Narendra Bhawan, Bikaner: In a class by itself

Diwali Chowk

Watermelon sandwich

It's not often the word eclectic gets used for a hotel. Eclectic, though, is the word that often comes to mind at Narendra Bhawan. Tucked away in the quieter side of Bikaner, it's almost like a secret the town has been shy in sharing.

The mixed strains of jazz pleasantly surprise me as I arrive at Narendra Bhawan. This is invigorating piped music, layered with haunting Western and Indian rhythms, and sets the tone for the luxury boutique hotel that is local in essence but global in outlook, quite like the man it's named after and whose erstwhile residence it was, the last reigning Maharaja of Bikaner, Narendra Singh.                      

Republic Suite in tones of grey and blue

Republic Suite sitting room 

The hotel has a consciously-casual air and immediately draws me with its plush open foyer, the vermillion-toned informal reception and a melange of engrossing elements that make the eyes wander. A red piano in a corner, bookcases packed with dog-eared titles, Playboy editions playing peek-a-boo, arresting globular ceiling lamps, sepia toned family portraits, souvenirs and other vintage bric-a-brac reflect cosy opulence and convey a sense of timelessness. Jharaokhas and jaalis seamlessly blend in with Potuguese mosaic tiles and chevron pattern floors as Rajputana meets Bombay Art Deco style to spectacular effect throughout the property. 

However, this is definitely not just another royal haveli turned into a hotel. It feels like walking into a piece of art lovingly restored and passionately curated with a phenomenal eye for detail.

Wild mushroom tortellini

The five-level, 82-room hotel is a tribute to the charismatic lifestyle of its former owner and an effort has been made to incorporate his personality into the design.The rooms have been designed to mirror different phases of Narendra Singh's life. 

These are categorised as Prince, Residence and India rooms. At the top end is the Republic Suite, which is the one I've been hosted at. 

Gaushala, the lounge

Infinity pool with a view

Chevron floors, Art Deco and more

The hotel is fully occupied so I can't view the much-talked about vibrancy of the other rooms but the suite I'm staying at is very Modernist, all about clean lines, steely blue and concrete grey. It's a decor inspired by architects of independent India who created bold new spaces. I find the suite contemporary and chic. 

Eco-conscious

From the tones of black and pearl in the bath to the steel sailboat on the round dining table, the red mail box on the desk with the Narendra Bhawan crest to the brass box holding glass bottles filled with the local anardana churan goli and bhujia, every accent is well thought out. 

Spaces flow into each other and a terrific illustration is the original terrace being converted into Diwali Chowk, a leafy central courtyard, almost like a restorative oasis, and around it rising anew a three-storey structure comprising rooms, gymnasium as well as a rooftop sit-out and infinity pool offering a bird’s eye view of town.  

 If I have to pick a stand-out design element it will be the optimum utilisation of space. And the winner certainly will be the breezy al fresco lounge quirkily called Gaushala, as that’s what it initially was. It’s positioned right at the very entrance which sees a flow of guests the day through, yet it manages to be intimate and inviting.

Apricot brandy flourless chocolate cake

Narendra Bhawan has planned its menus as meticulously as its design. While the Mad Hatter Cafe serves a variety of confection and savouries, the very Victorian all-day dining, Pearls and Chiffon--the name drawn from the two sartorial favourites of the maharanis--rustles up appetizing fare across the cuisines and serves it in style. 

I get to taste some lesser known regional dishes as angoori sabzi and sautéed aloe vera.  And I must say I’ve not savoured better wild mushroom tortellini, butternut squash soup or watermelon sandwich. Delectable!

As with Suryagarh, Jaisalmer, Manvendra Singh Shekhawat, MD, MRS Group, and his team have yet again developed the Narendra Bhawan property as a destination in itself. If there is a reason to visit Bikaner, this is it.  


