Udaipur, on Lake Pichola, has marble palaces, temples, luxury hotels, fine dining, arts, culture and shopping. Rodolfo Contreras / Alamy
Udaipur, on Lake Pichola, has marble palaces, temples, luxury hotels, fine dining, arts, culture and shopping. Rodolfo Contreras / Alamy
Udaipur, on Lake Pichola, has marble palaces, temples, luxury hotels, fine dining, arts, culture and shopping. Rodolfo Contreras / Alamy
Udaipur, on Lake Pichola, has marble palaces, temples, luxury hotels, fine dining, arts, culture and shopping. Rodolfo Contreras / Alamy

My Kind of Place: Udaipur, India


  • English
  • Arabic

Why Udaipur?

With its marble palaces and five lakes encircled by hills, Udaipur is one of India’s most enchanting places. It’s also the site of some of the country’s finest luxury hotels, which vie with each other to pamper their customers.

The grand City Palace Museum, on the shore of the man-made Lake Pichola which was constructed in 1362, houses a superb collection of traditional miniature paintings, many celebrating the triumphs of the Mewar royal house.

This fiercely independent Rajput warrior clan claims to be descended from the Sun. They spurned marital alliances with the Mughal Empire and – alone among the princely states of India – did not deign to attend the 1911 Delhi Durbar, when King George V visited Delhi in his capacity as Emperor of India.

A comfortable bed

The Oberoi Udaivilas – consistently ranked as one of the world's best hotels – sprawls over 50 acres on the shore of Lake Pichola and includes its own wildlife sanctuary, including roaming deer and wild boar (54,470 rupees [Dh2,923] for a premier double with semi-private pool and breakfast; www.oberoihotels.com).

Located on its own private island, the Taj Lake Palace (www.tajhotels.com), a former royal residence dating back to the 18th century, cossets its guests from the moment they embark to be transported from a private jetty. Rooms vary in size and amenities but it's worth the splurge for a lake view (60,613 rupees [Dh3,253] for a lake-view double with breakfast).

The boutique Fateh Garh (www.fategarh.in) enjoys stunning views from its hilltop location just outside the city. It has its own excellent on-site restaurant, making it unnecessary to venture into the city to dine (20,180 rupees [Dh1,083] for a heritage double with breakfast).

Find your feet

After founding the city in 1559, Maharana Udai Singh II started construction of the City Palace on the shores of Lake Pichola. His successors extended the complex so it’s now the largest such royal structure in Rajasthan. Start from the Badi Pol (Great Gate) and allow at least half a day for a self-paced ramble through its many buildings, courtyards and gardens, led by the excellent audio guide. Vantage points offer fine views of the city and lake. The palace also houses exquisite collections of miniature paintings and historic photographs that provide glimpses of this royal house’s former grandeur.

From the palace, take a short stroll north to Jagdish Temple, built by Maharana Jagat Singh in 1651. Enter past an immense pair of stone elephants and ascend a steep flight of stairs to admire the ceiling and other sculptures, especially that of Lord Vishnu, carved from a single black stone slab.

Although originally built to view the monsoon clouds, Sajjan Garh Palace, also known as Monsoon Palace, offers a dazzling sunset panorama of Udaipur and its surroundings on any clear day during the year.

Meet the locals

Virasat Experiences (www.virasatexperiences.com) is a community tourism initiative that aims to showcase authentic Rajasthan.

Its heritage walks and fixed or custom itineraries allow visitors to meet artisans or tour surrounding villages.

Book a table

Udaipur’s most exclusive hotels generally restrict their restaurants to residents only. Taj Lake Palace guests should book a table for at least one evening meal at the hotel’s Bhairo rooftop restaurant, for the moonlit view and ambience.

Ambrai at the Amet Haveli (www.amethaveliudaipur.com) is open to all. Try the Rajasthani mutton speciality, laal mas (515 rupees [Dh27]) and dal makhani, a sumptuous black lentil dish (315 rupees [Dh17]). Finding the lakeside restaurant can be a bit tricky, so call ahead for precise directions.

