Udaipur is christened as the ‘City of Lakes’ occupies an important place in the pages of history for being the capital of the Mewar kingdom in Rajputana. Established by Maharana Uday Singh in 1553, Udaipur was a princely state in British India of 1818. Covered with lakes all around, Udaipur is a tourist’s paradise in the state of Rajasthan and also known as Venice of the East. Lake Pichola, Uday Sagar, Swarup Sagar, Fateh Sagar Lake are known for their scenic and ethereal beauty. With its magnificent palaces, converted into hotels and luxury resorts, Udaipur is a fascinating destination on the tourist map of India.
Udaipur is also famous for its historic architecture, parks and gardens, palaces scattered across the city. One such splendour is the Maharana Pratap Memorial in Udaipur city. The bronze statuette of Maharana sitting atop his favourite companion and horse Chetak is a sight to behold. It is also popular in the locality of Udaipur as Maharana Pratap Smarak or a memorial dedicated to the war hero Maharana Pratap and Chetak, his horse who fought fearlessly in the battle of Haldighati till Chetak breathed his last fighting against the Mughals. The memorial was built by Maharana Bhagwat Singh of Mewar as a tribute to the late gallant warrior.
History of Maharana Pratap Memorial
Situated on Moti Magri or Pearl Mount looking across Fateh Sagar Lake, the statuette is placed on a white plinth and housed in a beautiful garden with greenery all around. Travellers pay homage standing in front of this statue and revelling in the marvel of the architecture amidst the garden premises. This place is also popular for housing some of Udaipur’s ruined forts.
As the history goes, Maharana Pratap, for whom this memorial was established, was the son of Maharana Uday Singh II of Mewar. Ascending to the throne in 1570, Maharana Pratap Singh ably fought against the Mughal Emperor Akbar defending his kingdom of Rajputana but lost the battle along with his brave horse getting killed in the battle of Haldighati in 1576. The statuette in bronze is a stupendous structure and extraordinary in its architecture so much so that a visitor will marvel in the glory of the edifice. Maharana Pratap Singh died in a battle in 1597.
There is an old fort overlooking Lake Pichola very close to Maharana Pratap Memorial which was built by the Prime Minister of Mewar, Amir Chand Badwa in 18th century. The palatial rooms and the exquisite architecture add to the charm of the place with the Haveli being converted into a resort with entertainment in the evening amidst the enchanting environment. The Japanese Rock Garden is adjacent to the Maharana Pratap Memorial.