Coloured cities of Rajasthan

A tour through the coloured cities of Rajasthan on your India holiday provides an unforgettable glimpse into the wars, honour and extravagance of the Rajputs.

Each city has its own character and a thousand years of stories, both romantic and bloodthirsty.

Udaipur is almost unbearably romantic. Known as the city of lakes, or the Venice of the East, its creamy palaces seem to float on Lake Pichola.

Construction of the massive City Palace for the Maharanas of Mewar began in around 1559 and much of it is now open to the public. Tour the courtyards, secret corridors, exquisite mosaic decoration and peaceful gardens.

From the windows of the City Palace the famous Lake Palace can be seen, floating on Jag Niwas island. Built in the 17th century, this white marble fantasy is now a luxury hotel.

There are a number of other palatial residences that give guests the chance to experience the time of the Rajputs, including lakeside Hotel Udai Vilas where Madonna recently spent a few nights on her tour of Rajasthan.

Udaipur is heavily dependent on tourism and budget accommodation is highly competitive and of a good standard. Try the guesthouses across the river with rooftop terrace restaurants that give wonderful views of the lake and palaces.

Take a late afternoon boat ride out to the islands, enjoying the sunset in the beautiful garden courtyard of another island – Jag Mandir.

Even if you stay in the cheapest guesthouse, make sure you treat yourself to a romantic meal on a balcony overlooking the lake.
Kipling said that Jodphur's huge red sandstone fort was "the work of angels and giants" and standing atop a cliff four hundred feet above the city, this Hindu fortress is truly colossal.

The invincible citadel of Meherangarh is filled with fascinating mahals, or palaces, each decorated with hundreds of intricately and uniquely carved stone screen jaalis.

Liz Hurley and Arun Nayar chose one of the palaces for their wedding celebrations and part of the film of Kipling's Jungle Book, starring Sam Neill and John Cleese, was shot here.

Jodphur itself is rightly called the blue city, its cuboid houses were originally painted with indigo to indicate the residence of Brahmins but the tradition has spread and now the vivid blue colour is quite a sight looking down from the ramparts of the fort.

Not far away is the Umaid Bhawan Palace where the descendants of the Rajput Rathores live, including the 39th Maharaja of Jodphur who is now reduced to the status of a commoner. Part of the palace has been turned into a hotel for tourists.

Jaisalmer is the golden city, with walls rising straight out of the Thar desert. Get lost in its ancient narrow streets and have your hands painted with henna in an alleyway beauty shop.

This is the place to go on the ubiquitous camel safari, which can be easily arranged from many guesthouses. Riding a camel is about as uncomfortable as you would expect but there is something magical about cruising through the desert and sleeping among the dunes under the stars.

In the early morning or evening you may hear the cry of a wandering peacock but during the day the boom of mirage jets patrolling the border with Pakistan is less romantic; as is the groaning and farting of your friendly "ship of the desert".

The annual desert festival takes place over three days in February and people from around the region gather to enjoy the spectacle of camel racing across the sands.

This is also a chance to get a close up look at the life of the people of the Thar as you stop at several villages along the way to let the camels drink at the watering hole.

Life here is one of desperate poverty in a failing rural economy as the yearly rains dwindle. Women dressed in the vivid colours loved by Rajasthani people make daily treks as part of the labour intensive job of supplying their families with water.

The final stop is Jaipur – the pink city – where pink stucco walls enclose a bustling warren of activity going on in tiny shops and street-side industries.

The elegant Hawa Mahal (palace of the winds) is a sprawling complex of intricately carved buildings and gardens.

Another highlight is the Jantar Mantar, or astronomical observatory, of 18th century ruler Sawai Jai Singh. This colourful collection of giant instruments includes the world's largest sundial.

Details:

All of the coloured cities are linked by air to New Delhi and Mumbai with Indian Airlines, Jet Airways, Deccan and Sahara operate various flights to Rajasthan. Fare Search" target="_blank">Fare Search is a useful website.

The Indian railway network is a great way to get around, being cheap, comprehensive and an essential part of the India holiday experience. Plan your trip on the Indian Railways website.