Memoirs of my trip to the City of Lakes
A writer only needs an excuse to write...so here goes-an account of my trip to Udaipur.
Let me start with how I packed for the trip…of course I’m kidding. Oh, but I have to mention this one tiny incident-this trip began on quite a different note. I walked down the stairs lugging a heavy bag in one hand and while adjusting the strap of my backpack, I missed a step, slid the next few, and landed on my tush. Strangely enough, it didn’t hurt, and thankfully enough, I was the only one laughing at myself. :-P
I almost forgot what it's like to travel by train. As a kid, I used to play with that overhead light. :-)
The hotel we stayed at was part of the old city of Udaipur. The old city is famous for its rustic architecture, narrow lanes, and countless shops selling Rajasthani artwork. I was glad I could enjoy all of that.
The hotel served its meals on the terrace and when I stepped out on the terrace, I could see why. The hotel stands on the banks of Lake Pichola and offers a 180-degree breathtaking view of the beautiful buildings and the City Palace, which are based on the opposite bank of the lake.
Sitting on the terrace, stretching out my arms, and breathing in the fresh unpolluted air was something I did in a long time. To add to it, the leisurely morning was laced with warm sunlight and twittering of birds.
Our first stop for the day was Moti Magri, which is the memorial of Maharana Pratap Singh, overlooking the Fateh Sagar lake.
I especially liked the ancient ruins of this place.
Next stop was Saheliyon ki Bari, a garden made for the queen and her maids.
See that bougainvillea merged with the adjoining mango tree-that’s what I call ‘symbiosis’.
The architecture of this city is not limited to land-its lakes also display fine architecture. For example, the summer palace (now known as the Lake Palace) and an observatory built right in the middle of the lake.
Then of course, we visited the City Palace and if I start writing about that one, I’ll just go on forever. We also visited Haldighati, famous for (or should I say infamous) for the battle fought between Maharana Pratap Singh and the Mughals. And yes, we did confirm that the color of earth in Haldighati is indeed yellow.
Another place worth visiting was the museum. What lures me most towards any museum is the artwork-this one had exquisite paintings depicting the historical landmarks of the city. What came across through all that artwork was the spirit of the people of this city, their bravery, and loyalty to the Maharanas. Cameras were not allowed inside the museum but you get the picture, right?
What stirred me most about this trip was the artwork-mainly the paintings, and the hotel showed no dearth of it either. :-)
The trip ended on a celebratory note, the locality opposite the hotel was hosting a wedding. There was an orchestra band playing filmy Bollywood numbers, which didn’t interest me in the least. However, what did interest me was a band member actually singing these numbers. See that guy holding the microphone? It was quite entertaining. :-)
That's the groom...
Did we miss out on any color? No, we didn't. :-)
Oh and I have to mention this-after churning out all the latest filmy hits, this guy surprised me by singing ‘Kesariya Balam’. I sat up and listened carefully to see if he was actually singing one of my favorite songs. Probably Definitely, the only wedding which played such a beautiful song. Then again, the song was apt to the occasion-the groom singing to his bride. It also seemed to beckon me to return to this beautiful city.
Kesariya balam aavo, padhaaro ni mhaare des…