Rajsamand Lake
On the way to Kumbhalgarh lies this stunning Rajsamand Lake
which was constructed by Maharana Raj Singh in the seventeenth
century after a terrible drought swept Rajasthan. The best
views of the lake are to be had from the Digambara Jain temple,
dedicated to Adinath, situated on a steep hill.
Kumbhalgarh
84km north of Udaipur is located the remote hilltop fort of
Kumbhalgarh, the second principal fortress in Rajasthan after
Chittaurgarh. Perched atop the Aravalli hills it is the most
formidable of the 32 forts constructed by Maharana Kumbha
in the fifteenth century. It contains many fine temples, beautiful
palaces and well laid-out gardens. The fort has a great historical
significance. It has the distinction of never being successfully
besieged but only once when the Mughal army led by Akbar poisoned
the Sisodias' water supply. The Badal Mahal or Cloud Palace
offers a wonderful bird's eye view of the surrounding countryside.
Nearby is the Kumbhalgarh Wildlife Sanctuary replete with
a wide variety of wildlife.
Eklingji and Nagda
20km northeast of Udaipur is situated the ruined remnants
of the ancient capital of Mewar, Nagda, dating back to the
6th century AD. A couple of kilometers away is the famous
temple complex of Eklingji.
Most of the buildings at Nagda are in ruins. But there still
survives a majestic pair of 10th century Vaishnavite temples,
known as Saas-Bahu - literally "Mother-in-law" and
"Daughter-in-law".
Built in 734 A.D. the temple complex of Eklingji contains
108 temples within its enclosure. The shrines are dedicated
to the presiding deity of Mewar, Eklingji, an aspect of Shiva.
Nathdwara
48 km from Udiapur is Nathdwara "Gateway to God, an
important pilgrim center of the Hindus. Home to one of the
most revered 17th century temple, Nathdwara, attracts thousands
of devotees from all over India especially during the festivals
of Diwali, Holi and Janmashtami. The shrine, dedicated to
Krishna - known also as Nath, one of the most popular incarnations
of Vishnu, is said to be the second richest temple in India
after Tirupati in the state of Andhra Pradesh. The place is
also known for the radiant Pichwal paintings, which adorn
the main sanctuary of the temple.
Ranakpur
The famous temple complex of Ranakpur, 90km north of Udaipur,
is considered to be one of the five holiest places of the
Jainas. The shrines boast wonderful marble works, which put
them at a par with those of the more famous Dilwara group
at Mount Abu and Shatrunjaya near Palitana in Gujarat.
The main shrine known as Chaumukha temple (four faced temple)
is dedicated to Adinath, the first Jaina Tirthankar (the ford
maker), whose four-faced image is enshrined in the sanctum
sanctorum. It was built in 1439 on land donated to the Jainas
by Rana Kumbha of Mewar.
Other temples are dedicated to Parshvanath and Neminath.
Also in the compound is a contemporary Hindu temple dedicated
to Surya, the Sun god.
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