The 18th-century building of Bagore Ki Haveli in the Udaipur City of Rajasthan stands along the shores of Gangaur Ghat of Pichola Lake. The haveli houses a museum exhibiting the historical artifacts which give an insight into the life of the Mewar. A colorful folk show takes place every evening in the same premises which entice enthusiast visitors from all over the world.

The haveli was built by Amir Chand Badwa, the Prime Minister of Mewar. The haveli has some of the intricate carvings and imposing architecture exemplifying the rich cultural heritage of Rajasthani. The haveli has undergone renovation under the guidance of West Zone Cultural Centre (WZCC) who then housed the museum in the haveli.

At dusk, the haveli brights up with prismatic hues and the stage are set for the most awaited performances of Rajasthani heritage. The performances take place on an enclosed terrace called Neem Chowk. There are entrance tickets for the show with a small extra fee for the camera and mobile phones if one would like to take pictures.

The show started with blowing of Conch and beating of drums and followed by the most famous Rajasthani number 'Padharo Maaro Desh' which is the way the locals welcome their guest into Rajasthan, the 'Land of Kings'. The host for the evening Deepak Dixit welcomed everyone. The host gave an insight about the show and each of the performances for the evening. The hosting was both in Hindi as well as the English language.

The first dance of the evening was the 'Chari Dance' where the ladies dressed in bright traditional attire danced with ignited brass pot on their head. Everyone was amazed at the balancing act accompanied with swirls.

'Chari dance' was followed by popular Rajasthani folk dance 'Gorbandh Dance'. The Gorbandh Dance depicted how the Rajasthani women enjoy decorating their camels which are a prominent part of their life in the desert.

A play illustrating the fight between the demon and the incarnation of goddess Durga was performed in 'Gavri Dance'.

In 'Ghoomar Dance' the women with face covered with the veil performed gracefully in rhythmic circles in their beautiful Ghagharas adorned with colorful embroidery work.

Terah Taal Dance is the most interesting dance form where the women coordinate the hand movements ringing the thirteen manjeeras tied on various parts of the body with pots balanced on their head.

Then came all time favorite Puppet Show. The puppeteer danced the puppets to some of the popular traditional folk songs. The show was full of fun where kids from the audience participated.

The last performance of the evening was the Bhavai Dance performed by an old woman who has been performing the same for last 20 years. The women danced on plates and with eleven pots piled up on her head. It was a marvelous sight to behold which reminds us of the performance at desert camps of Jaisalmer.

Tips

Bagore Ki Haveli is located in the old city of Udaipur close to Jagdish Temple and City Palace.

Dharohar Dance program takes place every evening from 7 pm to 8 pm. The show has an entrance fee with an extra fee for using cameras.

Visit the Bagore ki Haveli Museum open from 9AM–6PM if you are interested to know more about the life of Mewar.

Do not miss a visit to Gangaur Ghat which has some wonderful carvings and artwork and a peaceful ambiance.