A day in Udaipur

Udaipur, India

Morning - City Palace lakeside

Soft morning light lies across the stone terraces above the still water. I look out at the palace and its reflection on Lake Pichola. This sprawling complex on the eastern shore was established in the sixteenth century by Maharana Udai Mirza Singh.

Morning - Palace marble corridor

Cool marble meets my feet in a long corridor of arches. I move through sunlit courtyards where the styles of several ages sit side by side. The residence blends Rajasthani, Mughal, Medieval, European, and Chinese building work from many generations of royal construction.

Midday - On Lake Pichola

Bright midday sun sits high on the open water as I board a wooden boat. Lake Pichola stretches ahead, calm and wide, between the palaces. Winter, from December to February, offers the most comfortable weather, with mild sunny days and cool nights.

Midday - Amar Vilas garden

Warm sun falls across this raised garden above the palace courts. I look over white marble domes toward the old city below. Amar Vilas is a Mughal-style pleasure garden in the upper courts, with cusped arcades around a square marble tub.

Midday - Lake Pichola stairs

Light breaks in small flashes across the water beside the lake stairs. I pause at the edge and watch the palaces on the far shore. The intense summer heat here between March and June is best avoided, when temperatures soar.

Golden Hour - Jagdish Temple

Carved stone feels warm under my hand in the late sun. I study the pillars, sculpted deities, and tiered spires of Jagdish Temple. This shrine in the old town, just north of the palace, honours Lord Vishnu in the Indo-Aryan style.

Golden Hour - Temple courtyard

Cotton of the ghagra choli brushes my arms as I cross the carved courtyard. I wear a bright odhni over my head in the late sun. Local women wear this set in cotton or lightweight silk, often with bandhani tie-dye or block-print patterns.

Golden Hour - Rooftop above the lake

The thali smells of spice as I taste it on a rooftop above the lake. I eat a Rajasthani thali while the sun drops and the palaces take on an orange light. These terraces also serve continental dishes and look over evening boat traffic on the water.

Night - View to Monsoon Palace

Evening air from the hills is cool as the sky fades and the city lights begin. I look from a high stone balcony toward the lodge on the ridge. The Monsoon Palace was built to watch storm clouds in the rainy season and looks over the lakes and the Aravalli Range.

Night - Lakeside at night

A light night breeze lifts my odhni as the lit palaces shine on the dark lake. I follow the shore path through the old city. These lakes are artificial, and the palaces and narrow lanes around them carry the history of Mewar.