Coffee is the main draw at the Udai Art Café (www.udaiartcafe.com), conveniently located near the Jagdish Temple and the City Palace complex. It also features breakfast, English or Greek style (400 rupees [Dh21]) and light fare – crêpes, sandwiches, salads – from 7am onwards.

Shopper’s paradise

Andraab (www.andraab.com) sells exquisite pashmina items – shawls, scarves, blankets – in attractive traditional and contemporary designs. Also check out its unique pashmina scarves, hand-knit in Srinagar by female relatives of the three Kashmiri brothers that run the company. Well-designed but less expensive items made from pashmina mixed with merino wool are also available.

Created by a member of Udaipur's royal family, Aaskha (www.eternalmewar.com) offers an attractive range of contemporary local Mewari crafts.

You can also admire jewellery from Jaipur's celebrated Amrapali Jewels (www.amrapalijewels.com).

Gem Arts Emporium (www.gemartsemp.com) specialises in traditional gem-centric pieces and silver.

Bougainvillaea (www.bougainvillea.co.in) also houses the work of some of India's best contemporary artists and photographers.

What to avoid

Plan your visit to avoid April to June, when day temperatures often top 40°C.

Don’t miss

The Jag Mandir Island Palace (www.hrhhotels.com), one of two palaces on Lake Pichola islands, can be reached by boat from the jetty near the City Palace.

It’s a must-see, particularly for those not staying at the Taj Lake Palace. Ferries depart hourly. Plan on a sunset cruise for the best views or go earlier in the day to stroll through the gardens and enjoy a meal.

Go there

Round-trip flights on Jet Airways (www.jetairways.com) from Dubai connect through either Delhi or Mumbai, and cost from Dh1,409, including taxes.

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Indoor cricket in a nutshell

Indoor Cricket World Cup - Sep 16-20, Insportz, Dubai

16 Indoor cricket matches are 16 overs per side

8 There are eight players per team

There have been nine Indoor Cricket World Cups for men. Australia have won every one.

5 Five runs are deducted from the score when a wickets falls

Batsmen bat in pairs, facing four overs per partnership

Scoring In indoor cricket, runs are scored by way of both physical and bonus runs. Physical runs are scored by both batsmen completing a run from one crease to the other. Bonus runs are scored when the ball hits a net in different zones, but only when at least one physical run is score.

Zones

A Front net, behind the striker and wicketkeeper: 0 runs

B Side nets, between the striker and halfway down the pitch: 1 run

Side nets between halfway and the bowlers end: 2 runs

Back net: 4 runs on the bounce, 6 runs on the full

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
LILO & STITCH

Starring: Sydney Elizebeth Agudong, Maia Kealoha, Chris Sanders

Director: Dean Fleischer Camp

Rating: 4.5/5

Jetour T1 specs

Engine: 2-litre turbocharged

Power: 254hp

Torque: 390Nm

Price: From Dh126,000

Available: Now

ELIO

Starring: Yonas Kibreab, Zoe Saldana, Brad Garrett

Directors: Madeline Sharafian, Domee Shi, Adrian Molina

Rating: 4/5

SUE%20GRAY'S%20FINDINGS
%3Cp%3E%22Whatever%20the%20initial%20intent%2C%20what%20took%20place%20at%20many%20of%20these%20gatherings%20and%20the%3Cbr%3Eway%20in%20which%20they%20developed%20was%20not%20in%20line%20with%20Covid%20guidance%20at%20the%20time.%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%22Many%20of%20these%20events%20should%20not%20have%20been%20allowed%20to%20happen.%20It%20is%20also%20the%20case%20that%20some%20of%20the%3Cbr%3Emore%20junior%20civil%20servants%20believed%20that%20their%20involvement%20in%20some%20of%20these%20events%20was%20permitted%20given%20the%20attendance%20of%20senior%20leaders.%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%22The%20senior%20leadership%20at%20the%20centre%2C%20both%20political%20and%20official%2C%20must%20bear%20responsibility%20for%20this%20culture.%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%22I%20found%20that%20some%20staff%20had%20witnessed%20or%20been%20subjected%20to%20behaviours%20at%20work%20which%20they%20had%20felt%20concerned%20about%20but%20at%20times%20felt%20unable%20to%20raise%20properly.%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%22I%20was%20made%20aware%20of%20multiple%20examples%20of%20a%20lack%20of%20respect%20and%20poor%20treatment%20of%20security%20and%20cleaning%20staff.%20This%20was%20unacceptable.%22%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
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MATCH INFO

