The Rose Pink City founded
by Maharaja Jai Singh II (1693-1743), is the capital of Rajasthan.
It is a major attraction for the first-time visitor. Jaipur is surrounded on
all sides by rugged hills, crowned with forts & enclosed by embattled
walls. Houses with latticed windows line the streets with their rose pink
colour, lending enchantment to the scene, which is almost magical at sunset.
The
Old City (Known as the Pink City) is a great place to wander around. The
whole city was painted in Pink colour by Maharaja Man Singh II when Prince
of Wales, later Edward VII, visited Jaipur in 1876 AD. Today, every home
within the city is obliged by law to maintain its facade. It is a very well
planned city laid out in a grid pattern and was designed by a young Bengali
engineer and scholar by the name "Vidyadhar Bhattacharya".
Jaipur
was and remains the only city in the world, symbolising the nine divisions
of the universe, through nine rectangular sectors sub-dividing it.
Jaipur is a royal city & this is its most noticeable aspect, small
buildings & festivals testify it. Jaipur & its surroundings are
rather like an endless museum.
The city also offers an endless
variety of crafts. Jewellers here still fashion the beautiful enamel-on-gold
pendants, studded on the reverse with precious stones or pearls &
turquoise that one sees in miniature paintings. Jaipur's lacquer bangles are
famous all over the world. This is a city to be visited.
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Major Attractions of Jaipur |
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The City Palace : In the heart of the old
city is former royal residence built in a blend of the Rajasthani and Mughal
styles. The carved arches are supported by grey-white marble columns ornate
with floral motifs in gold and colored stones. Two carved elephants in
marble guard the entrance. The retainers whose families have served
generations of rulers serve as guides.
The palace houses a museum
with a superb collection of Rajasthani costumes and armory of Mughals and
Rajputs. The palace also has an art gallery with an excellent collection of
miniature paintings, carpets, royal paraphernalia and rare astronomical
works in Arabic,Persian,Latin and Sanskrit, acquired by Sawai Jai Singh II
to study astronomy in detail.
Hawa Mahal : The Hawa Mahal, or the "Palace of Wind"
built by Maharaja Sawai Pratap Singh in 1799 A.D. is characterised by
elaborate and fanciful architecture. The broad pyramidical facade comprises
five storeys of semi octagonal overhanging windows with perforated screens,
domes and spires.
Govind Devji Temple : To the
north of Chandra Mahal in the midst of the sprawling Jai Niwas Garden is the
spireless temple of Lord Krishna. The idol wsa brought from Vrindavan and
installed here by Sawai Jai Singh II as the tutelary deity. Today, the
temple attracts devotees, from all over the country. A delightful system of
fountains is placed in the middle of the paved path between the Chandra
Mahal and the Badal Mahal. The palace has extensive and sprawling gardens.
Amer Fort : At a short distance of 11 kms .
from Jaipur, the Amer Fort complex stands amidst wooded hills overlooking
the Delhi-Jaipur highway, with its forbidding ramparts reflected in the
still waters of the Maota Lake below. One of the finest examples of Rajput
architecture, it was the ancient capital of the Kachhawah rulers. The
original palace was built by Raja Man Singh and additions were made later by
Sawai Jai Singh. Within the palace are the Diwan-e-Aam or the "Hall of
Public Audience", the Diwan-e-Khas or the "Hall of Private
Audience" and the Sukh Niws where a cool breeze blows across channels
of water for the purpose of air-conditioning.
Ram
Niwas Garden Central Museum (or Albert Hall Museum) : Situated in the
spacious and beautiful Ram Niwas Garden, the museum has a rare collection of
art facts and craft items such as metalwork, ivory carvings, cane wood
articles and exquisite pieces of jewellery, textile, pottery and paintings.
It is particularly rich in specimen of embossed, hammered and chiselled
brass wares. The building was designed by Colonel Sir Swinton Jacob in the
modern Indo-Saracenic style and was built in 1886 A.D. when King Edward VII
visited as the Prince of Wales.
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Shopping in Jaipur |
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major gem and jewellery centre, Jaipur is famous for Kundan
work (enamel work on gold). Also there are woollen carpets, cotton rugs,
marble statuary, enamelled wares, brass ware, hand-block printed Sanganeri
and Bagru Cotton fabrics, exotic blue pottery made from crushed quartz,
leather footwear and more.
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How to Get there |
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Air : Jaipur has its own airport, and is
well connected to all other tourist and business centres.
Rail : An excellent connection to Delhi by Shatabdi
Express and the Pink City Express. Other connections to Jaipur are from
Bikaner, Jodhpur, Udaipur, Ahemadabad, Secunderabad and Lucknow.
Road : A network of reasonably comfortable tourist buses,
run by road corporations of Rajasthan, Haryana and others.