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JAIPUR
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Jaipur, popularly known as the Pink City, is
the capital of the state of Rajasthan. It has, long been
established, on tourist itineraries as the third corner of
India's Golden Triangle, just 300 kilometres southwest of Delhi,
and 200 kilometres west of Agra. The old city of Jaipur is
partially encircled with seven gates - the major gates are
Chandpol, Sanganeri, and Ajmeri. The 'pink city' label, applies
specifically, to the old walled quarter of the Rajasthani
capital, while in the northeast of the town, glorious palaces
and temples, in an assortment of styles, spanning centuries, are
scattered throughout the, predominantly, urban area.
The city owes its name, its foundations and
its careful planning, to the great warrior - astronomer Maharaja
Jai Singh II. His predecessors, had enjoyed good relations with
the Mughals, and Jai Singh was careful to cultivate this
alliance. In 1727, with Mughal power on the wane, Jai Singh
decided to move down from his capital hillside fortress at
Amber, to a new site on the plains. A Bengali architect
Vidhyadhar Bhattacharya designed the city, using the principles
of town planning, as laid down in the Shilpa Shastra, an
ancient Hindu treatise on architecture. He built the City
Palace, and the largest stone observatory in the world,
employing the same principles.
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Hawa Mahal
Built in 1799, the
Hawa Mahal, or Palace of the Winds, is one of the major landmarks of
Jaipur.
This five storey building, which looks out over the main street of the
old city, is a stunning example of Rajput artistry, with its pink
semioctagonal and delicately honeycombed sandstone windows. It was
originally built to enable ladies of the royal household, to watch the
everyday life and processions of the city. The palace was built by
Maharaja Sawai Pratap Singh, and is part of the City Palace complex.
There is, also, a small archaeological museum on the same site. |
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City Palace
In the heart of the
old city of
Jaipur,
the City Palace occupies a large area, divided into a series of
courtyards, gardens, and buildings. The outer wall was built by
Maharaja Jai Singh II, but other additions are much more recent, some
dating back to the beginning of this century. The palace is a
wonderful blend of Rajasthani and Mughal architecture, a major tourist
attraction.
The centre of the
palace, is the Chandra Mahal, or the Moon Palace, which provides a
fine view of the gardens and the city. The ground and first floor of
the Chandra Mahal, form the Maharaja Sawai Man Singh Museum. The
museum has an extensive collection of art, carpets, enamelware and old
weapons. The paintings include miniatures of Rajasthani, Persian and
Mughal schools. The Mubarak Mahal, or the Auspicious
Palace, contains the textile section of the museum.
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Amber Fort
Amber was once, the
capital of the Mina tribes, believed to be the original inhabitants of
this region. Located up on the hills that surround Jaipur, the fort,
sprawled along the Maotha Lake, boasts of a massive complex gateways,
courts, stairways and pillared pavilions, and palaces that recall the
glory and wealth, of Amber's association with the Mughals. This
complex was built by Raja Man Singh, Mirza Raja Jai Singh and Sawai
Jai Singh, over a period of about two centuries.
The front courtyard of
the complex, is adorned with the magnificent, pillared hall of the
Diwan - i - Am, and the two - tiered painted gateway Ganesh Pol. The
palace of mirrors, Sheesh Mahal, is of special interest. It has walls
inlaid with exquisite mirrors. The Jas Mandir, perched on the upper
floor, is a superb amalgam of Mughal and Rajput style of architecture,
as is evident from the exquisitely carved Jali screens, and fine
mirror and stucco work.
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Nahargarh Fort
Looming beyond the
hills of Jaigarh, is the awesome Nahargarh Fort, which provides a
fabulous view of the city of Jaipur. Much of the old structures, are
at present, in a rather decrepit condition, except for the fine
structure, added by Sawai Ram Singh II and Sawai Madho Singh II.
The road from Amber
through the hills can be travelled by jeep or by rickshaw zigzagging
for a distance of one and a half kilometres before it straightens out
to reveal the approach to Jaipur. |
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Jantar Mantar
Jantar Mantar is an
observatory begun by Jai Singh in 1728. Jai Singh's passion for
astronomy, was even more notable, than his prowess as a warrior. The
Jaipur observatory is the largest, and the best preserved of the five
observatories he built. The others are in Delhi, Varanasi and Ujjain.
The observatory at Mathura, has now disappeared. |
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Central Museum
Located in the Ram
Niwas gardens, in the south of the old city, is Central Museum, which
houses portraits of the Jaipur Maharajas, a collection of costumes,
and woodwork from various parts of the state, and other miniatures and
artworks. There is also a zoo, and an art gallery, located in the
Gardens. |
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Information Provided by Government of India Tourist Offce
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