Taj Fateh Prakash Palace

Taj Fateh Prakash Palace
Seeped in History & Heritage of Udaipur

A part of the historic City Palace in Udaipur, Taj Fateh Prakash Palace is a splendid hotel with all kinds of luxury at your disposal. An UpperCrust Getaway that's one for the travel planner, indeed.
Text: Shraddha Mishra

"Let's go to Udaipur!" was my family's unanimous call when we were planning a perfect holiday. We landed in the city of lakes, thinking of all the fun activities we should do, on the drive from the airport to our hotel. "We must eat a good Rajasthani thali, devour some regional fare, while we're here," my husband Prashant declares, which was music to my ears. "Let's look for some local sweet shops and have hot kachoris," my father-in-law, Sunil, suggests, nostalgic about being in Rajasthan, his home state. "We should shop for some traditional Rajasthani lehengas while we're here," my mother-in-law, Sangeeta, says. All wonderful plans, but our driver chimes in with his two bits... "Ma'am, plan all this for another day. You will want to enjoy your hotel for the rest of the day after you check in," he said. "Adaadaadaa," my just-turned-one toddler, Karan, agreed, looking out of his window in great joy as we entered the driveway into Taj Fateh Prakash Palace.

A part of Udaipur's iconic City Palace complex, Fateh Prakash Palace is a 19th century property built along the eastern banks of Lake Pichola. Today it stands as a splendid hotel with 15 palace rooms and 50 suites, and all kinds of royal luxury that you can imagine.

Being a heritage property, the hotel has retained some of the original design elements, including miniature paintings, arched hallways, white marble-laid courtyards and wall paintings by the descendants of the artist who was commissioned for the original art in the palace. We walk into the corridors of the palace to reach our Luxury Suite. The room was divided into a spacious living room, bedroom, dining room, and then the most grand feature of these suites, the sit-out balcony. The two neighbouring suites we checked into shared this long balcony that overlooked the entire expanse of the lake. With tables and chairs set up here, this became just the right place to enjoy our evening tea and cake. The traditional Mewari jharokhas on the balcony made it picture-perfect when the sun set on the western banks of the lake – a sight we were glad we didn't miss.

If sunset here is picture-perfect, the beauty of early mornings by the lake can't be described in enough words. But when it is 6 am, and the temperature has dropped as low as it can in all of 24 hours, the glistening reflection of the first rays of the morning sun on the lake is indeed serene.

Our room within itself was so regal and luxurious that we could spend the entirety of our holiday here, when not out on the patio, then inside the en-suite Jacuzzi, but we do step out because right outside our room was the beautiful, colourful Rang Chowk. This is an attraction of the palace with colourful paintings on the walls, a fountain, some potted plants and a wide open courtyard where one could imagine little princesses of the palace twirling and playing. Another attractive spot in the palace is Anand Chowk, a purely white- marbled courtyard, made to reflect pure joy. For special occasions, the hotel also arranges for some mesmerising experiences at these courtyards upon request, including private dining among thousand lit candles against the backdrop of the ancient palace.

When talking about various experiences at Taj Fateh Prakash Palace, I could recount all the spots from where you can behold the majestic lake or enjoy the view of the setting sun. But the one that tops it all is the poolside. The pier along the lake becomes a good spot for a poolside café which is in the pipeline. As of now, it is a spectator's delight and a photographer's paradise. The space also lends itself as a perfect backdrop for weddings and other events hosted at this heritage hotel.

When you visit Udaipur, you have one place that you most definitely want to see,  the City Palace. But if you're staying at the Fateh Prakash Palace, you don't need to step out at all! As the hotel is located within the complex of the palace, you can hop into a golf cart that will take you up the drive to the grand gate of the City Palace. Rich in history that will make you proud of your heritage, abundant with stories of bravehearts and warriors who protected and enriched their kingdoms, ornate with ancient designs and architecture that is well-preserved and maintained by the Maharana of Mewar Charitable Foundation, the City Palace is a destination where you will easily spend half your day if you keenly walk through every corridor. Maharana Arvind Singh Mewar carries on the legacy of his iconic family with the foundation that now owns the palace and leases out a part of it to the Taj hotel. The Maharana himself, with his family, continue to reside in one section of the palace, and are frequent diners at the Sunset Terrace, the serene lake-view restaurant of the Fateh Prakash Palace.

