Udaipur : Day 2
Panorama of the City Palace in Udaipur.
WHY I WOKE UP TWICE
Inspired by my parents, I woke up at the crack of dawn to get ready for the day. I befriended a squirrel. The adorable fellow just followed me along wherever I went on the terrace of the hostel. However the friendship came to a test when I ordered food. I had to look into those adorable beady little eyes and convey with regret that I don’t have anything to offer in this friendship except some company. The squirrel went nuts. I shall never forget the look of betrayal and disgust. It haunts me to this very day. Nothing is permanent, just because the friendship ended, it doesn’t mean it wasn’t worth beginning.
Having proven to the world (read: parents) that I can wake up early, I went back to sleep. The morning heat had set in. The sun went from pleasantly warm to scorching in the blink of an eye. That’s when I came up with the strategy that would prove to be really effective. I decided that on a sunny day, I’d step out in the afternoon post lunch, visit the places on my checklist that are mostly indoors like forts, palaces and museums and head out to watch the sunset once the temperature becomes bearable.
CITY PALACE and the lost ARTISTS
So I set out, towards Udaipur’s City Palace. Set on a small hill by the edge of the lake, this was the spot that convinced the Mewars to move from Chittorgarh. While it started out in a much more humble state, over 400 years, they kept adding and expanding the palace to bring it to the state it is today. As you enter through the first gate, you realize why they named it a palace and not a fort in spite of it’s towering walls. Once you get through the gates, you see the magnificent facade of the palace. Once you enter the palace, even with the signs, you will feel lost inside the corridors and pathways that were designed to confuse any intruders. Adorning the walls are several artworks that show the distinct style that the era. Unfortunately, even though these were commissioned by the royal family, these artists remain unnamed unlike their European contemporaries.
Heavenly Sunsets
After spending a good 3 hours at City Palace, I headed out towards Karni Mata Temple. Situated on a hill, it is known for the breath taking view of Lake Pichola and Old Udaipur. As I was waiting for the ropeway, and I saw the temple and the view point and knew I was in for a good time. I made a conscious choice to not face the lake as we were going up and only see it once I reach the view point. Finally, at 6 PM, I reached there, just in time for sunset finally saw Udaipur. I really don’t know how to describe it except just showing the photos to you below. The sky soon turned from blue to orange to purple and finally, once it got black, I started going down and headed back to the hostel to finish the day.
Udaipur : Day 1
Udaipur - Day 1
The year is 1559, Chittorgarh was besieged by Akbar. The kingdom of Mewar needed a new capital. Nestled in the Aravalis, next to a small lake Pichola, Udaipur was born. Even today, if you go to any view point around the city, you can see hills dominating the horizon. I remember getting down in Udaipur, excited to see the palaces surrounded on and in the lake surrounded by hills.
Suddenly, as I was getting off the bus I was hounded by autowaalas, asking me where I want to go, how long I am in Udaipur for, that they’ll take me around the city. Keep in mind this happened before my feet were on the ground. After I managed to drown out the cacophony, I negotiated the price down even though I know I would be vastly overpaying for a 4 kilometer ride. This is a bane of most tourist places. No meters, no Uber/Ola/Rapido. So you have no way of knowing if you are being exploited (you will be, but can’t do anything about it). After I reached the hostel, I checked in, got into the room, saw the bed and the lack of sleep and bus ride caught up to me and I passed out.
I have always been an ambitious person, an optimist and reached for the stars. For large things and small. That’s how I applied to Columbia and got in. That’s also how I set an alarm for 2 PM and woke up at 4. By the time I left the hostel, the afternoon heat was on the way out, golden hour was setting in and I was headed to Ambrai Ghat and saw a gorgeous sunset overlooking a vista of Udaipur with City Palace, Lake Palace and Udaivilas.
Ambrai Ghat is one of the closest location to Lake Palace. I saw it and remember thinking that a night there would cost well above what I would spend over the next 13 days for the entire trip. I decided then that I want to get to a point in life where I both the costs feel equally inconsequential to me. Soon the navy blue of the sky went to pitch black. I could not hold it back any longer, the dam broke and this peaceful blue lagoon full of motivation, clarity and beauty that the moment gave me was drowned out by a tsunami of hunger. Once I rushed to the closest restaurant and got some much needed fuel, I headed back to the hostel, looking forward to the trip, and wondering if the places that I visited so many times online would live up to the unrealistic expectation that I had set for them. Little did I know, they did. And that concludes Day 1.
A view of City Palace and Taj Lake Palace from Ambrai Ghat
View of Taj Lake Palace from Ambrai Ghat