11: Udaipur

It’s very difficult sometimes to put your finger on what it is that makes you like or dislike something, and so it proves to be with Udaipur.

The photos we’ve seen, the articles we’ve read and the things friends who’ve visited the city have told us lead us to expect this place will be one of, if not the, favourite cities of our trip.

For reasons that we still can’t really understand, neither of us really ‘gets’ the city.

It is beautiful for sure, but for us it lacks heart.

Our hotel is a disappointment, it is certainly central but that’s about it for the positives. The staff are disinterested, the rooms are tired and the charge for laundry is extortionate!

One bonus is that Nick spots a rather nice beauty parlour very nearby and offers to treat Janette to a pamper session. He’s a little put-out when his kind offer is swiftly declined.

The city has many, many more western tourists than anywhere else we’ve been on this trip so far, perhaps it’s that which gives it a different vibe from other places we’ve visited.

We wander into town on the first evening and there’s no denying it’s picturesque - set as it is around Lake Pichola with the Aravalli Hills as a backdrop.

We find a great restaurant overlooking the lake and enjoy a delicious meal.

We notice that there are an astonishingly large number of street dogs in Udaipur, far more than we’ve seen anywhere else. They all seem pretty well fed and healthy and as it’s now dark they are bedding down for the night on doorsteps and even holes in the pavement!

As we approach the Jagdish Temple, a large Hindu temple in the middle of the old city, we notice lots of police and soldiers - some in riot gear standing about, something’s up.

The next morning the police and army are still out in force - we’re curious, we enquire further and discover that a feud between two factions of the former Mewar royal family has come to a head and a showdown is likely - how dramatic!

We get differing stories from the people we speak to, but as far as we can tell - the 77th Maharana has recently been crowned and immediately following his coronation, he travels to Udaipur seeking entry to the City Palace and a temple within it to perform part of his coronation ritual. The Maharana’s estranged younger brother or Uncle (accounts differ) controls the City Palace and denies him entry; rocks are hurled and the police and army step in - this all sounds like intrigue in a royal court from a bygone era but here it is playing out in modern day Udaipur!

The upshot for us is that the City Palace, the big tourist draw, is closed and it’s tricky to get about outside the old city as there are numerous roadblocks.

We start the day by exploring the old city. As we amble through the streets dodging the scooters and tuk tuks which seem set on trying to kill us, we pass numerous tourist shops selling clothes and trinkets, but we’re wanting to specifically look in some of the art shops.

We want to see, and learn more about some of the miniature paintings for which Udaipur in particular is renowned.

The quality of the workmanship is really variable and even though we’re only looking for souvenirs not fine art masterpieces we want to feel that what we buy has been well executed.  We buy some pretty greetings cards with miniatures hand painted onto silk.

We wander towards the popular Ghat and Bagore Ki Haveli.

It sounds so negative but we’re not that impressed with either. They both seem quite sad and neglected.

Undaunted, we go in search of a boat ride on Lake Pichola and we do have a nice tootle out on the water.

We have high expectations of the Palace in the middle of the lake; we know that as non-residents we can’t visit the hotel (and with rooms ranging from £800 to £15,000 per night - yes really! - we’re never likely to be).

We had expected the exterior together with its setting to be a jaw dropping sight and to be honest for us it really wasn’t all that. Perhaps we’ve just been spoiled by seeing so many other amazing places on our travels in India.

We still have some time and so having checked that Janette passed the entry requirements, we decide to take the cable car that connects Deendayal Upadhyay Park to Sri Karni Mata Temple at Machhala Hill Top.

It’s 387 meters long and gives us some lovely views back down over the lake, the city and the hills beyond. Udaipur is certainly well situated.

Our final port of call today is Saheliyon Ki Bari, a garden created in 1734 for the entertainment of the royal ladies.

It’s a formal garden with paths leading to several courtyards with fountains. It’s a serene and lovely place.

Although Udaipur was a little disappointing for us, it is a city renowned for its beauty so don’t let us put you off. If it’s on your list you should go and see it - don’t forget, most people love it.