Udaipur is a beautiful city in the state of Rajasthan. Also known as ‘Venice of the East’, this heritage city is replete with grand mansions, palaces, forts, vibrant culture, and blue lakes. If you have never visited Udaipur before, do visit your place during your next trip to Rajasthan, India. And those people who have already taken in the splendour of the city or have seen the beautiful palaces and lakes, the following are some places to visit near Udaipur.
Chittorgarh
Chittorgarh is the most important fort of the Mewar dynasty. The place’s history is several centuries old and dates to the time when Mauryan rulers started building it. Chittorgarh is recognized by UNESCO as a world heritage site. The place is a large fort, with monuments generously sprinkled across the length and breadth of the city. There are many towers, temples, old palaces, a reservoir, and a royal cremation place too.
Kumbhalgarh
Another UNESCO-recognized site, Kumbhalgarh was built in the 15th century. Located in the Aravalli mountains, the fort is the second most important fort after Chittorgarh. The fort’s wall is extremely long and is often called ‘Great Wall of India’. The path to the fort is wide, which can accommodate five horses abreast. Hikers can make use of the large portion of the wall meant for hiking. The attractions worth mentioning are several ancient temples, step wells, palace ruins, and cannon bunkers.
Ranakpur
Both Hindus and Jains have temples of their own. However, Jain temples are usually more elaborate. The village of Ranakpur has a Jain temple complex, which is India’s most important and largest Jain temple complex. Chaumukha Mandir, the main temple in the complex, was built during the 15th century from white marble. The complex has 29 halls, 1444 engraved pillars, and 80 domes. It would take around an hour to witness the complex in its entirety. From Ranakpur, you may also explore the Kumbhalgarh Wildlife Sanctuary.
Delwara
Delwara is a beautiful town that not many people outside of Rajasthan know. The town is home to the luxurious Raas Devigarh hotel, which is basically a palace from the 18th century. Also, there are several thousand temples and step wells. Crafts tradition particularly thrives in this place. The ‘community walk area’, which has been laid after considering the place’s history, is a great way to explore the town.
Nathdwara
Nathdwara is a small holy town that houses a Krishna temple from the 17th century. The place attracts a good number of pilgrims every year. Traditional Pichwai paintings can be seen on building walls all over the town. These paintings are repainted once a year before Diwali, which makes this town a unique place to celebrate the festival of lights in.
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