Welcome to the fourth blog of Theme 3, ‘From the land of Kanchenjunga & the Himalayas, mountain ranges of India’. As part of this theme, we have introduced a new Mountain Range from India every week of this month (May 2023). We started with the Great Indian Himalayas & covered Western Ghats in the last blog. This week, we will talk about the Aravalli range – the one that starts from Delhi NCR, extends to Rajasthan and ends in Gujarat.

‘Rediscover India, Incredible India’ is the name of our ongoing travel campaign as part of which we bring incredible places/ mountains/ beaches/ art & architecture to you one blog at a time. Each month, we pick one theme that unpacks the awesomeness of India, with weekly posts.

Being one of the oldest mountain ranges in the world, Aravalli is a hybrid terrain of valleys, hills, plateaus & mountain peaks such as Guru Shikhar in Mount Abu. My favourite part about Aravalli is the ancient forts and palaces that exist alongside in one of my favourite states, Rajasthan.

Here are the top 5 recommendations to travel along Aravalli in this Summer (or Winter) Season of 2023:

1. Udaipur, the City of Lakes

No matter wherever you go, in Rajasthan, the place leaves you enchanted with its history, culture and heritage. Udaipur, the city of lakes, needs no introduction. Be it the luxurious Taj Lake Palace or the beautiful Lake Pichola, Udaipur is beautiful everywhere. If you are a fan of architecture, royalty or old-age stories, you can spend a couple of days in the City Palace or go for the art & cultural show at Bagore ki Haveli. If you are the soul looking for quiet, you could go for a walk by the many lakes of Udaipur – Fateh Sagar, Pichola or Udai Sagar lake. Or if you are ruled by the sense of taste ;), check out the cute, little cafes of Udaipur. Visit the ‘Natraj Dining Hall’ for a delicious dinner of unlimited thaali. Or visit the nice restaurants with stunning views such as Ambrai, 1559 AD & Raas Leela. Other than that, the city has got such a cool vibe that you will make memories for life.

Also read: The flamboyant & the cinematic City Palace of Udaipur

Also read: Royal Rajasthan presents Dharohar Dance Show in Bagore ki Haveli, Udaipur

The first time I visited Udaipur was in 2011. I had completed MBA just a year before and was full of dreams. In those days, it was so easy to make me happy. Every new dress, a visit to a new place or a good photograph would be enough to keep me happy and busy for hours. I hadn’t developed the critical eye. Neither was I seduced by money. The life of ‘less’ was somehow ‘enough’ for me. This is probably why I was so impressed by Udaipur in that trip. Thank the Gods for that. That experience kept making me travel to Udaipur again and again and accumulate more memories.

These days, when I travel to Udaipur, it doesn’t feel like a tourist destination any more. In fact, it feels like the home of my best friend from childhood that evokes pure joy.

2. Jodhpur, the Blue City

Situated at a distance of ~245 kms., from Udaipur, is the Blue City – Jodhpur. 🙂 When I was growing up, I had a friend from Jodhpur who would talk to me about the culture of the place – the Bandh Gala suits, the Jodhpuri Jutis (a kind of footwear), their interesting food such as Mirchi Vada, Gatte ki Sabji & Daal Baati Choorma. Most of this stuff is popular elsewhere too in Rajasthan. But during that time of early 2000, when Smart Phones hadn’t come and Internet was available only in Internet Cafes for 50 bucks an hour, I thought of Jodhpur as this exquisite place that could only belong to the royalty.

I wasn’t much far from the reality. Jodhpur does remind you of royalty. Its magnificent Mehrangarh Fort that’s been a location of many Hollywood & Bollywood movies is second to none. Umaid Bhawan Palace of Jodhpur is nothing but luxury & opulence redefined. You could either stay in their hotel and burn a hole in your pocket. Or you could buy the ticket to the museum and join the masses in witnessing the life of royalty neatly preserved in photographs, artefacts and occasional show of taxidermy.

Jodhpur is full of luxury hotels, affordable home stays and decently-priced hotels that were once Hawelis. For a near-authentic experience, try searching for such a Haweli in old Jodhpur. At night, make dinner reservations at a roof-top restaurant from where you can enjoy an uninterrupted view of Mehrangarh Fort.

Also read: Of sandstone, stories and splendour: the stunning Mehrangarh fort of Jodhpur, Rajasthan

3. Kumbhalgarh Fort, the place with the second-longest wall in the world

Situated at a distance of ~175 kms. from Jodhpur along the Aravalli, is Kumbhalgarh Fort – the fort with the longest wall in the world, second only to the Great Wall of China.

Kumbhalgarh Fort offers interesting stories of valour, courage and bravado of Rajputs. Within the fort’s premises, you might enjoy scenic views, devotional songs played inside the temples or the sheer height at which the fort is situated. But nothing will come close to the experience of listening to its history. Find a guide or an elderly person, who will tell you the stories…the stories of bravado of Maharana Kumbha, the stories of courage repeatedly demonstrated by Maharana Pratap & the stories of love and sacrifice of Panna Dai. Listen to the immortal tales of mortal human beings – of Kumbhalgarh Fort.

Also read: The great wall of Kumbhalgarh, the second longest wall in the world: Incredible India

4. Pushkar, the city with world’s largest Camel Fair

Puskar also exists at a distance of about 180 kms. from Jodhpur. Famous for its ancient temples such as Brahma Temple, Varha Temple and Pushkar Lake, the city attracts tourism throughout the year. However, between October-November every year, the city lights up excessively for one of the largest livestock and cultural fairs in the world is organized here – the Pushkar Camel Fair.

People travel from everywhere to be in Pushkar during the festival for spiritual, religious, business and cultural reasons. Camel Races, Cultural Shows, Livestock Trading & Folk Performances together make Pushkar Fair an experience not-to-be-missed.

Also read: Sign up for a visual treat at Pushkar fair, 2018

5. Chittaur, the city that inspired Padmavat

I was saving the best for the last.

Chittaur or Chittorgarh city is famous for Chittorgarh Fort, for its proud allegiance to the region of Mewar and for being the source of the famous poem – Padmavat (the inspiration behind the movie, ‘Padmavat’).

I happened to visit Chittaur at the time of Padmaavat’s release. There was a demonstration against Deepika Padukone, Shahid Kapoor & Ranveer Singh outside the fort. There was tension in the atmosphere because a certain Director had taken creative liberty with a significant part of Chittaur’s history. But then, this kind of tension wasn’t new for Chittaur or its natives.

For centuries, the people of Chittaur chose to fight battles & wars instead of sacrificing their honour. This is the land of Meerabai who devoted her life to Lord Krishna and survived many attempts on her life. This is the land of Gora and Badal who sacrificed their lives without a fold on their foreheads. This is the land of Queen Padmini and Queen Karnavati who chose to protect their honor by committing Jauhar.
This is the land of Chittaur.

Also read: Chittaurgarh – the erstwhile capital, the house of legends & the birth place of warriors!

This was the last post of Theme 3. Next week, we will be back with a new theme introducing another unique aspect of Incredible India.

If you have any suggestions, please feel free to leave those in comments. Till then, keep travelling!