Reach Udai Temple

Also commenting on this occasion, owner Rantankant Sharma, said “Bringing the Raffles brand, which is synonymous with excellence, taste and luxury, to India is a perfect fit for our vision to lead both Udaipur and Jaipur, the historic cities of Rajasthan, into their next chapter whilst keeping their historic values and ties. The opening of Raffles  Jodhpur business directory Udaipur and Raffles Jaipur is a key moment in our strategic growth in India and represents a new era of highly differentiated ultra-luxury experiences for Udaipur’s and Jaipur’s residents and visitors. These two hotels will be the jewel in the crown of our landmark developments and centerpiece in these vibrant, rich and magnificent cities. We are very grateful to the Accor Group and Sébastien Bazin for giving us the opportunity to bring our vision to both the historic cities of Rajasthan to create new icons in India’s most magical cities. This partnership reinforces our foresight of India becoming a global gateway with world-class facilities that set new standards for residents and visitors alike. We look forward to welcoming guests and offering them the most memorable experience in a timeless destination.”The Raffles Udaipur will be located in the historic Udaipur, one of the most romantic cities in India. The hotel is set on a 21-acre private island in the midst of Udai Sagar Lake, one of the five prominent lakes of Udaipur. The 101 lake-facing rooms, each with private pools, are surrounded by spectacular hill scenery with views of the 400-year-old temple in the background. The hotel will provide a rare and authentic experience of one of India’s most scenic destinations. Expected to open by mid-2020, the Raffles Udaipur is set to be an oasis for the well-traveled and located a short 15-20 minutes’ drive from the Udaipur Maharana Pratap Airport, followed by a short boat ride.

The Raffles Jaipur is being built at Kukas in the city of Jaipur as a set of secluded private residences and courtyards adjacent to the larger hotel complex that presently houses the Fairmont Jaipur. The development is planned as a discreet destination for guests to "be themselves". The hotel is anticipated to commence operations in 2022 and is located close to key tourist destinations in Jaipur including the Amer Fort, Jaigarh Fort, Nahargarh Fort and Jal Mahal palace.

Local lore has it that yoginis descend upon the Chausath Yogini temple after sundown. Yoginis in tantric tradition connote feminine spirits, but in modern times they have assumed a ghostly, even voodoo character, and are much feared. The temple is in Odisha’s Hirapur, 20 kilometres from Bhubaneswar. It is barely afternoon but villagers start to say this is no place to hover around. “Better be off early,” alerts Sanatan Panda, who is from these parts.

The Chausath Yogini temple — named after the 64 yoginis — predates the Sun Temple at Konark. At a time when this piece of Kalinga architecture came up, Konark, which is 40 kilometres from this place, was but a village. Some experts suggest that the abode of the yoginis was commissioned by Queen Hira in the 9th century AD. Odisha was ruled by the Bhaumakara dynasty between 736 AD and 950 AD. Queen Hira possibly belonged to this family.

The temple has a tantric legacy. Says Buddhist scholar Subham Guha, “Almost thousand years ago, Vajrayana [a Buddhist sect] was spreading its wings in this region, where Mahayana Buddhism used to thrive. The rulers of the region, whose original faith lay in tantric Buddhism, united it with Brahminical Hinduism. The era saw a rise in tantric cults, and the Hindu tantric iconographies and that of the Vajrayana Buddhists mingled so closely that now it is tough to say who actually influenced whom.”