Standing flamboyant by the powder blue Lake Pichola, the 200,000-sq ft City Palace in Udaipur, a part of which now functions as a living museum, can overwhelm you even before you step into the fine celebration of Mewari regalia. Built over four centuries ago by Rana Udai Singh II, father of Rana Pratap, the old palace stands atop a low ridge, Rana’s Hill. “The museum features the architectural narrative of the Rajput Mewar styles since 16th century, borne out of patronage of 22 Maharanas, showing 13 layers of historic architectural fabric with a range of in situ (on site) artworks from different times,” observes Gurgaon-based conservation architect Dr Shikha Jain, director of DRONAH (Development and Research Organisation for Nature, Arts and Heritage), in Mumbai for a lecture at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya (CSMVS) this evening.

The glass inlay work from late 19th century in the Mor Chowk (peacock courtyard) of the Mardana Mahal is considered Udaipur’s most iconic artwork