Urban Water Bodies — Jananii Umapathy
Water rituals in Udaipur, a city of lakes
Water rituals in Udaipur, a city of lakes, ingrain collective community memory and forge a connection with the city’s history. Image and video © Jananii Umapathy, 2023.
Nestled between Aravalli hills, Udaipur, the dramatic city of lakes, is a timeless sculpture that speaks of quaint streets, vibrant bazaars and rich cultural heritage. As you wander through the narrow gullies of the bustling old city, the sweet-smelling jalebis[1] and vividly hued artifacts against the white walls create a striking impression. The city captivates both locals and visitors. However, beyond its architectural marvels and picturesque landscapes, Udaipur boasts a special bond between its people and the cityscape. The bright and cheerful people of Udaipur are warm, funny and mighty proud of the city’s many lakes.
What is a ritual? At its core, a ritual carries cultural significance, embodying the values and traditions of a community. In Udaipur, they’ve formed rituals that transcend the boundaries of religion or spirituality and instead embrace the natural elements that define the city’s identity.
Udaipur enjoys a robust man-made lake system comprising five interconnected lakes that fall on the natural slope of the terrain. Pichola and Fateh Sagar are the most popular lakes as they fall within city limits. Every year, the citizens eagerly anticipate the monsoons as the water basins fill up to the brim one by one. The first spell of rain happens around July, capturing the attention of all. From morning until dusk, conversations revolve around the rising depths of the lakes, drawing people together and igniting a shared excitement.
The monsoons escort in an array of festivals and a domino of rituals. These rituals are nameless and unidentified yet happen quite organically as the water flows from one lake to the next. It all starts with the folks visiting the Pichola Lake, as it is the first to fill up. Ambrai Ghat[2] is a favorite spot with its breathtaking view of the city palace and the old city across the shimmering waters. People gather on the steps mesmerized by the ripples created by a gliding boat, waving to the people aboard and capturing photographs. Live music fills the air as the setting sun casts a warm glow. It’s a surreal experience that ties you to strangers around you. Amidst this tranquility, a kid’s playful dive causes you to complain but also secretly enjoy the splash of water. As night falls, you dine in one of the many rooftop restaurants along the banks with a view of a city bathed in a golden hue.
As the Fateh Sagar Lake fills up in the following days, children and young adults go on cycling trips along the lake’s edge. The Hariyali Amavasya festival, celebrating the monsoons and lush greenery, unfolds with tree planting activities and a lively two-day mela[3] beside the lake. Fateh Sagar with food joints dotting the lakeside road serves as a hangout spot during lunch breaks and post-work gatherings. Almost everyone has a peculiar combination of cold-coffee and a plate of steaming momos in their hands as they abandon the tables and chairs for the lake’s railing slab. As you stroll down the road, once again, you find yourself lounging on the railing, sipping kulhad[4] chai and enveloped by a relaxing aroma of cardamom. This space has a mystical quality. It makes you feel closer to the person beside you and tethered to something intangible. At the end of the road, a promenade with elaborate jharokas[5] jutting out into the lake, glittering in colorful lights, has groups of people with guitars in hand singing and dancing. Despite being strangers, everyone joins in on this celebration.
The city’s sequence of water rituals culminates with the Navratri festival in October. At 6:00 am, people, old and young, hike up the Neemach Mata hill abutting the Fateh Sagar Lake, with family and friends. While the elder generation visits the temple, the younger generation, with just a quick salute to the goddess, moves to the terrace, marveling at the panoramic view of the city and its lakes. After the arti [6], the elder generation comes over with prasad[7] and together they occupy the stone slabs along the terrace walls, reveling in each other’s company before parting ways for the day. If you’re lucky, you can also witness hill peacocks dancing to the music of the wind after a shower of rain.
These rituals spanning from Pichola to Neemach Mata ingrain collective memories and community experiences, and forge a connection with the city’s history. Whether you’re a tourist passing by or a new resident, the city draws you in because of its urban spaces. The scenic beauty and serene lakes act as an ice-breaker, becoming a common thread that ties individuals from all walks of life, sparking a collective enthusiasm. It naturally binds people over a sensory experience of music, food, sight, conversations and even comfortable silences. Water, being the most elemental form of nature, possesses an innate quality of calming one’s mind and making them feel at home even amidst strangers.
The people of Udaipur’s deep-rooted connection with water, passed down through generations, finds expression through cultural and contemporary rituals. The bond between the citizens and the cityscape is because of these rituals, deeply interwoven with its urban spaces, that foster a profound sense of belonging. Each person interprets these rituals differently, making the urban space assume a multiplicity of narratives. They’ve also been adapted to accommodate a spectrum of users across all age groups. It’s these shared social activities that have helped shape the city’s character and people’s healthy relationship with it. And, perhaps these urban rituals not only create lasting memories but also inculcate a shared responsibility towards one’s city and surroundings. Udaipur’s citizens have been tenacious in preserving the water bodies for many decades despite government negligence. From toddlers to the older generation, they respect these water bodies and think of them as their own, and hence maintain them. The citizens’ initiatives are the reason for the lakes’ cleanliness and usability today, otherwise they would have fallen prey to decay a long time ago.
[1] Jalebis are a sweet snack popular in South and West Asia. It’s aromatic and often eaten hot with a serving of thickened, sweetened milk.
[2] Ghats are a flight of steps leading down to a river or lake.
[3] Mela is a fair.
[4] Kulhad is an earthen clay cup often used to serve tea.
[5] Jharoka is a stone window projecting from the facade of a building. In this context, a jharoka is a stone window projecting from the road and onto the waterbody.
[6] Arti is a Hindu ritual of worshiping deities. It involves a lighted lamp being waved in circles for the veneration of deities.
[7] Prasad is a devotional offering made to god consisting of food, which is later shared among devotees.
Jananii Umapathy is an architect and content writer based in Chennai. She’s interested in combining design sensibility with technology to bring about holistic innovations for a healthy urban fabric and built environment. Driven by a deep empathy for humanity and a commitment to making a positive impact, she believes in adopting a multidisciplinary approach to tackle the challenges faced.
This essay is part of the Rituals Series seeking to understand what is urgent about a place that could be addressed by a ritual.
Guest Editor: Shoonya Kumar