Often referred to as the "Venice of the East” or the “City of Lakes”, Udaipur, in Rajasthan, tops every Indian bride’s wedding destination list, thanks to its calm weather, dreamy palaces and grand houses.

Udaipur is the capital of the 1,500-year-old Mewar dynasty, which was founded by the descendants of Surya, the Hindu sun god. One of the dynasty’s greatest visionaries was Maharana Fateh Singh, ruler of Mewar from 1884 to 1930. Not only did he build the modern infrastructure of Udaipur, including its roads and irrigation system, but he stood firm against British interference in how he ruled his kingdom.

When Edward, Prince of Wales, visited India in 1921, Fateh Singh was the only ruler in the country who refused to receive the prince, stating that his loyalty lay with his own kingdom and people instead of with Queen Victoria. Taj Fateh Prakash Palace, built during Fateh Singh’s rule as a place to hold royal events, reflects his personality: the victory (fateh) of light (prakash) over darkness.

A royal welcome

Taj Fateh Prakash Palace is part of Udaipur’s splendid City Palace complex. Built by different rulers over a period of 400 years, the 11 palaces that make up the complex shine like jewels on the eastern shores of peaceful Lake Pichola. Next door to Fateh Prakash, the current descendants of the Mewar dynasty live in Shambhu Niwas Palace. If water flows out of the fountain in the Shambhu Niwas garden, it means the royal family is at home.

Fateh Prakash Palace has 65 rooms and suites, now managed by the Taj group of luxury hotels. You don’t have to be a member of a royal family to stay here, but all guests receive a welcome fit for a prince or princess. On my arrival, I’m met at Udaipur’s Maharana Pratap Airport by a chauffeured vintage car from the famous Mewar collection. You, too, can expect to arrive at the palace in one of its beautiful cars, such as a 1947 Chevrolet Fleetmaster, a 1965 Mercedes 190 or a 1964 Stampro Herald.

I’m struck by both the setting and the atmosphere of the palace. The glittering waters of Lake Pichola contrast with views of the majestic Aravallis, India’s oldest mountain range, which surrounds the city. The air is fragrant with hospitality. From palace staff to people on the streets, the Rajasthani warrior class, or Rajputs, are known for their courage, elegance and pride.

Maharanas and maharanis

The palace’s rooms and suites now include modern amenities such as televisions, Wi-Fi and jacuzzis, but details of the original decoration remain. The state of Rajasthan is home to one of India’s most distinctive styles of architecture, featuring arches, marble floors, latticework and cupolas.

There are multiple windows in the palace, with cushioned window seats, from where I look out at the gardens and lake, feeling like royalty from another era. Walls and corridors are lined with miniature paintings created with gemstones and gold foil. Royal heirlooms and furniture from the royal storerooms celebrate the warrior heritage of courageous kings and queens, the maharanas and maharanis.

Udaipur is a popular place for marriage proposals and anniversary celebrations. An ideal location for a special dinner for two is the palace’s long Sunset Terrace, which overlooks the lake. This has been voted one of India’s best restaurants. While a variety of international cuisines are served, the chefs have revived regional delicacies that aren’t found anywhere else in the country.

Warrior cuisine has its origins in hearty, simple produce that includes meat, grains and rich sweets. I discover rare dishes on the menu, such as Rajwadi Amba Haldi ki Sabji, a thick curry made with a special variety of fresh turmeric. An important part of a royal warrior’s meal, this winter speciality was once served to soldiers for its anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and antibacterial properties.

The Suryadarshan Bar is the perfect spot for English afternoon tea. After dusk, it transforms into a romantic setting for champagne and hors d’oeuvres. Western influence mixes easily with Indian customs and traditions, reflecting the trade and travels of maharanas to distant lands during colonial times. One of the best-kept secrets of this palace is a result of this union of East and West.

A crystal showstopper

The next day, I explore the palace’s Durbar Hall Sabhagaar, one of the largest and most majestic banqueting halls in the country. It’s easy to imagine the pomp and ceremony with which royal guests were entertained here. The architecture of the hall, measuring more than 450 square metres, is a blend of Mewari and Victorian styles. And the upper wing of the hall is home to the palace’s most wonderful treasure: the world’s largest private collection of crystal objects, or “curios”(600 in total).

Most of these items were commissioned in 1887 by the young Maharana Sajjan Singh. He chose the leading British glassmaking company of its time, F. & C. Osler & Co., to make the crystal objects. Unfortunately, there was a delay in the shipment and the maharana passed away, aged just 26, before his collection arrived in Udaipur. For the next century, the collection was kept at the palace in boxes, until 1994, when it finally went on public display.

Today, I take an English audio tour of the gallery, studying these amazing works of art. Each of the objects was originally etched with the Mewar royal sun emblem. There are perfume bottles, lamps, footstools, washing bowls and crockery sets. Among the large works are a crystal bed, chairs, sofas and tables, a royal punkah, or large cloth fan, and a showstopping, crystal-encrusted carpet, woven with gold and silver threads.

Goddesses and glamour

Overwhelmed by the opulence of the Crystal Gallery, I step out of the palace on to the shore of Lake Pichola, where boats await. Pichola boat rides, a “must-do” activity in Udaipur, especially at sunset, allow you to admire the region’s beauty.

