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Jaipur The Pink City
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City Palace :
The magnificent City Palace is in the centre of the Pink City of Jaipur,
enclosed by high walls and set amidst fine gardens and courtyards.
Since it was built by Jai Singh in 1728 it has been the principal
residence for the Maharajas of Jaipur and the successive rulers have
each added to it. The major attractions in the palace are - Chandra
Mahal, Mubarak Mahal, Diwan-I-Khas, Dilkusha Mahal, Moti Mahal, Sheesh
Mahal and Krishna Mahal, all of which are adorned with exquisite colours
and paintings.
Hawa Mahal :
(Palace of the Winds) Hawa is Jaipur’s most remarkable attraction.
Built in 1799, it is situated on the edge of the City Palace complex
overlooking one of the city’s main streets and was constructed
to offer the women of the court a vantage point, behind stone-carved
screens, from which to watch the activity in the bazaars below. The
five-storey building is shaped like a crown adorning Lord Krishna’s
head and contains over 900 finely screened windows and balconies.
Jantar Mantar
Jantar Mantar is the most famous and elaborate observatory of its
time. It was constructed in the year 1724 A.D. by Sawai Jai Singh
II, even before the city of Jaipur was built, and has been described
as the most surrealistic and logical landscape instone. It was built
to measure the local time, the sun's declination, altitude, the declination
of stars, planets and to determine eclipses.
Jaigarh Fort
Jaigarh Fort The western skyline is dominated by the extensive walls,
watch towers and gatewasys of the Jaigarh Fort. It is one of the few
military structures of medieval India preserved almost intact, containing
palaces, agrdens open and covered reservoirs, a granary, an armoury,
a well-planned cannon foundry, several temples, a tall tower and a
giant mounted acnnon-the Jain Ban, the largest cannon in the world.
Nahargarh Fort
Perched atop a pricturesque hill, the Nahargarh Fort offers a breathtaking
view of the city below. Initially built by Sawai Jain Singh in 1734
A.D. It was enlarged and given its present shape by Sawai Madho
Singh in1885 A.D. Decorative motifs in some of the rooms are delightful.
From the windows of the nine identical suites, one gets a magnificent
view of the city, complete witht he geometrical layout. From Amer
there is a road to Nahargarh, which passes through the hills.
Amber Fort :
Situated on the crest of a hill seven miles north of Jaipur is Amber,
capital of the Kuchwaha Rajputs from 1037 to 1728. The city-palace
is protected by towering outer walls, a further wall runs for miles
along the hills surrounding the palace. For many, the most memorable
part of a trip to Jaipur is the journey up the palace ramparts, through
a succession of vast gates, on the back of a painted elephant –
Maharaja style. Inside are the ruins of a once great palace, a wonderful
example of Rajput architecture, with Mogul influences.
Jal Mahal
Jal Mahal was built by Sawai Pratap Singh in 1799 A.D. in the midst
of the Man Sagar lake as a pleasure spot. The lake was formed by
construcing a dam between the two hills by Sawai Man Singh I. During
the winter months one can see a large number of migratory birds
at the lake.
Ramgarh
25 kms. north-east of Jaipur, an ancient site now famous for its huge
artificial lake created by constructing a high bund amidst tree-covered
hills, where the citizens throng in large numbers for a picnic in
the rainy season. The old royal hunting lodge has now been converted
into a gateway hotel. But the temple of Jamwa Mata and the ruins of
the old fort still remind one of its hoary antiquity when the Kachhawah's
first settled here before moving on to Amer.
Moti Doongrari & Lakshmi Narayan Temple
The important landmarks dotting the southern horizon of the city
inlcude the small privately- owned hilltop fort of Moti Doongari,
shaped like a Scottish Castle; the Ganesh Temple at the foot of
the hill and the Lakshmi Narayan Temple built from white marble,
a few years back by the B.M. Birla foundation.
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.
Sisodia Rani Palace and Garden
8 kms. east of Jaipur, the palace was built for the Sisodia queen
of Jain Singh II in 1779 A.D. It is a terraced garden with fountains,
the top terrace being occupied by a palace. The palace has painted
murals illustrated by hunting scenes and the Radha Krishna legend.
Statue Circle
The full length white marble statue of Sawai Jai Singh installed in
the centre of thenewly developed 'C' Scheme area, was erected as a
homage to the founder of Jaipur
B.M. Birla Auditorium and Convention Centre
The Birla Science and Technology Centre, in the heart of Jaipur
is a sprawling 9.8 acre complex which includes and interactive science
museum, library, a computer centre, an information processing and
dissemination cell, as many as eight research division, a processing
planetarium and an auditorium. The main auditorium with a seating
capacity of 1350 people, is one of the largest auditoriums in India,
built to international conference standards.
Gaitore
Gaitore is situated on the Jaipur-Amber road, about 15 kms from Jaipur.
Gaitore is a royal cremation site of the majestic rulers of Jaipur.
There is a cenotaph for each Maharaja, built in his honor. These royal
cenotaphs of the Maharajas are commonly known as 'Chhatris'. The royal
chhatris are engraved with typical Rajasthani carvings. Gaitore is
regarded to be the mispronounced form of a Hindi phrase 'Gaye ka Thor'
which means 'resting place of the departed souls'.
Galta
In the vicinity of the city, 10 kms. from Jaipur, Galta is situated
amidst the range of hills east of the city. On the top of the hill,
overlooking the Galta valley is a Sun temple. To the east of the
temple is a reservoir or a tank which is perrennially fed by a never-failing
spring of pure water falling from Gaumuch or an outlet shaped like
the mouth of a cow.
On the way to Galta, by the Ghat-ki-Guni, there is a range of hills
which is crowned with the fort of Amagarh. At the end of the cause
way, stands a palace of the former Jaipur rulers with a beautiful
garden, kiosks and temples. This erstwhile state garden called Roop
Niwas with a commodious and beautiful palace, is worth visiting.
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