Contact: narendrabhawan.com

See also: suryagarh.com

Indian folk art: Kawad kahani

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Published Jan 2014

Hotel Review: Suryagarh, Jaisalmer, Rajasthan

It's a resort... It's a fort... It's Suryagarh. Standing in solitary splendour amidst infinite stretches of soothing beige, the luxury boutique hotel arrested attention from a distance. 

Its elevation and sprawling scale had made it amply visible and the quietude around--it's 15 km beyond Jaisalmer--heightened its imposing presence. As I entered its grand portals I felt it was a worthy tribute to Rajputana heritage. 

The design 
Built in local sandstone and that lovely honey-mustard hue limestone, or colloquially Jaisalmer stone, within its fort look-alike contours the whimsical romance of palaces came alive. Almost immediately I was greeted by fountains and sweeping courtyards, jaalis (lattice screens) and jharokhas (jutting windows), spanking mosaic floors and carved pillars, bastions and battlements, and the piece de resistance, an ingeniously-designed baoli or step-well. 

In the colonnaded corridors around the central patio and in the lobbies traditional artefacts in metal and wood--a lot of these rescued from crumbling havelis--provided a nice casual touch. 

The names of spaces were as impressive as their aesthetic interiors. The spa was just so aptly called 'Rait', 'Draksh' was the bar, 'Neel' the indoor swimming pool in calming turquoise shades, and 'Akhara' the gym, which niftily had hanging lights designed as mudgals (wrestling clubs). 

Over conversation with the young proprietor Manvendra Singh Shekhawat what shone through was his entrepreneurial vision, spirit of conservation, and the zeal to research and execute, even if that meant rolling up his sleeves to achieve a target, or aborting an implemented original plan. "This was intended as a passageway, but by happy accident it's The Legend of Marwar," he explained, referring to the fine dining restaurant in vermillion tones. 

The rooms
Suryagarh has 62 tastefully appointed rooms and suites. Lavish upholstery, smart woodwork, luxurious bathrooms, and a window view of either the gardens or the terraces are consistent elements across all categories. The leitmotif lattice work displays bits of itself in the rooms, the most prominent being wooden screens and metal lampshades. 

All rooms pamper a guest, with the top-end Jaisalmer Suite being indulgence in the true sense. Dressed in radiant Jaisalmer stone and embellished with vibrant local textures, it comes with a private terrace and personal splash pool overlooking the desert landscape, besides the services of a dedicated butler. I had checked into the Luxury Suite and took pleasure in its generosity of space and features that included a powder-room and a cosy dining alcove. 

The bathroom, I was glad to note, had elegant, easy-to-operate fittings and not state-of-the-art ones that leave you feeling clueless and dim-witted. I preferred the rain shower cubicle over the tub and its frills. Just the thought of rain and desert was tempting enough to opt for it. The one disappointment was the towels: considering this was a boutique experience I would have liked them fluffier and fragrant. 

The food 
One of the best cheese omelettes I've tasted was at Nosh, the coffee shop. I wouldn't be able to say the same about other breakfast options, especially the Indian selection, which I felt needed fine-tuning. An oily Aloo Parantha is a definite no-no. I found the Oriental dishes too not up to the mark with a medley of sauces overpowering flavours. But where the chef scored was in the Marwar Thali. 

Not only was its presentation attractive, each item on the menu, from Kair-Sangri, Gatta, Papad Sabzi to the ubiquitous Dal-Baati-Churma was flavoursome and flawless. My advice: to savour the thali, build up an appetite. Another pick for me was the chef special: Mushroom Cappuccino, a delectable soup, served with basil-honey crostini and roast pepper salad. 

The outdoors
Suryagarh is as much about its indoors as it's about the outdoors. During the day, I found its porches and terraces with inviting sun-umbrellas and comfortably padded sarkanda chairs, perfect spots to uncoil. As the sun dipped and the lights began twinkling Suryagarh basked in a fantastical mellow afterglow. 

