Udaipur – the City of Palaces!!
Of days gone by...this January during my solo all India motorcycle journey…
It was a long day and I was riding from Sawai Madhopur (Ranthambore National Park). Thankfully, I was saved from the monotonous 4 lane riding by some company from fellow royal enfield bikers who were returning home to Mumbai after a fortnight in the Himalayas. I reached Udaipur around 5 in the evening, checked into a decent hotel near Udaiya pole and waited for for my hotelier friend from Pench National Park to pick me up and take me to his house for dinner. The dinner was sumptuous Rajasthani Brahmin food cooked in desi ghee. On our way back, my friend took me to witness the beauty of the lake palace at night and the view was terrific.
The next morning, I went to the famous Jagdish temple and offered my prayers. Next, I visited the City Palace and viewed the glitterati first-hand. On viewing the cost of the entry ticket, I expressed a feeling of shock, but once I entered into the well-preserved ancient world, I felt the money was worth my experience and was happy to note that Rajasthan tourism was using such funds for the right cause. The buildings, the artefacts, the museum, the mirror work and the view of the town of Udaipur from the top is just a magic carpet ride into ancient history.
Next, I made my way to the Monsoon Palace, which is situated on top of a hill and was the king’s monsoon retreat. The monsoon palace and its neighbourhood comes under the Sajjangarh Wildlife Sanctuary. The ride from the Sajjangarh entrance to the top provides breathtaking views of the forest and the Udaipur town. Unlike the City Palace, the monsoon palace is not being maintained properly, but sitting on one of the walls here, one can let their mind drift to ancient times.
To see India through the eyes of a motorcyclist's lens, visit the album below.
my solo all-india motorcycle journey
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