Jaipur,
the vibrant capital of Rajasthan, is popularly known
as the 'Pink City' because of the pink sandstone used
in the buildings of the old walled city. Jaipur owes
its name and foundation to the great warrior-astronomer
Maharaja Jaisingh II. The Hawa Mahal or palace of
the winds is the city's central landmark. It sits
on a dry lake bed in a somewhat arid landscape, surrounded
by barren hills surmounted by forts and crenelated
walls. This buzzing metropolis is certainly a place
of wild contrasts and a feast for the eyes. Jaipur
has massive forts, magnificent palaces, exquisite
temples and marvellous gardens. All through, Jaipur
has retained its strong Rajputana flavour tempered
by several influences - the mughal being the most
prominent. The region's strong cultural heritage is
distinctly evident even today. The city is a visitor's
delight. From the intricate, delicate looking Hawa
Mahal to the graphic forms of the Jantar Mantar -
an open air observatory of outsized astronomical instruments,
the Badi Chaupar lined with shops and business establishments
on both sides to the majestic fort-palace at Amber;
from the colorful fountains of life to the sublime
Birla Temple; from the architectural delight of the
City Palace to the serene Jal Mahal. The principal
shopping centre in the old city is Johari Bazaar,
The jewellers' market. Unlike most other shopping
centres in narrow alleys in India and elsewhere in
Asia, this one is broad and open. There are three
main interconnecting roads in the new part of town
- Mirza Ismail Road (MI Road), Station Road and Sansar
Chandra Marg.
Attractions
Amer
Fort is
situated high on the rugged hills outside of town
sits ancient forts, including Amer (often called the
Amber Fort), where the Jaipur royal house held court
for seven centuries. Visitors ridding painted elephants
can ascend to the fort to see magnificent gateways,
courtyards, pavilions, and a glittering chamber of
inlaid mirrors.
Hawa Mahal is
Jaipur's most famous landmark is the Palace of the
Winds or Hawa Mahal, a fantasia of 1953 ornate of
windows set in a rose-colored five storey facade.
The palace, tier upon tier of curved arch surmounting
fairy casements with "jali", lattice work
screens. From here the ladies of the court could look
out at festive processions without jeopardizing their
modest seclusion.
City
Palace: A
pride of peacocks adorn an ornate doorway in Jaipur's
City Palace. Palace retainers stand at attention as
in the past when Jaipur Court was headquartered here.
The palace is now a fine museum. It houses a remarkable
collection of textiles, paintings, manuscripts, and
extraordinary weapons. On display there are two huge
urns of silver, said to be the largest silver vessels
in the world. Nakkarkhana-ka-Darwaza, the imposing
gateway of the City Palace guarded by stone elephants,
is monumental.
Jantar Mantar: The
architectural astronomical instruments of 18th century
Rajasthani king named Jai Singh contained in an amazing,
three-storey-high complex known as Jantar Mantar.
Jaigarh Fort: The
western skyline is dominated by the extensive walls,
watch towers and gateways of Jaigarh built by Jai
Singh in 1726. It is one of the few military structures
of medieval India preserved almost intact, containing
palaces , gardens, open and covered reservoirs, a
granary, an armoury, a canon foundry and several temples.
It is the royal treasury for several years. The world's
largest cannon on wheels is to be found here. The
fort has its own museum and provide an excellent view
of Amer Palace.
Nahargarh Fort: Built
in 1734, the Nahargarh Fort lies north-west of City
Palace and provides some stunning views of the city
down below both during daytime and night.
Jal Mahal is
a picturesque palace amidst the Man Sagar Lake. It
is Jaipur's lake palace surrounded with water. It
is built for royal duck shooting parties.
Birla Mandir: The
magnificent temple embodying the rich architectural
and sculpltural heritage of Rajasthan, is situated
in the idyllic surroundings at the base of the Moti
Doongri hills. Constructed in white marble the temple
complex houses an air conditioned museum, library
and a meditation hall.
Travel
Information
By
Air: Indian
airlines operates flights between Delhi and Jaipur
daily, and most flights continue to Mumbai, Udaipur
or Aurangabad. There are several weekly flights between
Jaipur and Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Calcutta and Jaisalmer.
Private airlines sometimes put on extra flights during
the tourist season.
By Bus: Rajasthan
State Road Transport Corporation (RSRTC) buses all
leave from the main bus station.Some services are
deluxe.These buses should be booked in advance. There
are deluxe buses to many destinations including Delhi,
Jodhpur, Kota, Ajmer, Udaipur, Bikaner, Bharatpur,
Bundi, Mt Abu, Jaisalmer, Chittaurgarh and Jhunjhunu.
By Train: Jaipur
is well connected by train to main cities of India.
Indian Railway reservation office opens from Monday
to Saturday. There are several trains from Jaipur
to Agra, Bombay, Udaipur, Jodhpur, Bikaner, Kota,
Chittaurgarh, Alwar, Ajmer and Delhi. There is a Shatabdi
Exp. between Jaipur and Delhi and continue to Alwar
and Ajmer. |
