Jaipur Travel Guide

Jaipur  city of Victory, was founded in 1727 AD by one of the greatest rules of the Kachhawaha clan, the astronomer king Sawai Jai Singh. The brilliant architect Vidyadhar Bhattacharya designed it. Sawai Jai Singh came to the throne of Amer in 1699, at the tender age of 11 years and showed signs of his brilliance even at that early age and to be proved a strong and an able ruler who could establish peace and stability.

Jaipur, the Vibrant capital of Rajastan, is popularly known as the ‘Pink City ‘ for the colour of the buildings in its wonderful old city. This buzzing metropolis is certainly a place of wild contrasts and is a feast for the eyes. The pink colour was used at time of making to create an impression of red sandstone buildings of Mughal cities. It was repainted in 18 76, during the visit of the Prince of Wales. It is still maintained scrupulously.

The city displays a remarkable harmony and architectural splendour. Designed in accordance with ancient Hindu treatise on architecture, the Shilpa Shastra, Jaipur follows, a grid system and is encircled by a fortified wall. The palace lies in the heart of the city and occupies the space of the central grid. Wide lanes which divided the area into tidy well laid-out rectangles of commercial and residential use cut across the rest of the grids neatly. The fortified wall has seven gates and was built for protection from invading armies and wild animals that lurked just outside in the thick jungles that surrounded the city. Today, the city has spread beyond these walls and reached neighbouring towns and continues to grow. But Jai Singh’s planned city has withstood all the pressures and the changes. Today it has become the most popular tourist destination in Rajasthan, making one corner of the ‘Golden Triangle’ (Delhi-Jaipur-Agra). The city is best explored on foot and the adventurous visitors willing to go into the inner lanes can discover a whole new  world not visible to the tourist in-a hurry.

Places of attraction:

The city palace: In the heart of the old city is the former royal residence built in the blend of the Rajasthani and Mughal styles. This complex is the most important landmark with its numerous out buildings, courtyards, impressive gateways and temples. Occupying one-seventh of the walled city area, the palace houses the seven-storeyed Chandra Mahal, Mubarak Mahal, the Diwan-i-Am and Diwan-i-Khas. Chandra Mahal

(Moon palace) was built between 727-34, is the earliest building of the palace complex and dominates the north side of the Pritam Niwas Chowk and there is an exquisite Peacock Gate in the Chandra Mahal courtyard.The main gate entrance of which is the Mubarak Mahal, faced in white marble. The Diwan-i-Am , or the hall of public Audience, with its Persian and Sanskrit and the Diwan-i-Khas, or Hall of private audience, with a marble paved gallery Outside the buildings, there are enormous silver vessels.

The palace houses an art gallery and also a museum with a rare collection of arms, carpets, costumes, paintings and royal paraphernalia. A notable exhibit is a pair of pure silver containers that are the largest single pieces of silver in the world.

Jantar Mantar: Next to the entrance to the city palace is the Jantar Mantar, a stone observatory. Its complex houses instruments, whose settings and shapes are scientifically designed, represent the high points of medieval Indian astronomy, most of which continue to provide fairly accurate information to this day. Literally ‘Instruments’ for measuring the harmony of the heavens, the Jantar Mantar was built between 1728 and 1734 . The most striking of these are the Ram Yantras used for gauging altitudes.

Hawa Mahal or Palace of Winds : Built in 1799 AD by Maharaja Sawai Pratap Singh, it is a major Rajput landmark. It adjoins the outside of the palace wall. This five-storey building along the main street of the old city is in pink splendour with semi-octagonal and delicately honey combed sandstone windows. This is a remarkable structure that overlooks one of the main streets and also provides some excellent views of the city. The monument was originally conceived with the aim of enabling ladies of the royal household to watch the everyday life and royal processions of the city. Dedicated to Lord Krishna, it is shaped like a ‘Mukut’ or crown, which adorns the Lord’s head. It has over 900 niches and is quite an unusual structure.

Govind Devji Temple : Within the palace complex, located in the central pavilion of the Jai Niwas garden is the spireless temple, dedicated to Lord Krishna.
Outside the palace walls are the famous ‘Mohallas’- rectangular blocks, each designed in conformity with a particular trade or craft. Key areas include the Chandpole Bazar, Chotti Chaupar, Badi Chaupar, Tripolia Bazar, Kishanpole Bazar, Johari Bazar, Bapu Bazar and many more. Each of these lanes is like an open museum, a treasure house of traditional crafts and arts.

Outside the walled city

Ram Niwas Baugh: A lush spacious garden with a zoo, an aviary, a greenhouse, a herbarium, a museum and popular sports ground. Sawai Ram Singh 11 built it in 1868 A.D., as a famine relief project. The majestic Albert Hall Museum occupies pride of place situated as it is in the middle of the garden. It was designed by Sir Swanton Jacob, was opened later with an exquisite collection of sculptures, paintings, decorative wares, an Egyptian mummy, dioramas depicting Rajasthani dances, the celebrated Persian  carpet and  the models of yogis adopting various positions and musical instruments.

Swargasuli (Isar Lat): The highest tower dominating the skyline on the western side of the Tripolia Bazaar. Swami Ishwari Singh built it in 1749 AD to commemorate a grand victory .

Dolls Museum (Time 12 Noon to 7.00 pm): Pretty dolls from various countries are on display in the compound of the school for deaf and dumb children, near the Police  Memorial.

BM Birla Planetarium (Time 12 Noon to 7.00 pm): The planetarium offers unique audio-visual education and entertainment with its modern computerized projection system. Concessions are available for school groups. Closed on last the Wednesday of every month.

Jain Temple : The exquisite Jain temple on the Agra road has some of the most beautiful 19th century paintings in Jaipur style on its walls.

Moti Doongri and Lakshmi Narayan Temple : Moti Doongri is a privately owned hilltop fort built like a Scottish castle. The Ganesh Temple at the foot of the hill and the marvellous Lakshmi Narayan temple built in marble a few years back, are also noteworthy.

Statue Circle: The full-length exquisitely carved statue of Sawai Jai Singh in white marble in the centre of the circle was erected under the newly planned scheme area to pay homage to the founder of Jaipur.

Rambagh Palace : Until recently, the residence of the royal family, Rambagh Palace is now a world famous palace hotel. The magnificent building has spacious corridors, wide terraces, splendid reception and banquet rooms and large will-laid gardens.

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