lake Pichola, the palace is one of the most

stunning palaces in India. Its foundation was laid in the 17th century by Maharana Jagat Singh II. Attracting even the Hollywood stars like Angelina Jolie and Madonna, the palace is managed by the Taj Group. The palace consists of several opulent chambers such as Phool Mahal, Dhola Mahal, Ajjan Niwas, Khush Mahal and Bada Mahal.

Hotel Ajit Bhawan
Reflecting the grandeur of the bygone era, this palace is India’s first heritage palace resort. From the traditional interiors to the recreational activities, everything has a royal feel to it in this palace.

Umaid Bhawan Palace
With around 347 rooms, this palace is one of the largest palaces in the world.

It is the royal heritage of Maharaja Umed Singh. An interesting fact about the palace is that it always maintains pleasant temperature. It is a luxurious establishment offering kingly experience to its guests. Everything about this hotel is regal.

Devigarh Palace
Located ideally amidst the beautiful Aravalli hills, this palace is a perfect blend of the Medieval, Rajput and European styles of architecture. Built in an impressive style, the interiors of the palace boasts of beautiful semi-precious stones.

Fort Rajwada
Built in yellow sandstone, this heritage hotel sprawls over an area of 20

acres.Done to perfection, the interiors and furnishing of the hotel reflect the royal taste of Rajasthan.

Shiv Niwas Palace
This grand and luxurious hotel bagged several awards such as the ‘Heritage Award for Excellence’ and the ‘National Tourism Award’ for the best heritage hotel for its royalty and hospitality. Offering wonderful views of Lake Pichola, the palace is luxurious to the hilt.

Caught by an ardent desire to treat my senses to sights of the colorful birds, I with my guide Bhuvan stepped into the paradise of birds, Bharatpur National Park. Birds have always inspired me in some way or the other. Sometimes their flight made me wonder what true freedom means, sometimes their melodious voices inspired me to understand what life is. In fact, their very presence bring a smile on my face and joy in my heart.

After some tea and breakfast we drove inside the Park, the land of my dream, with my

camera ready to capture the delightful birds. A few birds nested on flowering babool trees were our first guests. Wow! the birds dressed by nature in beautiful plumes were flaunting their brilliant colors. They were preening, displaying, rubbing necks and clacking beaks with each other symbolizing a world of perfect harmony.

Post savoring this sight we moved further. I thought to myself, no wonder this Park is declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. Both the resident and migratory birds are the treasure of this Park which attracts bird enthusiasts, both local and international, in great numbers. Located in Rajasthan, this is one destination that occupies a special place on Nature-lover’s itinerary.

A few meters ahead we saw blue-tailed bee-eater savoring its breakfast( grasshopper), Grey francolin enjoying each other’s company, Bronze-winged jacanas swimming swiftly as if showing their skill and Indian rollers displaying their wonderful colors.

Painted storks, cormorants, Spoon bills, Openbills, Black-headed ibis, Grey herons, Night

herons, darters and egrets, Cotton pygmy geese, woodpeckers were the other birds we sighted. How overwhelming! It is really not possible to describe the beauty of these birds in words. One must see it to feel it. I almost spent an hour in clicking the pictures of these fascinating creatures.

Now we headed towards the temple in the Park where the sights of cheetal, jackal and a conglomerate of Grey herons were revealed to us. Contented yet craving for some more, we now headed back, passing some more avian species. Bharatpur National Park is truly a bird’s paradise. While going back a quote by Emily Dickinson raced through my mind, “I hope you love birds too. It is economical. It saves going to heaven”.