India 15 - Rajasthan (Chapter)

(Marcin) #1

Rajasthan


SOUTHERN


R AJASTHAN


Rajasthan


FEST iVA lS & E VENTS


Rajasthan


UDA iPUR


a successful local musician who gives sitar,
tabla and flute lessons. He also sells and re-
pairs instruments (sitars from ₹8500) and
can arrange performances. You can buy
signed CDs of his performances for around
₹300.

Painting
Hotel ̈Krishna ̈Niwas ̈ PA iNT iNG
(%2420163; http://www.hotelkrishnaniwas.com; 35 lal
Ghat; 2hr class ₹850; h11am-7pm) Jairaj Soni
is a renowned artist who teaches miniature
and classical painting. You can buy mini-
ature paintings here too.

Ashoka ̈Arts ̈ PA iNT iNG
(Hotel Gangaur Palace; per hr ₹150) Here you
can learn the basics of classic miniature
painting.

z ̈Festivals ̈& ̈Events

In March or April the procession-heavy Me-
war ̈Festival is Udaipur’s own version of the
springtime Gangaur festival, with free cul-
tural programs.

4 ̈Sleeping

Accommodation clusters where most people
want to stay – close to the lake, especially on
its eastern side near Lal Ghat. This area is a
tangle of streets and lanes (some quiet, some
busy and noisy), close to the City Palace
and Jagdish Temple. It’s Udaipur’s tourist
epicentre and the streets are strung not just
with lodgings but also with tourist-oriented
eateries and shops whose owners will be do-
ing their best to tempt you in.
Directly across the water from Lal Ghat,
Hanuman Ghat has a slightly more local
vibe and often better views. It’s much more
hassle-free, though you’re certainly not out
of the tourist zone.
To bypass rickshaw drivers looking for
commissions from hotels, use the prepaid
autorickshaw stand outside the train sta-
tion. If you’re heading for the Lal Ghat area
to find accommodation, you can avoid dis-
cussions about individual lodgings by taking
a autorickshaw to the nearby Jagdish Tem-
ple (about ₹40 from the main bus stand),
then walking.

4    Lal Ghat Area
Lal ̈Ghat ̈Guest ̈House ̈ GUESTHOUSE $
(%2525301; http://www.lalghat.com; 33 lal Ghat; dm
₹150, r without/with bathroom from ₹200/600;
aiW) This mellow guesthouse by the lake

has been run by the same family since 1982
and was one of the first to open in Udaipur.
It’s still an excellent budget choice, with an
amazing variety of older and newer rooms.
Most rooms have lake views and those in
the older part of the building (17th century)
have plenty of character, although some are
pretty basic. There’s a small kitchen for self-
caterers, wi-fi in some areas and the shaded
central courtyard is a pleasant space.

Nukkad ̈Guest ̈House ̈ GUESTHOUSE $
(%2411403; [email protected]; 56 Ganesh
Ghati; r ₹300-500, s/d without bathroom ₹100/200;
iW) Always busy with travellers, Nukkad
has a relaxed atmosphere and a sociable,
breezy upstairs restaurant with good Indian
and international dishes (mains ₹60 to ₹85).
Your hosts Raju and Kala are helpful, and
you can join afternoon cooking classes and
morning yoga sessions without stepping
out the door. Rooms are simple, fan-cooled,
clean and decent value; there’s plenty of hot
water and many rooms have cushioned win-
dow seats. Wi-fi wasn’t working when we
were here, but should be available.

Jheel ̈Palace ̈Guest ̈House ̈ GUESTHOUSE $$
(%2421352; http://www.jheelguesthouse.com; 56 Gan-
gaur Ghat; r ₹1000-3000; aW) Right on the
lake edge (when the lake is full), Jheel Pal-
ace has three nice rooms with little balco-
nies and four-poster beds, and three more
ordinary ones. All are small but well kept.
Staff are accommodating and hands-off, and
there’s a good Brahmin pure veg rooftop ̈
restaurant (mains ₹95-125, no beer). To one
side of the the lobby, and right beside the
water’s edge, is Jheel’s ̈Ginger ̈Coffee ̈Bar ̈
(coffee ₹50-100; h8am-8pm), which has free
wi-fi and does excellent coffee. Across the
street, Old ̈Jheel ̈Guest ̈House has three
budget rooms (₹300, ₹400 and ₹500) which
are clean and comfortable, if a little spartan.

Hotel ̈Gangaur ̈Palace ̈ HER iTAGE HOTEl $$
(%2422303; http://www.ashokahaveli.com; Gadiya Devra;
s ₹400-2000, d ₹500-2500; aiW) This elabo-
rate and faded 250-year-old haveli is set
around a stone-pillared courtyard, with a
wide assortment of rooms on several floors.
It’s gradually moving upmarket and rooms
range from windowless with flaking paint
to bright and recently decorated with lake
views. The hotel also boasts an in-house
palm reader, an art school, the good Cafe
Namaste and a rooftop restaurant. Wi-fi
reaches to some rooms.
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