If the daytime demanded bringing out the glares, the cool evenings summoned sitting under starlit skies. And what better place than the baoli that transformed into a stage for performing arts: dance, music, magic-show, martial arts and puppetry. 

The hotel also arranges outings to the small Lakhmana dunes, relatively quiet when compared to the touristy Sam dunes. Here a sunset camel ride is followed by high tea or dinner on the dunes in an especially set-up airy pavilion. 

There are few hotels that are destinations in themselves. Suryagarh is one of these. 

At a glance What: A luxury boutique hotel.  Where: Kahala Phata, Sam Road, Jaisalmer. Tel: (02992) 269269; www.suryagarh.com Cost: Rs. 16,000 per night for the base category room.  Verdict: A spectacular and tranquil boutique hotel that is a destination in itself. Published in India Today Travel Plus,  April 2012  See also: narendrabhawan.com

Cities by cycle

There’s something particularly pleasing about twin benefits. Apart from being twice as nice, they’re doubly rewarding too. Picking up a bicycle on a holiday is one such happy union that accomplishes the vows of wellness along with laying out the thrills of adventure. It allows you to stay toned even as your bag of exciting tales fills to the brim.

Cycling gives the traveller an opportunity to uncoil and discover the veiled charms of a city and countryside at a relaxed pace. India offers innumerable escapes on varied canvas. From rural lanes to city bylanes, backwaters to deep sea, the footsteps of history to inspiring mountain districts, experiences can be found neatly stringed and almost-always a few pedals away.

Tough terrain bicycling isn’t everyone’s cup of coffee and that’s where city-cycling rides in as a worthy alternative. Whereas the honks and halts of traffic in most urban spaces can make leisure cycling tough business, there are some cities tailor-made for touring on two wheels. An all-terrain-bike performs perfectly in all conditions. It’s extremely rugged and can take ample wear and tear, even a minor collision! Do remember to keep chain-links and tubes handy; and lest you forget, fret not. This is India, and quite remarkably the UMCT—under mango or coconut tree—cycle repairmen can mend it all.  

Udaipur

One of the most beautiful heritage cities of the country, with a lake-hotel that’s been voted amongst the most romantic in the world, Udaipur is a showpiece of Rajasthan. It packs in all attributes of the desert state: vibrant colours, formidable forts, royalty, captivating craft et al in a heady package. It’s labyrinth of narrow lanes spilling over with traditional charms and local food makes the cycle the ideal transport to get up close and personal with it. Every turn throws up a new discovery and the first-timer always comes away awe-stuck. The City Palace on the banks of Lake Pichola, built by the Mewar dynasty, is its jewel in the crown. The other gems include Bagore ki Haveli;  Jagdish Temple and the touristy attractions around it; Ahar Museum and Saheliyon-ki-Bari, a garden for royal ladies; and the Monsoon Palace atop a hill.

Excursions: Kumbhalgarh Fort  (84 km/2.5 hrs) is an impregnable medieval citadel with an incredible 36-km perimeter wall.  Ranakpur (90 km) for Jain marble temples. 

Leh

The village of Choglamsar, a few km from Leh city, was devastated by flash floods earlier this year. Even in gloom, the resilient Ladakhi is managing to wear a smile. Amongst those helping in its rebuilding are travellers from around the world who had come to explore its terrain. There can’t be a better time to volunteer your services and combine that with a cycling tour of the breathtaking high-altitude desert in the lap of commanding mountain ranges, which remains just as alluring despite nature’s fury having destroyed a part of it. Leh city in itself is typically backpacker and the tarmac connecting it with nearby monastery spots as Hemis, Shey, Thiksey etc is smooth as silk. Pedaling around Leh means riding a terrain where the air is thin and requires immense stamina and determination. It’s tough but worth every muscle that’s exerted.

Excursions: Pangong Tso, a mesmeric salt-water lake; Nubra Valley, the green territory of cold desert Ladakh, was once part of the silk route; it’s accessed through Khardung La, the world’s highest motorable pass.

