Exhibition on Foundation of The City of Udaipur with special references to Maharana Udai Singh II

The City Palace Museum, Udaipur organised an exhibition on Foundation of The City of Udaipur with special references to Maharana Udai Singh II at The Zenana Mahal highlighting the life of Maharana Udai Singh II from 18th April to 28th April 2018. The display included introduction, Bappa Rawal receiving Mewar from his guru Maharishi Harit Rashi, Capitals of Mewar before the city of Udaipur, Chittorgarh- the venerable capital of Mewar, Coronation of Maharana Udai Singh II, Panna Dhai and her sacrifice, Foundation of the city of Udaipur, Advantages of the new capital, 3rd Siege Chittorgarh (1567-68 CE) and Life sketch of Maharana Udai Singh II.

Udaipur was founded in 1553, by Maharana Udai Singh II in the fertile circular Girwa Valley to the southwest of Nagda, on the Banas River. The city was established as the new capital of the Mewar kingdom. Maharana Udai Singh II, in the wake of 16th century emergence of artillery warfare, decided during his exile at Kumbhalgarh to move his capital to a more secure location.

The hermit Prem Giriji Maharaj blessed the king and guided him to build a palace on the spot, assuring him it would be well protected. Udai Singh II consequently established a residence on the site. Maharana Udai Singh visits Kailashpuri to pay respect and to thank the family deity, Shree Eklingji, on the birth of his grandson-Amar Singh (March 16, 1559, Chaitra Shukl Saptami VS 1616). On return to Girwa they have an "Aakhaa-Teej" hunting excursion during which they meet a hermit on the ridge overlooking Pichola Lake, who advises him to establish his capital here and next day the Hermit disappears.

With the farsightedness of Maharana Udai Singh-II, he started to build the new capital of Mewar. He chose the Girwa area of this valley with village Picholi and Lake Pichola on the western side forming a natural barrier, with high mountains of Chirwa on the northern side, thick impregnable forested area on the southern side. On the eastern side the route normally taken by the invaders he built a small fortress at Debari and a huge Lake Udaisagar to form a natural barrier for his new capital.

Display of panel with references to Maharana Udai Singh II

Panels displayed at the Zenana Mahal, The City Palace, Udaipur

Seminar titled "Bhakti, Beauty and Bloodshed in Indian Court Painting" at Jnanapravaha Mumbai'

Dr. Neeraja Poddar, Curator, The City Palace Museum, Udaipur, delivered a three-day seminar titled "Bhakti, Beauty and Bloodshed in Indian Court Painting" at Jnanapravaha Mumbai from April 11-13, 2018. In this seminar, participants explored paintings produced at the Rajput and Central Indian courts during the early modern period. The many formats and sizes of paintings and books were introduced, alongside the materials used to make folios, colours and brushes, and the various people and stories depicted therein.