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JAIPUR
The capital of Rajasthan is popularly known as the 'pink
city' because of the ochre-pink hue of its old buildings
and crenellated city walls. The Rajputs considered pink
to be a colour associated with hospitality, and are
reputed to have daubed the city in preparation for the
visit of Britain's Prince Alfred in 1853. This tradition
and Jaipur's welcoming, relaxed air continue to this
day.
Jaipur owes its name, its foundation and its careful
planning to the great warrior-astronomer Maharaja Jai
Singh II (1699-1744), who took advantage of declining
Moghul power to move his somewhat cramped hillside
fortress at nearby Amber to a new site on the plains in
1727. He laid out the city, with its surrounding walls
and six rectangular blocks, according to principles of
town planning set down in the Shilpa-Shastra, an ancient
Hindu treatise on architecture.
Today Jaipur is a city of broad avenues and remarkable
architectural harmony, built on a dry lake bed
surrounded by barren hills. It's an extremely colourful
city and, in the evening light, it radiates a magical
warm glow. The city now has 1.5 million inhabitants and
has sprawled beyond its original fortified confines, but
most of its attractions are compactly located in the
walled 'pink city' in the north-east of the city. All
seven gates into the old city remain, one of which leads
into Johari Bazaar - the famous jewellers' market.
The most obvious landmark in the old city is the Iswari
Minar Swarga Sul (the Minaret Piercing Heaven) which was
built to overlook the city, but the most striking sight
is the stunning artistry of the five-storey facade of
the Hawa Mahal, or Palace of the Winds. The palace was
built in 1799 to enable ladies of the royal household to
watch street life and processions, and is part of the
City Palace complex which forms the heart of the old
city.
Numerous international airlines are based in Jaipur
Towers, while for domestic flights it's easier to book
through any of the big travel agents. Daily flights to
Delhi are availble and most continue on to Mumbai via
Jodhpur, Udaipur and Aurangabad. The Rajasthan State
Transport System covers Rajasthan's major cities, as do
the privately owned deluxe services. Most of these
places can also be reached by train.
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 gray-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 including swords of
different shapes and sizes with chased handles, some of
them inlaid with enamel and embellished with jewels and
encased in magnificent scabbards. 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
Built in 1799 A.D. the Hawa Mahal or Palace of Winds is
a major Rajput landmark. This five storey building along
the main street of the old city is in pink splendor with
semioctagonal and delicately honey combed sandstone
windows. 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.
Amer Palace and Shila Mata Temple
 A
beautiful complex of palaces, halls,pavilions,gardens
and temples built by Raja Man Singh,Mirza Raja Jai Singh
and Sawai Jai Singh over a period of about two centuries
still stand in magnificent state. The palace complex
emerges dramatically from the placid waters of the
Maotha Lake and is approachable only through a steep
path. Tourists often ride on the elephant bak to the
Singh pol and th Jaleb Chowk. Two flights of stairs rise
from on end of the chowk, one leading to the Shila Mata
Temple and other to the palace complex. The image of the
patron of goddess, worshipped by thousands of deovtees,
was brought from Jessore in East Bengal (now in
Bangladesh) by Raja Man Singh, to be installed here. A
spectacular pillared hall -Diwan-e-Aam and a double
storeyed painted gateway. Ganesh Pole dominate the from
courtyard, An elegant tiny garden in Charbagh style
beyond th corridors, has Sukh Niws to its right and Jas
Mandir to its left. The latter combines the Mughal and
Rajput architecture seen in its beautiful interior with
intricately carved Jali screens,delicate mirror and
stucco work and painted and carved dadoes. The well
proportioned Mohan Bari or Kesar Kyari in the centre of
the Maotha Lake and the Dilaram Bagh at its north end
provides a spectacular view of the palaces above.
FESTIVE FUN
Some of the festivals unique to the city include :
Gangaur (March-April) : The festival of women,
dedicated to Goddess Gauri.
Elephant Festival (March) : Playing holi on
these majestic mammals is a unique sight during the
festival.
Teej (July-August) : Another festival
exclusively for women and dedicated to Goddess Parvati.
TRAVEL INFORMATION HOW TO GET THERE
Air: There are flight connections to Delhi,
Kota, Jodhpur, Udaipur, Aurangabad, Mumbai and Ahmedabad.
Rail: An excellent connection from Delhi is
Shatabadi Express which provides a fast air-conditioned
rail service. Other connections to Jaipur are from
Bikaner, Jodhpur, Udaipur, Ahmedabad, Secunderabad,
Agra, Lucknow, Mumbai and Calcutta.
Road: A convenient mode of travel to Jaipur is
by road, through a network of comfortable drive.
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