Chandigarh

Designed by a Swiss-French architect, Chandigarh has tree-lined avenues and wide, clean arterial streets, making it a roadies’ delight. It’s also perhaps the only city in the country to have dedicated cycle tracks, running through lush canopies, across the checkered grid town-plan.

Chandigarh is a planned city and cycling around town brings its contemporary built-heritage face to face. It also boasts of an envious green cover and the most attractive route to enjoy its verdant vistas and simultaneously follow its chief architectural trail is to cycle on Jan Marg. This goes past Sector 17, the city’s bustling shopping piazza, and the manicured Rose Garden which is an irresistible spot during the blooming season from October to February. A little ahead are museums and a string of assorted gardens. The road ends at the Capitol Complex, Sector 1, considered the masterwork of founding architect, Le Corbusier. From here begins Uttar Marg, which has the globally-acclaimed Rock Garden and the picturesque Sukhna Lake.

Excursions: The Himalayan foothills, ideal for mountain biking, are a short distance away and have numerous spots for day/weekend trips. Pinjore is known for the Mughal Gardens. Kasauli, Chail, Barog exude quietude. Further on is Shimla.

Pondicherry

There’s a constant merger of cultures at this southern India outpost in the Coromandel Coast. Cosmopolitan Pondicherry, though, is more like a mixed salad bowl, where each flavour stands out in the homogenous blend. The dominant essence, however, is still unmistakably French—dating back to the time it was colonised for France by Joseph François Dupleix in AD 1742—and this connection remains its drawing power.

In earlier times the city was sliced into two sharp quarters. Those demarcations have blurred but architecturally while the western end has developed into a bustling modern space, the eastern or the French/European-influenced side retains its quaint charms. This quarter is bordered by the rocky coast, with four beaches, and has relatively unfrequented narrow lanes, alluring French street names, elegant Mediterranean architecture with homes typically painted in soothing white or happy-bright colours, sunlit porches, languorously twining bougainvilleas, trendy shops, inviting cafes, boutique hotels and the magnet amongst them all, the Sri Aurobindo Ashram. These features combine to make it ideal for pedaling through at a pace of your own.

Excursions: Auroville, or City of Dawn, an experimental, self-sustainable township, is 8 km away; Tranquebar is a former Danish settlement; Mahabalipuram offers remarkable open-air heritage of rock-cut, monolithic, bas-relief structures dating to the 7th century Pallava period.

  

Kochi

The joys of being on a cycle saddle in God’s Own Country means slowing down at short intervals and soaking up its verdant lures: spice/coffee/tea plantations, swaying coconut palm trees under azure skies, miles of lush paddy fields etc. Kochi, a bustling city, presents a pleasing combination of nature’s magic as well as a contrasting canvas of urban spaces that include tucked country roads, spanking tarmac, terracotta tile-roofed homes and glitzy glass-steel structures, all of it around a series of tremendously-idyllic waterchannels. Cycle a short distance away and there’s Fort Kochi, the ancient port city, which stands by a calm beach dotted with Chinese fishing nets. It’s seen many a foreign influence and offers its own brand of quaint inheritance. It’s shady avenues, heritage hotels, spice shops, touristy Jew Town, Tamil temples, all add up to present a locale ideal to bike around.

Excursions: Kumarakom, about 90 km away, on the banks of the Vembanad Lake has a clutch of excellent resorts and the Kumarakom Bird Sanctuary popular with birders from around the world; Alappuzha or Allepy, is known for the scenic beauty of its backwaters. The popular snake boat races are held on Punnamada Lake near the town.

Published in JetWings, 2010

Road trip through Shekhawati

As I travelled through Shekhawati my mind often went back to French author Antoine de Saint-Exupery acclaimed for The Little Prince. I had read his quote some place and it said, “What makes the desert beautiful is that somewhere it hides a well.” Indian dunes cloak the spectacular and it’s the bareness of terrain that puts the accent on such findings.