Legend has it that this lake was made by a Gypsy in the 14th century and was extended in the 16th century. Gliding along in a canopied boat, I watch as the history of Udaipur unveils itself in opulent mansions, temples and ghats.

One of the most popular of these, Gangaur Ghat, gets its name from a local festival where idols of husband and wife Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati are worshipped for 18 days during March and April, in a celebration of spring, the harvest, marriage and fertility.

Another highly requested stop on the boat ride is Jagmandir, or the Lake Garden Palace, on the south side of the lake. The Mughal Prince Khurram, later Emperor Shah Jahan, sought refuge here in 1623. He found it so beautiful that it inspired him to build the Taj Mahal in Agra, one of the world’s most breathtaking monuments of love. With its beautifully kept lawns and pavilions, Jagmandir is often referred to as a “garden of heaven”.

These attractive locations on the Pichola boat ride are ideal for taking photos and videos. Indeed, the area has been shown memorably in many Bollywood movies, as well as in the 1983 James Bond adventure Octopussy and in the 2011 British film The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel.

The Venice of the East

As magical as its palaces are, Udaipur has much else to offer when you step on to its streets. With their winding lanes, the city’s bazaars are a source of endless delight.

Each market has its own specialities, from local food to colourful handicrafts. At Hathi Pol Bazaar (Elephant Gate Market), I admire the miniature Pichwai and Phad paintings, made on cloth, while the popular Chetak Circle market is full of stalls selling colourful Rajasthani puppets and carved wooden boxes, to take back home.

The Sadhna Emporium on Jagdish Temple Road is an outlet for crafts made by artisans belonging to the rural and tribal minorities of Rajasthan. I could spend hours here, looking at the beautiful textiles, colourful bed and table linen and cushion covers. But I’ll have to leave that for my next visit.

Forts and safaris

The concierge at Taj Fateh Prakash Palace is the best guide to plan day trips around Udaipur. Whether you’re looking for UNESCO World Heritage Sites of historical significance, magnificent temples or wildlife, there’s plenty to choose from.

Just over 100 kilometres away by car from Udaipur is the honey-coloured Chittor Fort, also known as Chittorgarh, one of the largest forts in India. According to legend, this is where beautiful Queen Rani Padmini stood fearlessly against an attack on the fort in 1303 by Alauddin Khilji, the Sultan of Delhi.

The second most important Mewar fortress, Kumbhalgarh, is 85 kilometres away from the palace and surrounded by a wildlife sanctuary. There are many hotels and safari camps here, from where you can explore rich biodiversity that includes leopards, wolves, sloth bears, deer, jungle cats, nilgai (the largest Asian antelope) and more than 200 bird species.

From royal palaces and forts to temples and sanctuaries with magnificent, rare wildlife – there are rich secrets waiting to be discovered in Rajasthan. And there’s no better location to use as a base from which to discover them than Fateh Prakash, the splendid palace of wonders on the shores of Lake Pichola.

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Glossary

Word Translation Phonetics SearchStrings
descendant Nachfahre, Nachfahrin descendants
irrigation system Bewässerungssystem irrigation system
interference Einmischung interference
shore Ufer shores
fountain Springbrunnen fountain
vintage car Oldtimer vintage car
fragrant: be ~ with sth. duften; hier: von etw. erfüllt sein fragrant
hospitality Gastfreundschaft hospitality
warrior class kriegerischer Stamm
amenities Annehmlichkeiten amenities
jacuzzi Whirlpool jacuzzis
arch Bogen(gang), Gewölbe
marble (aus) Marmor marble
latticework Gitterwerk latticework
cupola Kuppel(gewölbe) cupolas
gemstone Edelstein gemstones
gold foil Blattgold gold foil
heirloom Erbstück heirlooms
heritage Erbe heritage
marriage proposal Heiratsantrag marriage proposals
revive sth. etw. aufleben lassen
hearty herzhaft, deftig hearty
grain Getreide(sorte) grains
turmeric Kurkuma, Gelbwurz turmeric
anti-inflammatory entzündungshemmend anti-inflammatory
dusk Abenddämmerung dusk
banqueting hall Festsaal banqueting halls
curio Kuriosität curios
commission sth. etw. in Auftrag geben
shipment Transport, Lieferung shipment
pass away sterben
etch einätzen
footstool Fußschemel footstools
crockery Geschirr crockery
fan Ventilator fan
showstopping ifml. fantastisch showstopping
encrust hier: überziehen
thread Faden threads
sunset Sonnenuntergang sunset
legend: ~ has it der Legende nach Legend
Gypsy Sinto bzw. Rom Gypsy
canopied überdacht canopied
unveil offenbaren unveils
mansion Herrenhaus, Villa mansions
goddess Göttin
fertility Fruchtbarkeit fertility
refuge Zuflucht refuge
lawn Rasen lawns
lane Sträßchen, Gasse lanes
handicraft Kunsthandwerk handicrafts
stall Verkaufsstand stalls
puppet (Glieder)Puppe puppets
carve schnitzen
artisan Kunsthandwerker(in) artisans
rural ländlich rural
tribal minority Stammesminderheit
table linen Tischwäsche table linen
World Heritage Site Weltkulturerbestätte World Heritage Sites
wildlife sanctuary Naturschutzgebiet wildlife sanctuary
sloth bear Lippenbär sloth bears
jungle cat Sumpfluchs jungle cats
species (Tier-)Art species