As usual, we started to visit as we entered the town. Saheliyon Ki Bari, “The Maiden Garden”, is a garden constructed by Maharana Sangram Singh, as a gift for his wife. This park was at the disposal of the 48 maidens who came to Udaipur as part of the queen dowry. There are a lot of fountains, elephant marble statues, flower beds, palms and other trees. A nice place to stroll.

After we checked in, we went to see a little bit of the town. Not far from the hotel is a mosque. Then, we approached the entrance gate to the old city. Some cows were lying in dust, near the walls. On a little commercial street we went to the center of the old town. A lot of shrines and temples, people praying. A heavy enough traffic, as usual in towns. A lot of touristic shops. After we had a glimpse of the town and oriented ourselves for the objectives we intend to visit in the  morning, we went back to our hotel, just in time to see the last sun rays over the Pichola Lake.

De la Ranakpur nu mai e mult pana la Udaipur, supranumit Orasul Lacurilor, Orasul Alb sau Venetia Estului. Cred ca va imaginati deja ca toate aceste denumiri provin de la aspectul acestui oras care numara peste jumatate de milion de locuitori si este asezat in sudul Rajahstanului.

Ca intotdeauna am inceput vizitarea obiectivelor inca de la intrarea in oras si am continuat-o a doua zi, Udaipur fiind al doilea oras din circuitul nostru in care am ramas doua nopti. Cu exceptia parcului Saheliyon Ki Bari, aflat in nordul orasului, am mers la toate obiectivele pe jos, ele aflandu-se destul de aproape de hotelul-haveli in care ne-am cazat, aflat pe malul Lacului Pichola.

Parcul de care aminteam a fost construit de Maharana Sangram Singh, ca dar pentru sotia sa. El se numeste Gradina Fecioarelor pentru ca a fost pus la dispozitia celor 48 de femei care au insotit-o pe regina la Udaipur, ca parte din zestrea ei. Copaci umbrosi, Bougainvillea inflorite, straturi de flori, fantani, statui de elefanti, pavilioane. Multe grupuri galagioase de elevi sau eleve. Cateva, mai indraznete, se apropie sa dea mana cu noi.  “Hello”, “How are you” si “Good bye” este intregul repertoriu dar cele curajoase sunt intampinate cu hohote de ras de colegele lor. Toate sunt frumoase.

La poarta parcului, se vand fructe si suc din trestie de zahar.