Jaipur - A Introduction
Jaipur, also known as the Pink City of India, was founded by Maharaja Jai
Singh II (1693-1743) and is the capital of Rajasthan. Jaipur is surrounded
by hills and dotted with forts, and is one of the links to the famed Golden
Triangle of North India along with Delhi and Agra. Jaipur also serves, as
the most convenient entry point to Rajasthan, India's most colorful and
vibrant state. An extremely well planned city, it was designed by an
engineer and scholar Vidyadhar Bhattacharya, in accordance with ancient
Hindu treatise on architecture, the Shilpa Shasta (Vastu). It was planned in
a grid system with wide straight avenues, roads, streets and lanes and
uniform rows of shops on either side of the main roads. Jaipur remains the
only place where the nine sectors that sub-divide the city symbolize the
nine divisions of the universe. Jaipur is surrounded by a wall having seven
gates and was built for protection from invading armies and wild animals
that lurked just outside in the jungles that surrounded the city. The Old
City, also known as the Pink City, is a wonderful place to wander around.
The whole city was painted pink by Maharaja Man Singh II when Prince of
Wales, later Edward VII. Today, every home within
the city is obliged by law to maintain this facade. Houses with pink
latticed windows line the streets, and look almost magical at sunset.
Jaipur's regal heritage is evident in its architecture and culture.
Beautifully laid out gardens and parks, attractive monuments and marvellous
heritage hotels, once the residence of Maharajas are testaments to the
Rajasthan of yesteryears. The arts and crafts of the state are amazing.
You'll find elaborately fashioned jewellery, the multi-coloured 'bandhini'
fabrics, richly decorated handlooms, and other trinkets at the colourful
bazaars. These bazaars are a lot of fun not just what's available,
but also for the cheerful people in their traditional costumes.. For the
first-time visitor, it is an intriguing and unforgettable experience.
Places
of Interest City Palace A magnificent
structure, the palace occupies one seventh of the walled city of Jaipur and
is a wonderful blend of Rajput and Mughal architecture. The City Palace is
now converted into a museum, except a small portion that is still used by
the royal family. Built in the fortified campus style, the palace
covers almost one-seventh part of the city. Constructions and additions to
the palace continued until twentieth century. The palace houses an extensive
collection of rare manuscripts, Mughal and Rajasthani miniatures, Mughal
carpets, costumes and textiles, arms and weapons, objects of art and royal
paraphernalia. One of the major attractions in the museum is the portion
that is devoted to the arms and ammunition used by the royal family in the
past. Other important attractions are the Textile and Costume Museum, Art
Gallery, Chandra Mahal, Mubarak Mahal, and Diwan-i-Khas and Diwan-i-Am.
Amber
Fort Standing tall over a small hillock overlooking the Pink City,
Amber is the classic romantic Rajasthan fort-palace. Amber today is nothing
but a reflection of the glorious past of the fierce Kachwaha Dynasty that
ruled over this region from 12th to 18th century. Man Singh I started the
construction of this fort in 1592 and, perhaps, it was the defence that
topped his priorities before constructing this fort. The rugged walls of
this fort may not look beautiful from outside, but the interior is a virtual
paradise and painted scenes of hunting and wars adorn the walls along with
precious stones and mirrors set into the plaster. Half the fun at Amber Fort
is the walk from the road to the fort with majestic views of the surrounding
valley. An elephant ride up to the fort is also an unforgettable experience.
Jaigarh Fort This fort was cleverly built
to give its archers an advantage over their targets. It is said that Raja
Man Singh buried huge treasures here. The fort also houses the Jai Ban - the
largest cannon in Asia, rumored to have been test fired only once. Situated
in the north of Jaipur, the Jaigarh Fort is structurally similar to the
Amber Fort. Other attractions in the Jaigarh Fort include three water tanks,
a museum, and breathtaking views of the city below.
Hawa
Mahal Strange though it may seem, this most famous landmark of
Jaipur is not actually a palace but a series of sandstone screens. This pink
structure was constructed so that the ladies of the palace could watch the
royal processions without being seen by any outsider. This sandstone edifice
was named Palace of Winds after the many brass wind vanes that adorned it
until 1960s.
Jantar Mantar This largest
stone observatory in the world has a very interesting story behind its
construction. Sawai Jai Singh, the founder of five observatories in India
including this one, was a great admirer of developments in science and
technology, especially astronomy. Before constructing this observatory, he
sent his emissaries to all corners to the world, who returned with many
manuals of cutting-edge technology including a copy of La Hire's Tables. He
built the structures following every detail given in the manual, but at the
end, he found to his astonishment that the observatory was 20 seconds more
accurate than that given by La Hire. Situated near the gate of the City
Palace, the observatory has 18 large instruments, many of them still in
working condition.
Nahargarh Fort
Nahargarh meaning abode of the tigers was built by Jai Singh to bolster the
defense of Amer. Originally called Sudarshan Garh, Nahargarh offers a
breathtaking view.
Albert Hall
Erected in the middle of Ram Niwas Garden, Albert Hall was built in 1876 to
mark the visit of Prince of Wales. It was designed by Sir Swinton Jacob and
opened in 1887 as a public museum. It contains a fine collection of
sculptures, paintings, decorative art objects, natural history specimens, an
Egyptian mummy and a celebrated Persian Garden Carpet.
Sisodia
Rani Ka Bagh The terraced Sisodia Rani Ka Bagh (the Garden of
Sisodia Queen) is situated on the Jaipur-Agra road at a distance of 6 km. The garden was created by the queen of Jai Singh II as an
escape from the court intrigues. The landscaped gardens and murals of the
life of Lord Krishna, decorating its interiors, are breathtakingly
beautiful.
Excursion: Places nearby
Ajmer Ajmer was founded in the 11th century by
Ajaydev, a local Rajput ruler. The city is famous for the dargah (tomb) of
Sufi Saint Hazrat Khwaja Moinuddin Hasan Chisti, whose Urs is celebrated
every year in the seventh month of the Muslim lunar calendar. Pushkar, a
small holy town of Hindus near Ajmer, is now famous for its camel fair that
attract the tourists from all over the world.
Kishangarh
The miniature paintings of the Kishangarh School developed in the
mid-18th century under the patronage of the royal family of Kishangarh. The
hallmark of these paintings is the sharp profiles, slanted eyes, and
aquiline noses that make them distinctively different from other paintings
of the same genre in India. The main attractions of Kishangarh are its fort
and Phool Mahal (Flower Palace), now converted into a hotel.
Roopangarh
Fort The Roopangarh Fort was constructed by King Roop Singh of
Kishangarh in 1648 exclusively for defence. Originally a nine-turreted fort,
new additions were continuously made to it in couse of time. The different
styles of architecture can be distinctly observed in the fort. Kishangarh
and Roopangarh are both situated at a distance of around 100 km far
Sanganer This small town with its ruined
palace and old Jain temples is situated around 12 km south-west.
However, more than its architecture, the town is famous for its
block-printing and paper-making traditions. Chipa Basti is the place where
you can watch the printers in workshops doing screen and block-printing.