Udaipur, a city in Rajasthan, was founded by the Mewar ruler Maharana Udai Singh in 1559 AD, after his capital Chittorgarh was captured and destroyed by the Mughal army. There is an interesting story behind the foundation of Udaipur at the place where it stands today. When the Mughal Emperor Akbar defeated the Rajput force and the took control over Chittorgarh, the capital of the Mewar kingdom, Maharana Udai Singh was left with no option other than to take shelter in the hills of the Aravalis. One day while hunting he came across a hermit who brought under his notice the vast expanse of land near Lake Pichola and its viability for building a fort, as it was naturally protected from all all sides by hills. Also the land was fertile enough to lay the foundation of a new city, could would serve as the new capital of the Mewar kingdom.

Thus the city of Udaipur came into existence bearing the name of its founder, and provided the successors of Mewar Kingdom with a capital that would remain untouched by the Mughal army, their greatest enemy. Today Udaipur is known as the the birthplace of Maharana Pratap, the greatest Rajput king and an ardent patriot. The expeditions of Maharana Pratap against the royal army of Emperor Akbar are unforgotten episodes of Indian history. He challenged the might of the royal power and continued to do so till his last breath, and thus left us with a magnificent saga of unmatched bravery and untold sufferings.

Udaipur continued to serve as the capital city of Mewar kingdom, which was ruled by various kings of the Sisodia clan.The Sisodias of Mewar are believed to be descended from Lord Rama. It is said that their ancestors came from the borders of Kashmir and founded several cities along the coastal areas of the present Gujarat, as early as second century BC. One of these cities was known as Vallabhai,