Things to do in Southern Rajasthan
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Bagore-Ki-Haveli
This gracious 18th-century haveli museum, on the water’s edge near Gangaur Ghat, was built by a former prime minister and has been carefully restored. There are 138 rooms set around courtyards. Some recreate the times when the house was inhabited, others have cultural displays, including the world’s (rather saggy) biggest turban! The haveli also houses an interesting art gallery, with contemporary and folk art, and world-famous monuments lovingly carved out of polystyrene. The upper courtyard makes an atmospheric setting for fabulous Rajasthani dance performances at 7pm.
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City Palace Museum
The City Palace museum includes the Mor Chowk, with its lavish mosaics of peacocks, the favourite Rajasthani bird. The Manak (Ruby) Mahal has glass and mirrorwork, while Krishna Vilas has a remarkable collection of miniatures (no photography allowed). In the Bari Mahal there is a pleasant central garden. The Moti Mahal has beautiful mirrorwork and the Chini Mahal is covered in ornamental tiles.
More wall paintings can be seen in the Zenana Mahal. There's a large tiger-catching cage near the Zenana Mahal entrance.
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Cafe Edelweiss
The Savage Garden folks run this itsy piece of Europe that appeals to homesick and discerning travellers. The cake tray, including cinnamon rolls, apple pies and chocolate cake, disappears quickly, and it’s tough to get a seat. The coffee (Rs30 to Rs40) is pretty good.
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Sajjan Garh (Monsoon Palace)
Perched on the top of a distant mountain range like a fairy-tale castle, this neglected late-19th-century palace was constructed by Maharaja Sajjan Singh. Originally an astronomical centre, it later became a monsoon palace and hunting lodge. Now government-owned, it’s open to the public, but there is not much to see inside, apart from a dreary nature interpretation centre and empty rooms screaming potential. Come for the breathtaking sunset views.
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Whistling Teal
This restaurant with superlative curries and exemplary service is entered through the foyer of the Raj Palace Hotel. Set well back from the street in a putting-green-perfect garden, here you can drink cocktails or smoke a hookah in saddles at the bar. The espresso coffee is the real thing – there is also a small coffee bar fronting Bhattiyani Chohtta.
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Lotus Cafe
This funky little restaurant plucks out fabulous chicken dishes (predominantly Indian) and is ideal for meeting and greeting other travellers. There are board games available, a mezzanine to loll about on, and plenty of cool background sounds.
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Sadhna
This is the outlet for Seva Mandir, an NGO set up in 1969 to help rural women. The small shop sells attractive fixed-price textiles; profits go to the artisans and towards community development work.
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Sukh Mahal
The stately Sukh Mahal is a small palace, where Rudyard Kipling once stayed and wrote part of Kim. It’s closer to town, on the edge of the beautiful Jait Sagar.
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Hotel Krishna Niwas Cookery Classes
Sushma runs tremendous cookery classes for two hours, including meal. While Jairaj is an internationally renowned artist who teaches miniature and classical painting.
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Gallery Pristine
More showroom than gallery, this collection proves that Shahid Parvez and friends are the pick of Udaipur's rich crop of contemporary artists.
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Ashtang Yoga Ashram
The teacher here of hatha yoga has upwards of 20 years’ experience; payment is by donation (proceeds go to the local animal hospital).
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Natraj Lodge
Justifiably famous throughout town for its delicious all-you-can-eat Gujarati thalis, this place is permanently busy with locals.
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World Wide Fund for Nature
In the large Manak Chowk (courtyard) outside the City Palace museum is the World Wide Fund for Nature shop.
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Princess Trails
An Indian–German company offering extended horse safaris and half-day nature rides on the famed Marwari horses.
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Dharohar
The beautiful Bagore-ki-Haveli hosts the best (and most convenient) opportunity to see Rajasthani folk dancing.
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Maxim’s Cafe
Maxim’s has a small, two-tiered roof-top terrace overlooking the Jagdish Temple. The fresh, pure-vegetarian food includes Indian staples plus Chinese, continental and pizza.
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Universal Peace Hall
For many the teachings are intensely powerful; there are over 4500 branches in 70 countries. It even has consultative status on the Economic and Social Council of the UN. For others, it gives off a spooky New Age-sect vibe and non-believing locals of Mt Abu might try to warn you away. You can decide for yourself by paying a visit to the university's Universal Peace Hall, where free tours are available, including an introduction to the philosophy of the Brahma Kumaris.