Uefa Champions League final:

Who: Real Madrid v Liverpool
Where: NSC Olimpiyskiy Stadium, Kiev, Ukraine
When: Saturday, May 26, 10.45pm (UAE)
TV: Match on BeIN Sports

NEW%20UTILITY%20POLICY%3A%20WHAT%20DOES%20IT%20REGULATE%3F
%3Cp%3E%E2%80%A2%20Agreements%20on%20energy%20and%20water%20supply%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%E2%80%A2%20Applied%20service%20fees%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%E2%80%A2%20Customer%20data%20and%20information%20privacy%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%E2%80%A2%20Prohibition%20of%20service%20disconnections%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%E2%80%A2%20Customer%20complaint%20process%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%E2%80%A2%20Management%20of%20debts%20and%20customers%20in%20default%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%E2%80%A2%20Services%20provided%20to%20people%20of%20determination%20and%20home%20care%20customers%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
How to watch Ireland v Pakistan in UAE

When: The one-off Test starts on Friday, May 11
What time: Each day’s play is scheduled to start at 2pm UAE time.
TV: The match will be broadcast on OSN Sports Cricket HD. Subscribers to the channel can also stream the action live on OSN Play.

The years Ramadan fell in May

1987

1954

1921

1888

COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
 
Started: 2021
 
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
 
Based: Tunisia 
 
Sector: Water technology 
 
Number of staff: 22 
 
Investment raised: $4 million 
Our legal consultants

Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais

Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.

Game Changer

Director: Shankar 

Stars: Ram Charan, Kiara Advani, Anjali, S J Suryah, Jayaram

Rating: 2/5

Results

5pm: Wathba Stallions Cup Maiden (PA) Dh 70,000 (Dirt) 1,000m, Winner: Hazeem Al Raed, Antonio Fresu (jockey), Ahmed Al Shemaili (trainer)

5.30pm: Handicap (PA) Dh 85,000 (D) 1,000m, Winner: Ghazwan Al Khalediah, Hugo Lebouc, Helal Al Alawi

6pm: Maiden (PA) Dh 70,000 (D) 1,400m, Winner: Dinar Al Khalediah, Patrick Cosgrave, Helal Al Alawi.

6.30pm: Handicap (TB) Dh 70,000 (D) 1,600m, Winner: Faith And Fortune, Sandro Paiva, Ali Rashid Al Raihe.

7pm: Maiden (PA) Dh 70,000 (D) 1,600m, Winner: Only Smoke, Bernardo Pinheiro, Abdallah Al Hammadi.

7.30pm: Handicap (PA) Dh 70,000 (D) 1,600m, Winner: AF Ramz, Saif Al Balushi, Khalifa Al Neyadi.

8pm: Maiden (PA) Dh 70,000 (D) 2,000m, Winner: AF Mass, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel.

House-hunting

Top 10 locations for inquiries from US house hunters, according to Rightmove

  1. Edinburgh, Scotland 
  2. Westminster, London 
  3. Camden, London 
  4. Glasgow, Scotland 
  5. Islington, London 
  6. Kensington and Chelsea, London 
  7. Highlands, Scotland 
  8. Argyll and Bute, Scotland 
  9. Fife, Scotland 
  10. Tower Hamlets, London 

 

RESULTS

West Asia Premiership

Thursday
Jebel Ali Dragons 13-34 Dubai Exiles

Friday
Dubai Knights Eagles 16-27 Dubai Tigers

Dust and sand storms compared

Sand storm

  • Particle size: Larger, heavier sand grains
  • Visibility: Often dramatic with thick "walls" of sand
  • Duration: Short-lived, typically localised
  • Travel distance: Limited 
  • Source: Open desert areas with strong winds