Just as smooth seas do not make skilful sailors, it’s aridness that has made Rajasthan a synonym for vibrancy. Adversity is known to bring out survival skills in man and an exemplar are people of the desert state. They have, in fact, not only overcome the deficiency of lifestyle and landscape but embellished it with a brilliance that shines through in everything they nurtured, whether food, craft, textile or architecture.

From among the many communities in Rajasthan, it’s the czars of commerce, the Marwaris, who have contributed in large measure, to both business and culture, the latter in many ways being a spin-off of an abundant livelihood.

It’s the Marwari then who studded the Rajput land of Shekhawati with its most noteworthy feature, the frescoed havelis. The birth story of the havelis, or mansions, goes such. Marwari trading routes, from the Arabian Sea ports to interior India, ran across princely provinces of Rajputana which imposed a levy for the passage of goods. Being centrally placed, the powerful Jaipur province would get bulk business much to the envy of others. In a bid to direct profits away from them, neighbouring Shekhawati decided to reduce tax. The Marwari trader willingly changed his route and caravans packed with precious stones, silk, spices etc began passing through Shekhawati which prospered immensely. Over time traders were offered land by the Rajputs to build mansions and further develop the economy of the province. The Marwari readily agreed, and the dime-a-dozen frescoed structures we see today are the outcome of a win-win deal struck a few centuries back, beginning around AD 1800.

Most havelis lie in a shambles now with owners having taken flight to areas where business interests were pampered better. These structures, as well as plenty other overshadowed architectural remainders, stand mute testimony to acumen and bustling times, as I found out during a circular road trip.

Nawalgarh

It was a day-long excursion of about 100 km and I began my journey from Nawalgarh, the only town I had heard about, primarily due to the annual noises about the Shekhawati Festival held here every February. Being close to Jaipur (142 km), Nawalgarh had developed as a commercial hub, the reason it boasts of havelis largely belonging to the who’s who of the current business world. Amidst the heat, dust and dirt of town are many celebrated mansions, some of these being: Morarka Haveli that’s in its original form and has been turned into a museum; Ramnath A Poddar Haveli Museum which has been completely restored (its walls have a staggering collection of 750 frescoes in decorative, descriptive and portraiture style) and established into a brilliant exposition of Rajasthani culture; Bhakton ki Haveli that has a dominant mustard-golden hue and some of the finest frescoes; and Aath Haveli which contradictory to its name Aath or eight is a complex of four havelis. Apart from these are Seksaria Haveli, Koolwal Haveli, Uattara Haveli and Saraogi Haveli to pick a few.

The blueprint of each haveli is similar with there being a collection of rooms around an outer courtyard meant for the men, which lead to the inner square where the ladies resided. Some defining features of the havelis—apart from the frescoes that are based on religious themes, folktales and customs—are lattice jharokhas (windows), massive wooden doors with brass fittings and a number of pillars. Typically, the men’s section had a durbar hall while the women had the kitchen set-up. I found the ‘acoustic pardah’ an interesting element of design, which, tad unfairly though, allowed conversation from the men’s arena be audible to the women but never sneaked out what the ladies spoke!

As I was to notice during the trip, temples in this region had an almost palace-like appearance, replete with jharokhas and chhatries or canopies. Nawalgarh had one such remarkable structure in the about 200-year-old Gher ka Mandir opposite the Morarka Haveli.

Mukundgarh

On a wet morning I set out to map some towns around. The vehicle had barely stepped out of Nawalgarh that it arrived at a rain-washed Mukundgarh (14 km). As its name suggests there is a garh or fort here, however, in line with the spirit of enterprise it’s been converted into the ubiquitous heritage hotel and is largely out of public bound. Some well-known tourist spots here are the Ganeriwal Haveli and the Saraf Haveli.

