The Essence Of Travelling…….

Robert Louis Stevenson very famously said ” I travel not to go anywhere, but to go.I travel for travel’s sake. The great affair is to move”.

As a child I despised geography , and I give full credit of that hatred to the Indian education system. Right from the inception of our academic charade the only thing taught in the name of education is ‘How to mug up and spew it out’. Imagine, a subject like geography which is all about travel and experiences forced down a child’s throat like a nauseating glass of milk. Distaste for any act performed under coercion is natural, and this explained my aversion to geography. The reason why I choose to highlight my abhorrence for this subject as a child in particular, is to give my present irony laced love for it  more meaning. As an adult I have come to love geography, because as an adult I got aquainted with the essence of geography : Travelling.
Travelling as I have grown to realise, is all about exploration, adventure,knowledge,curiosity and spirituality. If I were to make my own quote on travel i’d say “Travelling is all about life”. My metamorphosis from a geography phobic 8 yr old to a 30 yr old travel freak is a story in itself.

The entire credit for this transmogrification goes to my father,a gypsy at heart tied down by social norms.If he had his way, he would constantly be on the move and I guess the genes just got passed onto me. Being on the move makes me feel alive, it defines life for me and gives it a new found meaning.I was a nomad since childhood, prolonged consistency bored me. I would start feeling stagnated and would almost pray for change. Unlike other children, I loved changing schools because it gave me an opportunity to meet new people and make new friends. I would be elated whenever my father got transferred to a new city,new city meant everything new, new city meant change,new city meant movement. So, while everyone else would groan and grunt anticipating the inconvenience attached to moving from one place to another, my eyes would secretly gleam and I would see its faint reflection in my father’s eyes as well. Hence, the gypsy in me was born very early on in life.

Ask an itinerant and he would tell you that travelling  is a form of education in itself. Thus, my short geography story in the beginning. The sole purpose of education is to impart  knowledge and wisdom, both of which you gain in abundance as a traveler. While travelling to a new place if you make an attempt to soak in their culture,traditions and lifestyle, if you make an attempt to soak in the essence of that land, you absorb a lot more than what 12 years of class room studies will teach you. I am not propagating banishing of the class room system, I am only highlighting the perks of travelling. Travelling broadens an individuals perspective and helps him evolve as a human being. Most of us live our entire lives in a cocoon made up of our social set up, family,friends and immediate surroundings, we only believe what we have been taught to believe and die within the same confined walls of the cocoon. Travelling makes a butterfly out of us.

A lot of people tend to confuse Travel with vacation. In Goa, at a beach shack drinking beer is an idea of travel for many. If I were to recreate that ambiance in Bombay, most of them would not even make an attempt to go to Goa. This is vacation not travelling. To sit,drink and spend a leisurely weekend, an airconditioned room would also suffice.But, if you call yourself a traveler you need to venture out,explore,absorb,assimilate and feel the pulse of the place. You need to connect with the place so that when you leave, you feel you are leaving home.  See the world through a traveler’s eyes every land is his home, every culture belongs to him and every tradition has a familiar fragrance. If we all unleashed that wanderer within us the world would have no boundaries, there would be no cocoons, only butterflies: choosing destinations at will.
So, release the gypsy within you spread your wings and  make the world your oyster. We get to live just once and before we die we owe it to ourselves to completely explore this place called earth which god decided to make our home.  Bon Voyage!!:)

48 Hours In Udaipur………Eat, See, Experience…..

When my friend Deepak got to know that I was going to Udaipur … This was his reaction….

Deepak : OMG! OMG! OMG! You are going to Udaipur!!!

Me: Huh? yeah!! Why are’ you’ getting so excited?? 

Deepak : Oh! It’s  a beautiful place darling!! It’s soo soo soo romantic! 

Me: Oh! really? But its a regular Indian city … how different can it be??

Deepak : Oh! you have to see it to believe….

Me: Alright so what is there to see in Udaipur?? 

Deepak: Oh! City Palace, Lake Palace, Jag Mandir, Jagdish Temple…..

Me: (Cutting him mid way) Alright! Alright Mr Travel Guide… thanks for the info, rest I’ll figure out myself. 

Deepak: You’ll not like it as much when you step into the city.. but trust me you will leave it with a sense of belonging..