Dust storm

  • Particle size: Much finer, lightweight particles
  • Visibility: Hazy skies but less intense
  • Duration: Can linger for days
  • Travel distance: Long-range, up to thousands of kilometres
  • Source: Can be carried from distant regions
match info

Southampton 2 (Ings 32' & pen 89') Tottenham Hotspur 5 (Son 45', 47', 64', & 73', Kane 82')

Man of the match Son Heung-min (Tottenham)

SPEC%20SHEET%3A%20APPLE%20M3%20MACBOOK%20AIR%20(13%22)
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GAC GS8 Specs

Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo

Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm

Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm

Transmission: 8-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km

On sale: Now

Price: From Dh149,900

if you go

The flights

Air Astana flies direct from Dubai to Almaty from Dh2,440 per person return, and to Astana (via Almaty) from Dh2,930 return, both including taxes. 

The hotels

Rooms at the Ritz-Carlton Almaty cost from Dh1,944 per night including taxes; and in Astana the new Ritz-Carlton Astana (www.marriott) costs from Dh1,325; alternatively, the new St Regis Astana costs from Dh1,458 per night including taxes. 

When to visit

March-May and September-November

Visas

Citizens of many countries, including the UAE do not need a visa to enter Kazakhstan for up to 30 days. Contact the nearest Kazakhstan embassy or consulate.

How to invest in gold

Investors can tap into the gold price by purchasing physical jewellery, coins and even gold bars, but these need to be stored safely and possibly insured.

A cheaper and more straightforward way to benefit from gold price growth is to buy an exchange-traded fund (ETF).

Most advisers suggest sticking to “physical” ETFs. These hold actual gold bullion, bars and coins in a vault on investors’ behalf. Others do not hold gold but use derivatives to track the price instead, adding an extra layer of risk. The two biggest physical gold ETFs are SPDR Gold Trust and iShares Gold Trust.

Another way to invest in gold’s success is to buy gold mining stocks, but Mr Gravier says this brings added risks and can be more volatile. “They have a serious downside potential should the price consolidate.”

Mr Kyprianou says gold and gold miners are two different asset classes. “One is a commodity and the other is a company stock, which means they behave differently.”

Mining companies are a business, susceptible to other market forces, such as worker availability, health and safety, strikes, debt levels, and so on. “These have nothing to do with gold at all. It means that some companies will survive, others won’t.”

By contrast, when gold is mined, it just sits in a vault. “It doesn’t even rust, which means it retains its value,” Mr Kyprianou says.

You may already have exposure to gold miners in your portfolio, say, through an international ETF or actively managed mutual fund.

You could spread this risk with an actively managed fund that invests in a spread of gold miners, with the best known being BlackRock Gold & General. It is up an incredible 55 per cent over the past year, and 240 per cent over five years. As always, past performance is no guide to the future.

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Nancy 9 (Hassa Beek)

Nancy Ajram

(In2Musica)

One in nine do not have enough to eat

Created in 1961, the World Food Programme is pledged to fight hunger worldwide as well as providing emergency food assistance in a crisis.

One of the organisation’s goals is the Zero Hunger Pledge, adopted by the international community in 2015 as one of the 17 Sustainable Goals for Sustainable Development, to end world hunger by 2030.

The WFP, a branch of the United Nations, is funded by voluntary donations from governments, businesses and private donations.

Almost two thirds of its operations currently take place in conflict zones, where it is calculated that people are more than three times likely to suffer from malnutrition than in peaceful countries.

It is currently estimated that one in nine people globally do not have enough to eat.

On any one day, the WFP estimates that it has 5,000 lorries, 20 ships and 70 aircraft on the move.

Outside emergencies, the WFP provides school meals to up to 25 million children in 63 countries, while working with communities to improve nutrition. Where possible, it buys supplies from developing countries to cut down transport cost and boost local economies.

 

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