Annals and Antiquities of Rajasthan, or the Central and Western Rajput States of India v2.c27.s3.33

v2.c27.s3.33

Sun Worship at Udaipur.—At Udaipur the sun has universal precedence ; his portal (Suryapol) is the chief entrance to the city ; his name gives dignity to the chief apartment or hall (Suryamahall) of the palace ; and from the balcony of the sun (Suryagokhra) the descendant of Rama shows himself in the dark monsoon as the sun’s representative. A huge painted sun of gypsum in high relief, with gilded rays, adorns the hall of audience, and in front of it is the throne. As already mentioned, the sacred standard bears his image,⁴ as does that Scythic part of the regalia called the changi, a disc of black felt or ostrich feathers, with a plate of gold to represent the sun in its centre, borne upon a pole. The royal parasol is termed kirania, in allusion to its shape, like a ray (kiran) of the orb. The last day but one of the month of Magha is called Sivaratri (night of Siva), and is held peculiarly sacred by the Rana, who is styled the Regent of Siva. It is a rigid fast, and the night is passed in vigils, and rites to the phallic representative of Siva.