And a sense of belonging I felt!  Deepak’s last sentence echoed in my head while I was boarding my flight back from Udaipur to Bombay.

This erstwhile capital of the kingdom of Mewar (now a part of Rajasthan)  is like that beautiful girl who has lots of scars on her face. You know she is beautiful,but you wish she was spotless. It’s the old world charm that makes her beautiful but the attempt at modernity in spurts makes her seem scarred. You almost hope that they had left the city as it was; soaked in history and stuck in time, with all her stories intact. A lot of structures were brought down, a lot of stories buried and now what remains is an amalgamation of tales,folklore and facts.

The Old World Charm Of The City…….

A View Through A Red Tinted Glass, The Red Tint Ironically Symbolizes The History Of Mewar Which Is Soaked In Blood……..

And The Attempt At Modernity……

Enveloped by the Aravallis on all four sides and dotted with lakes, Udaipur oozes romance. She makes you flirt with her past and present as you walk through her alleys ensuring that by the time you leave, you are besotted with her.

You can never claim to know the city completely, every time you visit her she will show you an entirely new facet. How ever if you have only 48 hours to get wooed by her, then here are some things you CAN’T miss!

I) SEE ……..

1)  The Lakes:  Udaipur is also known as the ‘City Of Lakes’. It has five lakes : Pichola, Fateh Sagar, Jaisamand, Rajsamand and Udai Sagar . Out of which The Pichola Lake is the largest and the most beautiful. It houses the Lake Palace and Jag Mandir and boating on this lake during the evenings is an experience that should not be missed. If you are not the kinds who enjoys boating then even a drive by these lakes is enough to awaken the romantic in you…..

The Boat Ride To The Lake Palace….

Sunset At Lake Pichola…… The Visual Sets In A Sense Of Calmness and Serenity….

Freedom Knows No Fear……. You See A lot Of Such Young Boys Swimming Across The Length And Breadth Of The Lake With Absolute Ease…

2) City Palace :  It is undoubtedly one of the most regal structures in Udaipur. The 76th custodian of the Mewar Dynasty lives in one section of the place with his family. Though wanting to meet him personally would be too ambitious a thought, but the palace along with its pomp,  wealth and history is open for all to see. The sound and light show that happens every evening between 7 to 8 pm within the palace premises is a MUST WATCH. The entire history of Mewar is narrated along with brilliant play of lights. The palace houses many small palaces within its premises like the Fateh Prakash Palace. An entire tour of the city palace will easily take up half of your day,but its more than worth it…..

The City Palace At Night……

One Of The Many Gates Of The Palace Which Are Also Called ‘POL’

Inside The Palace Such Pillars Are  A Common Sight…….

And We Think Only Humans Are Narcissists…:)

Fateh Prakash Palace……

3) Monsoon Palace : Daintily resting its backside atop a hill, giving a panoramic view of the Aravallis and the entire city of Udaipur, Mosoon Palace is literally built in the middle of no where! The best part about this palace is its access route, which actually runs through a wild life sanctuary! Yeah! I m not kidding and to say that the drive up is to die for would be an understatement! But once you enter the palace its dilapidated state disappoints you, for a structure as striking and as well placed, the government authorities don’t seem to have done justice to it. The walls need to be restored and the interiors cleaned up, but nonetheless you cant miss it because the view from here will blow your mind………

As the name suggests the palace was built for the king’s recluse during the monsoons and also to store rain water. Interestingly, this was also the last palace built in Udaipur. So,there you go that’s an added incentive to see the place…….

The Monsoon Palace…..

View From One Of The Sides Of The Palace…..

Main Entrance To The Palace……. 

4) Lake Palace: Though its a property of the Taj group of hotels now, but with a special permission you can visit the premise. Built right in the middle of Pichola Lake and raised on white marble this pristine white structure exudes a dream like aura. The only way to access it is through boats ( now that makes it instantly romantic isn’t it) and it was constructed in the year 1746 by Rana Jai SIngh as his summer resort. Sigh! No wonder they call it a king’s life, a summer resort made of marbles right in the middle of a lake! And we lesser mortals have to work hard even to see it. But trust me it is truly worthy of all the struggle. Try not to miss this one….