Mandawa

Mandawa (23 km) turned out to be a classic backpacker’s town. This was the only place we got a chance to lighten wallets and let the eyes darts from juttis (shoes), faux-antiques to pre-stitched Rajput sarees to the usual bric-a-brac. All that was missing was a German Bakery to complete the happy hobo picture. Mandawa has developed at the foot of its fort (now a hotel) and has a lively market quad. The entrance to town was through the Sonthalia Gate, a whimsical haveli that had a public gateway as its appendage and was crowned by a lifesize idol of a stern Lord Krishna flanked by sterner-looking cows. I roamed the streets and paused at its painted mansions among which stood out Goenka Haveli. And as I walked along I came upon a structural feature which for me was the highlight of this tour: four-spire wells. I was to spot these at a lot of places ahead. According to a school of thought, with water being scarce wells became places of public gathering and the areas around them were beautified. For me, they broke the monotony of seeing frescoed havelis beside being architectural gems.

Fatehpur

The drive onwards was through a scrubby sandy terrain studded with lopped khejri trees which seemed like randomly placed lampposts. Khejri’s small leaves are nutritious feed for the camel and I saw these being sold by the quintal (100 kg) at many spots en route. Fatehpur (22 km) was an unhurried town. It had a baoli (step-well), spire-wells and a few significant havelis. I found the Neotia Haveli quite exceptional for its well-preserved frescoes and at the same time I was amused by the quirkiness of its pink coloured iron grilles with the central image of Queen Victoria! This was representative of the Marwari trader being well-travelled and carrying influences of the big world back home.

Not so absurdly, given our fetish for all things foreign, a popular spot here is the haveli purchased by a French woman artist who has renovated it and turned it into a ‘museum cafe’. She charges a ticket for exhibiting nothing too different but the population happily pays to see ‘Indian exotica’ as interpreted by a Westerner.

On the return I took a detour to the popular Salasar temple and drove through Laxmangarh, another spot with a lot of sightseeing potential. As my tour showed, Shekhawati teems with unusual sights and it’s not merely large towns but a nondescript village that can throw up a stunner.

Getting there:

Air/Road: Jaipur is the nearest airport, 142 km away.

Rail: Closest railhead is Sikar (28 km from Nawalgarh).

Accommodation:

Koolwal Kothi: Mid-budget heritage accommodation www.welcomheritagehotels.com

Roop Vilas Palace Hotel: Luxury suites as well as tents

www.roopvilas.com

Kurja Resort: Budgeted semi-traditional stay 01572-220461

Udaipur

You can decipher the top spot of a destination by the names of its hotels and resta-urants. In Agra, almost everyone, the under-the-mango-tree dhaba included, wants an association with the Taj Mahal. At coastal places there are definitely a few dozen with Sea View as suffix. In the Himalayan belt there will always be a Snow Point or Hill Retreat amongst the billboards you spot. Likewise, Udaipur is no exception to the rule, with lake and palace being the buzz words here. So there’s Lake View, Paras Mahal, Hilltop Palace, Queen Palace and any other permutation you can think of. The choicest of them all of course is one whose name combines both elements: Lake Palace, a hotel that’s been voted amongst the most romantic in the world.

I had often heard mixed reviews about Udaipur, the erstwhile capital of the Mewar dynasty, and considered one of the most beautiful heritage cities of the country. The shrinking water table ruining its pretty lakes was a constant cry. This had lead to a spurt of NGOs sprinting off to rescue its decaying wetlands that looked less blue and more green on account of algae and hyacinth. Nonetheless, since the past few years the city of lakes had hosted a string of celebrity dos so it couldn’t be in such a pitiful state I presumed, setting-off for it.

