Lake Pichola Udaipur
¤ The Pristine Lake
The title of the most beautiful and enchanting lake in Udaipur has been rightly given to Lake Pichola. Rudyard Kipling in his Letters of Marque, 1899, compliments the lake: ‘If the Venetian owned the Pichola [lake] he might say with justice, `See it and die.‘" This lake was started by either a banjara or a grain carrier at the end of the 14th century and was completed by Rana Udai Singh. Fed by a big stream from the western mountains, the lake is 2¼ miles long and 1¼ mile wide. Pichola is encircled on all sides by numerous palaces, marble temples, family mansions, dark hills and rows of bathing ghats which is thronged by bathers at dawn. The lake at places narrows down and both its banks almost touch each other. Here, at these places the lake is spanned with ornamental bridges and their attractive arches. Another interesting spot on the lake is the Shikarbadi or the Khas Odi(see Sajjangarh for more details).
¤ The Island Attractions
There are islands at regular intervals on the lake which have either palaces and pavilions on them. The most beautiful and eye-catching are the Jag Mandir and the Jag Niwas. Mohan Mandir and Natini ka Chabutra are pretty small in size – nevertheless they have their own legends to boast. This chabutra (raised platform normally within a courtyard) was built in memory of a natani or tightrope walker. It is said that Maharana Jawan Singh (1828-38) in an inebriated state promised a natani that he would give her half the kingdom of Mewar if she crossed the width of the lake on a tightrope from a village on the west bank of the lake to the City Palace on the east bank. When the natani was about to reach the other side the rope was cunningly severed. Half of Mewar was saved, but the poor girl pluged to her death and drowned. But before she died she cursed the maharana’s family that from then on they would not have any direct heirs. Out of the seven Ranas succeeding Jawan Singh six were adopted ones. The Mohan Mandir in the northeast corner of the lake was built by Jagat Singh between 1628 and 1652.
¤ Other Lake Attractions
The Saroopsagar Lake is one of the numerous lakes found in the vicinity of Udaipur. The lake is connected to the Pichola Lake by an arched bridge built by Maharana Swaroop Singh (1842-1861). Close to the circular Saroop Sagar Ghat is the Lake View Hotel. Again, a water channel with the Saroop Sagar Lake connects it to the Fateh Sagar, the crystal watered lake of Udaipur, hidden among its tree lined hills. The Laxmi Vilas Hotel and the Anand Bhavan in the vicinity both have a breathtaking view of the lake.
¤ The Stimulating Drive To Fateh Sagar
The famous Fateh Sagar Drive is made of stones and runs parallel to the lake. It gives an absolutely new meaning to driving along this side of the lake, and so if you have come with your own vehicle, enjoy the drive while you can. Boating can be done on the lake and to do so you can hire boats from a spot very near the Rock Garden