At Any Hour Of The Day, It Is A Common Sight To See Boats Approaching The Palace…….

5) Jagdish Temple: Since I am an atheist, the only thing about a temple that fascinates me is its architecture. Built in the year 1651 and situated close to the city palace this Vishnu temple is an architectural wonder comprising of carved pillars, decorated ceilings, painted walls and huge halls. It demands a visit, not because it adheres to a particular religious belief, but because it offers a visual treat.

6) Ghangaur Ghat : A ‘ghat’ essentially means a broad flight of steps leading down to a river in Hindi and Gangaur ghat is just that with the difference being that instead of a river the steps lead down to the Pichola Lake. But its not these steps that make Gangaour Ghat famous, its the energy of the entire place that secures it a spot in the list of ‘Must visit’ places in Udaipur. It has Restaurants, Shops, Hotels, Havelis, Activity, Frenzy…….basically it has LIFE! It’s a place whose vibe cant be understood…. It has to be experienced…..

Dust,Cars,Crowd And Bazaar…… In Between All This An Ancient Structure Trying Hard To Make Its Presence Felt…..

A Very Common Sight At Ghangaur Ghat…….

Leather Bags…….

II) EXPERIENCE………

1) Baghor KI Haveli : Situated right next to the Gagour Ghat, this age old haveli is a museum and a cultural center. Built by the Prime MInister of Mewar, this Haveli is famous for its architecture, history and cultural shows. Every evening from 7 to 8 pm a local cultural group called ‘Dharohar’ performs traditional Rajasthani dance shows inside its premises. That one hour will completely immerse you in the vibrand and colourful culture of Rajasthan. A must watch according to me……..

 The Bhawai Dance: She Didn’t Stop At Two, By The End Of This Act She Had Nine Such Pots Of Different Sizes On Her Head And Was Still Dancing

How She Managed This Is Beyond My Comprehension……

The Traditional Ghoonghat 

2) Heritage Walk : A joint venture between the Municipal Corporation of Udaipur and Krishna Tours and travel has recently started conducting Heritage Walks within the city. Costing just INR 200, this two hour long walk takes you to the unexplored and hidden alleys, havelis and bazaars of the city, giving you a glimpse of those shades of Udaipur that you would have never been able to see by yourself.

Note: You need to book your slot in advance as the walk is cosnducted only twice daily ( morning and evening)

Contact Person : Mr Chinmay Dixit  no.: 09414164680.

III) EAT……….

1) Jag Mandir: An island palace situated in the Pichola Lake close to the Lake Palace, Jag Mandir is the epitome of romantic fine dining.  The cuisine is Indian (Awdhi/Mughlai and Rajasthani) and the ambiance; heavenly. It is the ideal place to take that ‘someone special’ for a romantic dinner. Soft lights, Classical Indian music, gentle breeze, great food and the lake on all four sides make Jag Mandir one of the MOST romantic restaurants in India for me. You have to have to have to experience it…….

2) Cafe Edelwiese : Located right on Ghangaur Ghat this is an ideal place for a hearty breakfast in the heart of Udaipur. The coffee is just how coffee is suppose to be, strong, frothy and piping hot. The sandwiches and pastries are YUMMMMMM and the owner an awesomely cute lady. She ‘ll sit with you and tell you Udaipur’s secrets while you gorge on the heavenly food……

3) The Cafe at City Palace and Ambrai: The city palace has a cafe overlooking the Pichola lake which makes for an ideal setting to sip a pint of beer or a glass of wine while watching the sun set on the Aravallis.

Ambrai is a part of a Haveli Hotel in Gangaour Ghat, overlooking the Pichola Lake with unobstructed views of the City Palace, this restaurant is bustling with people at any hour of the day because of its good, reasonable food and perfect location.

There you go! Your 48 hours in Udaipur are sorted! But as I mentioned earlier, you can never see and know Udaipur completely. Every time you go  back you feel as if she is narrating a new story. And as Deepak rightly said, you’ll leave every time with a greater sense of belonging. Don’t just see Udaipur as a tourist, experience it as a traveler,revel in its rich culture and heritage, in its history which is soaked in blood shed for honor, pride and patriotism. Look beyond the scars…….the girl is strikingly beautiful!

Bon Voyage……