The Mewar Express links Delhi with Udaipur very conveniently. It’s a 12-hour overnight journey that gets you in by 7 am, just in time for breakfast. With due respect to The Bard, if food be the music of life, eat on is my mantra. Though Duke Orsino in the Twelfth Night wanted an excess of music to kill his appetite for love, there is certainly no such cause and effect as far as food goes. Rajasthan is famous for its spicy as well as drenched-in-the-sweetness-of-sugar offerings. Udaipur in particular is known to have had one of the best royal kitchens and those recipes are still prepared here. My preference in those morning hours was for off-the-street fare and my guide was more than willing to kick start my city sojourn on a scrumptious note. We drove towards the eateries packed between the city landmarks of Jagdish Temple and City Palace and within minutes of our reaching I was savouring a typical straight-off-the-wok mirchi vada—a stuffed chilli-pepper and gramflour fritter—handsomely loaded with a variety of chutney. It had the right measure of spices and was not the dynamite its name made it sound. Next up was a flaky lentil kachori and a steaming glass of milk resplendently flavoured with a fusion of condiments. What was an enormous breakfast for me was a mere appetiser for local men in colourful turbans who had gathered at this hole in the wall stall.

Udaipur’s reference is never complete without mentioning Lake Pichola on whose banks stands the stunning City Palace complex, a few ghats, dwellings, and a couple of leading luxury hotels. The lake is the pride of the city and the Aravallis in its backdrop lends added charm.

The initial views of Udaipur had shown me a series of atmospheric narrow lanes and bylanes typical to Rajasthan but as I approached the lake front it was as if I had entered a completely new world. Geography textbooks never told me an oasis could be so beautiful. They never mentioned its mornings could be ethereal or its sunsets gorgeous. They never said it could evoke poetry. You see, they never revealed the romance of a place called Udaipur. It’s Lake Pichola and the royal quarters around it, so sculpted and planned to precision, that overpower the senses. It’s said, when Maharana Udai Singh was ruling the kingdom of Mewar, Mughal emperor Akbar captured Chittorgarh in AD 1568. This forced the Maharana to relocate and establish a new capital, which was christened Udaipur. The Suryavanshi dynasty ruled fearlessly and passionately, each succeeding maharana beautifying the capital city and leaving his imprint on the sands of time.

I spent Day One by the lake enjoying its many moods. If it were up to me, I would not have ventured beyond its sight, so fairytale-like are its environs. But my super efficient guide was more than eager to show his city, and so the next day we began, delightfully so, with a boat ride to the two island palaces — Jag Mandir and the exceptional Jag Niwas (now the Lake Palace, a Taj hotel property). Next up was the City Palace museum where I found Mor Chowk particularly spectacular. Its mosaic and enamel courtyard has peacocks in lapis lazuli and other stones...talk about royal living and this is a shining example. A little later I was at Bagore ki Haveli, on Ganghori Ghat. Once the house of Amar Chand, the prime minister of Mewar, it's now a cultural centre and a must-visit to view a slice of Rajasthan. By noon I was running up the flight of steps at Jagdish Temple and then resting the heels at the popular Saheliyon-ki-Bari, a garden where ladies of the royal households would spend their leisure time. My whirlwind tour wrapped up at Ahar Museum, about 2 km from the city, a tranquil garden that has a cluster of cenotaphs of the Maharanas.

By sundown I was back by the shores of Lake Pichola. The sapphire blue sky of the morning had given way to flaming auburn and the waters reflected that majestically. Two musicians played the sitar, the stringed notes adding a dose of sublime to the already blissful ambience.

I hadn’t expected Udaipur to be so spectacular. A few days in the city showed what many others have felt before me. In the sweltering bowl of Rajasthan nature had been more than generous on Udaipur. Further on, its creators had accentuated this already worthy canvas with forts, palaces, temples, lakes and islands to compose an architectural landscape that was truly the shining jewel in Mewar’s crown. The reason millions have been smitten by it and I was no exception.

Factfile

Air: Direct flights from Delhi, Mumbai

Road: Connected with Delhi and Mumbai through NH 8.

Railways: Mewar Express (2963): Departure Hazrat Nizamuddin (Delhi) –1900 hrs; arrival Udaipur – 0700 hrs

Accommodation:

Fateh Prakash Palace, City Palace

Tel: 0294-2528016-19

Published in The New Indian Express, February 2010