Lake Pichola is situated in Udaipur and was built in the year 1362 AD. Pichola means the backyard, named after the nearby village Picholi. Later Maharana Udai Singh Ji decided to form the city of lakes – Udaipur by the banks of the beautiful lake.

History of the lake

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As per history, Maharaja Udai Singh Ji decided to build the entire city of Udaipur on the banks of Lake. Due to its beauty, the emperor gave the world- the City of lakes. History depicts Maharana’s family was cursed by tight rope walker Nathini. As promised to her that she would be given half the state of Mewar if she crosses lake Pichola by walking on a tight rope. But she failed and drowned in this lake cursing the royal family to be deprived of any direct descendants. Hence the royal family had all adopted ones.

Reasons to visit Lake Pichola

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• Artificial lake – Pichola was created as there was a shortage of water during those times and dams were connected to supply irrigation and drinking water to the villages and neighborhoods.
• The beautiful island inside – Lake Pichola has four islands namely Jag Niwas, Jag Mandir, Mohan Mandir, Arsi villas.
• The curse – As per the curse given by Nathini, the Nathini chabutra is built to commemorate Nathini’s death.
• Boat ride – Do not miss the very famous boat ride. The surrounding serene beauty and the picturesque view is worth a ride.

Best time to visit

Lake Pichola can be visited any day of the week and the timings for the lake are from 9 am to 6 pm. The lake is the heart of Rajasthan and is a man-made artificial lake. Lake Pichola is situated in Udaipur and the best time to visit is during September and March. The weather is pleasant during this point and one can enjoy their stay.

Things to do at Lake Pichola

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There are attractive activities to do at the lake such as enjoying the boat ride at lake Pichola during sunset. To view the serene beauty around.

• To view the four islands of the lake – Jag Niwas: where the lake palace is built
• Jag mandir: with the palace of the same name.
• Mohan mandir: from where the king would view the grand gangue festival celebrations.
• Arsi Vilas: small palace built as a storehouse of ammunition.
• It is also a sanctuary where a large variety of birds, ducks, and kingfishers are observed.

How to reach

• By Air: Dabok is the nearest airport about 26 km away from Udaipur. Which is linked to Delhi and Mumbai.
• By Train: Lake Pichola is just about 3 km away from Udaipur Railway station. Udaipur is also well connected through the railway network. The rail network connects to all major cities.
• By Road: Udaipur is well connected through the road. All buses are connected to Udaipur city and the Maharana Pratap bus stand is 3 km away from Lake Pichola. Udaipur and Lake Pichola are easily reachable by road.

Thus Lake Pichola is about 4 km long and 3km wide. It’s the pride of Rajasthan and has the serene beauty around it. The environment is cool peaceful and a tourist attraction due to the many sightseeing attractions around and also the boating experience. With a depth of 30 feet deep, this is the oldest lake of Udaipur.

Created by tribesmen Pichhu Banjara, this lake is the beauty of Udaipur and remains dry during hot summers and due to low rainfall sometimes. Thus the breathtaking ambiance, the stunning surrounding view of mountains and hills around. Also, the architecture and the breeze is the most beautiful sight to view at this place. Its magnificent landscape is the perfect tourist destination and a must-visit spot in Udaipur.