18/10/2018
also known as the "City of Lakes" is a major city, municipal corporation and the administrative headquarters of the Udaipur district in the Indian state of Rajasthan.[2] It is the historic capital of the kingdom of Mewar in the former Rajputana Agency. It was founded in 1559 by Maharana Udai Singh II of the Sisodia clan of Rajput,[3] when he shifted his capital from the city of Chittorgarh to Udaipur after Chittorgarh was besieged by Akbar. It remained as the capital city till 1818 when it became a British princely state,[4] and thereafter the Mewar province became a part of Rajasthan when India gained independence in 1947.[5]
Panoramic view of old city of Udaipur with City Palace behind it.
Udaipur is not located in the eastern part of Rajasthan but rather southernmost part of Rajasthan state, just near to the Gujarat border. It is surrounded by Aravali Range, which separates it from Thar Desert. It is around 655 km from Delhi and approximately 800 km from Mumbai, placed almost in the middle of two major Indian metro cities. Besides, connectivity with Gujarat ports provide Udaipur a strategic geographical advantage.[6] Udaipur is well connected with nearby cities and states by means of road, rail and air transportation facilities, including Maharana Pratap Airport. Udaipur is spread across an area of 200 km2, and stands as the sixth largest city in Rajasthan by population, supporting a population of 451,100 according to 2011 Census.[1] Popular languages spoken include Hindi, English and Rajasthani (Mewari).
Dubbed "the most romantic spot on the continent of India" by British administrator James Tod,[7] Udaipur is a popular tourist destination and is known for its history, culture, scenic locations and the Rajput-era palaces. It is popularly known as the "City of Lakes" because of its sophisticated lake system. It has seven lakes surrounding the city. Five of the major lakes, namely Fateh Sagar Lake, Lake Pichola, Swaroop Sagar Lake, Rangsagar and Doodh Talai Lake have been included under the restoration project of the National Lake Conservation Plan (NLCP) of the Government of India.[8] Besides lakes, Udaipur is also popular for its massive historic forts and palaces, museums, galleries, natural locations and gardens, architectural temples, as well as traditional fairs, festivals and structures.[9] The Udaipur economy is primarily driven by tourism, though minerals, marble processing, chemical manufacturing and development, electronic manufacturing and the handicraft industry are also contributors.[10] Udaipur hosts several state and regional public offices, including offices of Director of Mines and Geology, Commissioner of Excise, Commissioner of Tribal Area Development, Hindustan Zinc Limited, and Rajasthan State Mines and Mineral Corporation Limited. Besides, Udaipur is rising as educational hub as well, with 5 Universities, 14 colleges and more than 160 high schools.[11] Udaipur is home to IIM Udaipur, the fifth best management institution in the country according to NIRF ranking [1] released by MHRD. A new mall named Urban Square is also under construction in udaipur.
