The city was founded in 1559 AD by Maharana Udai Singh - father of the legendary hero Maharana Pratap. Udaipur, the erstwhile royal house of Mewar has a profusion of palaces, lakes, temples and cenotaphs. The places to visit in and around Udaipur are the City Palace, Pichola Lake, Jag Niwas, Jagdish Temple, Eklingji Temple, Nathdwara, Rajsamand and Jaisamand. Chittor, Kumbalgarh and Mandalgarh also lie near Udaipur, and are famous for their almost impregnable forts. Yes, Udaipur is a beautiful and romantic city complete with fantastic hilltop fortresses, exotic fairy-tale palaces and gripping tales of medieval chivalry and heroism, and not forgetting the legendary Rajasthani hospitality. The balmy climate and lakes make the city a welcome respite from the harsh climate of Rajasthan. From lakes in the midst of the sandy terrain to the green forested hills, the city offers many surprises that will leave you spellbound. The Mewar Festival is celebrated to welcome the advent of spring. It coincides with the festival of Gangaur (March - April). The festival of Gangaur is very important for the women of Rajasthan. This is the time they get to dress up and really enjoy themselves.