The iconic Sunset Terrace is where a rose petal-laden table with candle lights awaited us for dinner. Our table was right next to the majestic floor-to-ceiling window that opens to the view of the lake. It may be warm and comfortable all throughout the day in Rajasthan, but once the sun sets, the temperature drops. And that makes it just the right time, and just the right place, to warm up with some delicious food. The menu has some great selections of dishes from around the world. We start from the Chef's Special Caesar Salad to the Asian Crispy Spinach with Corn and Water Chestnut, to land at the biggest attraction - the local fare.

Our table was soon filled with Ker Sangri Dak, Papad Mungodi, Home-style Chicken Curry and Laal Maas… while at one end of the table on his high chair, the little toddler devoured his khichdi with ghee.

We met the chef behind the meal we just enjoyed. Chef Hemant Rematiya is a fourth generation chef from his family, with his father and forefathers cooking for the royals of Mewar, in the Palace of Delwada, Devigarh. He comes with his own experience in the culinary world having worked formerly at The Leela, The Oberoi, even in Greece, all through a period of nearly 22 years. Seeing our love for the Rajasthani cuisine we were enjoying off the menu, he invited us for a special tasting of some special recipes from his treasure chest.

Treasures from the culinary scriptures, old family books with instructions written in the Marwadi script, come together on the serving plate when Chef Hemant walks in with his creations. Rajasthani tradition mandates that special guests be treated to sweets at the very beginning of their meal. And so, we were honoured to start this meal with Gulab aur Gulkand ki Kheer. Served in a silver bowl for the occasion, we dig into it, very well impressed. We were then introduced to Rajwadi Haldi ki Sabzi, made using fresh turmeric, and a missi roti alongside. The heat from the fresh turmeric warms your body well.

Then came another regional speciality – Chakki ki Sabzi. Steamed wheat flour dumplings in a spicy gravy, this dish is as traditionally Rajasthani as it gets. It is usually served at weddings in the region. So popular within the state, but with no representation outside of Rajasthan. I remember eating this only once before, at my sister-in-law's wedding at the Taj Jai Mahal Palace in Jaipur. I remember it because it was so unique, and because it was so delicious, as was this rendition at the Fateh Prakash Palace.  

What one must understand about vegetarian food in Rajasthan is that it stems from the local vegetation which is predominantly grains like jowar, bajra, wheat and pulses like chana, peas and moong. While a moong dal may not last very long in the desert heat, a dried form of the moong dal, mungodi, remains good to eat for days together.

In the absence of vegetables available in other parts of the country, curries have in them gatte – dumplings made of gram flour, chakki - dumplings of wheat flour, papad and even fruits like guava, we learn, as next we are treated to delights like Amrud ki Sabzi with Bajri ka Rotla and, to end our meal, Mattar ka Jhajhariya, a halva made with fresh green peas. We thank Chef Hemant heartily as he helped us check the local delicacies off our bucket list.

For some street food and lots of street shopping, we head out of our hotel and drive down to Hathipole, a local market where we shopped for kurtas and lehengas with tratitional bandhani and leheriya tie dyes, gota patti embroideries and more till the inviting smell of hot kachoris and mirchi vadas diverted us. Back in the hotel as we pack to check out and head back home, we decide to come back with bigger bags to shop next time - there has to be a next time; after all this was indeed a perfect royal holiday!
 
Taj Fateh Prakash Palace
Lake Pichola, The City Palace Complex, City Palace Road, Udaipur, Rajasthan 313001
Ph: 0294 262 8800

UpperCrust has picked a beautiful heritage property in Udaipur for that luxurious getaway. Taj Fateh Prakash Palace it is! Executive Sous Chef Hemant Rematiya has rustled up these kitchen secrets to bring Rajasthani cuisine home.

Chakki ki Sabzi

Gulab aur Gulkand ki Kheer

Matar ka Jhajhariya