If you want to find out more, you can attend a daily morning meditation class (held at the museum) or take an introductory course (seven lessons), including yoga tuition for a minimum of three days, though a…
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Nakki Lake
Scenic Nakki Lake, the town's focus, is one of its biggest attractions. It's so named because, according to legend, it was scooped out by a god using his nakh (nails). Some Hindus thus believe it to be a holy lake, but you're more likely to see people pedaloing than bathing in it. It's a pleasant stroll around the perimeter - the lake is surrounded by hills, parks and strange rock formations.
Nakki Lake is the heart of all activity in Mt Abu.
At the edge, by the town centre, there's a carnival of juice and food stalls, ice-cream parlours, balloon vendors and souvenir shops. You'll probably have to plough through the persistent photographers eager to take a happy snap of y…
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Luna Vasahi Temple
The later Luna Vasahi Temple is dedicated to Neminath, the 22nd tirthankar, and was built in 1230 by the brothers Tejpal and Vastupal for a mere Rs 125.9 million. Like Vimal, the brothers were both Gujarati government ministers. The marble carving here took 2500 workers 15 years to create, and its most notable feature is its intricacy and delicacy, which is so fine that, in places, the marble becomes almost transparent.
In particular, the many-layered lotus flower that dangles from the centre of the dome is an astonishing piece of work. It's difficult to believe that this huge lacelike filigree started life as a solid block of marble. The temple remains incredibly well pr…
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Vimal Vasahi
The older of the temples is the Vimal Vasahi, on which work began in 1031 and which was financed by a Gujarati minister named Vimal. Dedicated to the first tirthankar, Adinath, it took 14 years and allegedly cost Rs 180.5 million to build. The central shrine has an image of Adinath himself, while around the courtyard are 52 identical cells, each enclosing a cross-legged Buddha-tirthankar - the crucial difference between these statues and those of Buddha is that their eyes are always open.
Forty-eight beautifully carved pillars form the courtyard entrance, in front of which stands the House of Elephants, featuring a procession of elephants marching to the temple entrance, …
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Mt Abu Treks
As well as being the local snake-catcher, Charles from Mt Abu Treks arranges tailor-made treks ranging from gentle village visits to longer, wilder expeditions into Mt Abu Wildlife Sanctuary. He’s passionate and knowledgeable about the local flora and fauna. Treks include a three- to four-hour trek (Rs280 per person); a half-day (Rs380); a full day including lunch (Rs610); and an overnight village trek including all meals (Rs1250). The sanctuary entrance fee is included in the prices, but if you want to delve deeper into the jungle and require a taxi to the trail head, this will be an additional cost.
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Brahma Kumaris Spiritual University & Museum
The white-clad people around town are studying at Brahma Kumaris Spiritual University. This organisation teaches that all religions lead to God and that the principles of each should be studied. The university’s aim is the establishment of universal peace through ‘the impartation of spiritual knowledge and training of easy raja yoga meditation’. For many, the teachings are intensely powerful; there are over 4500 branches in 70 countries. For others, it gives off a spooky New Age–sect vibe. There’s a Brahma Kumaris museum in town, the entrance labelled Gateway to Paradise!
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Padmini's Palace
Continuing south from the Gaumukh Reservoir, you reach Padmini's Palace, beside a large lotus pool with a central pavilion. Legend relates that, as Padmini sat in this pavilion, Ala-ud-din saw her reflection in the lake. This glimpse convinced him to destroy Chittor in order to possess her. The bronze gates to this pavilion were carried off by Akbar and can now be seen in Agra Fort. Near Padmini's Palace is a small prison where captured invaders were kept; former prisoners include sultans of Malwa and of Gujarat.
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Jain Temples
These remarkable Jain temples are Mt Abu's main attraction and feature some of India's finest temple decoration. It's said that the artisans were paid according to the amount of dust they collected, encouraging them to carve ever more intricately. Whatever their inducement, there are two temples in which the marble work is dizzyingly intense, a collection of delicate milky kaleidoscopes, with icing-like carving so fine it looks like you could break it off and eat it. No photography is permitted.
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Maharao Raja Bahadur Singh Museum
This museum is housed in the Moti Mahal, where the current royal descendents live. It is an extraordinary celebration of the lives of the more recent royal members. The first hall is stuffed with stuffed wildlife, chiefly tigers shot by Indian, British and American luminaries. Most visitors are dumbstruck by the tigress with two cubs – all shot by ‘Mr Milton Reynolds, inventor of the ball point pen, in 1953 at Bhimlat’. Other halls contain royal portraits and arrays of weapons.
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