Jaipur
mostly known as the ‘Pink City’ of India is the capital of the State of
Rajasthan. One of the busiest cities and the business hub of Rajasthan, this
city is famed for its palatial palaces and appealing folklores. This city got
its name from its founder Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II. We have covered the interesting
and unacquainted facts about the city Jaipur in this article.
Why Called ‘PINK CITY’?
In the reign
of Maharaja Ram Singh in 1876, Prince of Wales, Edward visited the Jaipur city.
During that time out of Hospitality the entire city which includes palaces, shops,
houses etc were painted in pink, as the colour pink is related to hospitality.
The 1ST Planned City
India has
many planned cities like Bangalore, Chandigarh etc. But do you know which is
the 1st planned city of India? Yes, it’s the city of palaces Jaipur.
This city was very well designed and planned as per the Vaastu Shastra of
India. This city was founded in 1726 and was planned by a Bengali architect
Vidyadhar Bhattacharya within a time period of 4 years.
Places to Visit in Jaipur
There are
innumerable places to visit in the Jaipur city. Some handpicked ones are given
below:
1. Hawa Mahal – The Castle of Breeze
MaharajaSawai Pratap Singh constructed the well ventilated Hawa Mahal during 1799. One
of the prime attractions of Jaipur, this palace appears similar to the diadem
of Lord Krishna as the Maharaja was a devotee of Lord Krishna. The palace was
constructed as an extension of the City Palace.
This palace includes
approximately 953 windows known as “Jharonkas” in the shape of honey comb. This
palace was constructed for women of the Royals in such a way that they can go
through the street affairs, but no one can see them from outside. This is a 5
storied palace where the top 3 stories are namely, Vichitra Mandir, Hawa Mandir
and Prakash Mandir. Maharaja used to worship Lord Krishna at Vichitra Mandir
while Prakash Mandir has open terrace on both sides. No stairs are available
for upper stories; only a small passage is there for the Royal Ladies only.
 |
| Hawa Mahal |
Things to
Remember
> Hawa Mahal
is positioned in main road close to Badi Chaupar.
> This palace
is open all the days from 9:30 am to 5:30 pm.
> The entry
charge is 200 bucks for foreigners and 50 bucks for Indians.
> The palace
offers amazing views of the city so, keep your camera always ready.
> Photography
is allowed inside the palace.
> If you are
visiting this palace in autumn, you can check the autumn celebrations in Sharad
Mandir located on 1st floor of Hawa Mahal.
> Do visit the
Ratan Mandir on 2nd floor to check the colorful glassworks done there.
> It takes 1-2
hours to explore the entire Hawa Mahal.
2. Amber Fort
Amber Fort
also called Amer Fort was constructed during 16th century in Amber which
was a princely state of Jaipur at that time. This fort was constructed by MaanSingh, Akbar’s general. This fort is only 10 kms away from the main city of
Jaipur and it comprises 4 patios, halls, palaces and gardens. Made up of marble
and sandstone, this palace is an amazing fusion of Islamic and Rajputana style
architecture.
This fort is extended in a vast area where you can explore the
Diwan-e-aam, Diwan-e-khaas, Sukh Niwas, Kesar Kyari, Sheesh Mahal, Shila Devi
temple, museums, Suraj Pol, Chand Pol and light shows. This fort is amongst the
famed destinations to be visited in Jaipur.
 |
| Amber Fort |
Things to
Remember
> Amber Fort
is easily accessible by city bus and cabs.
> This fort is
open all days from 10:30 am to 5:30 pm.
> It takes 2-3
hours to explore the Amber Fort.
> The entry
charge is 550 bucks for foreigners and 50 bucks for Indians.
> For students
the entry charge is 100 bucks (foreigner) and 10 bucks (Indian).
> If you want
to enjoy elephant ride there than, go there early as elephant ride closes by
noon.
> The charge
for elephant ride is 1000 bucks per couple.
> The entry
charge for English Light Show is 200 bucks and Hindi Light Show is 100 bucks.
> Photography
is allowed inside the fort.
> Wheel chair
accessibility is there.
> From the
Char garden you will get a wonderful bird’s-eye view of the city and
countryside.
> You can also
enjoy Puppet shows in the evening.
> Food joints
are available inside the fort premises where you can enjoy some delicious Rajasthani
cuisines.
3. Jantar Mantar
Jantar Mantar
is one among the five astronomical observatories made in India. This observatory
was constructed by Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II in the year 1734 to measure the
time and different positions of the celestial bodies. Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh
II was scholar in astronomy and physics. Jantar Mantar is located in the middle
of Jaipur city and very close to the City Palace as well.
It comprises 19 big
instruments each constructed for a specific purpose. Among them Vrihat Samrat
Yantra is the biggest Sundial in India. Others are Laghu Samrat Yantra, Ram
Yantra, Jaya Prakash Yantra, Chakra Yantra, Nadivalaya, Digamsa, Karnti Vritya
etc. these are basically structures of stones which depict fascinating
geometric shapes. Earlier these structures were made by wood and adjusted for
perfection. After getting the perfect dimensions, these were constructed by
stones. This UNESCO heritage site always attracts visitors all through the
year.
 |
| Jantar Mantar |
Things to
Remember
> This place
is open all days from 9:00 am to 4:30 pm.
> The entry
charge is 50 bucks for Indian and 200 bucks for foreigners.
> Students
will get discount on entry charge after showing their ID proofs.
> Photography
is allowed inside.
> A guide is a
must to understand the astronomy of this 18th century observatory.
> Audio guides
are also available in both English and Hindi.
> It takes 2-3
hours with audio guide to explore the Jantar Mantar and to recognize the
astronomy of different planetary bodies.
> The best
time to get to Jantar Mantar is the noon. During this time the sun remains
exactly at the top and this makes the process of knowing these instrument
readings easy.
4. City Palace
City Palace
is among the main attractions of the Jaipur city. This palace was constructed with
precise intricacies by Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II in between 1729 AD to 1732
AD. This is the palace from where the Maharaja ruled the entire Jaipur. This
palace is at a close proximity to Jantar Mantar.
The awe-inspiring architecture of this palace
is an astounding blend of European, Indian and Mughal styles which you can
witness everywhere inside the palace. This palace comprises a number of
buildings, patios and gardens including the most famed Chandra Mahal and the
Mubarak Mahal. This palace also has 3 gates from which Udai Pol and Virendra
Pol are open for the tourists while Atish Pol remains closed always.
 |
| City Palace |
Things to
Remember
> This palace
is open all days from 9:00 am to 5:30 pm.
> The entry
charge is 100 bucks for Indians and 500 bucks for foreigners.
> A museum is
there inside the palace which exhibits the history of Jaipur.
> The entry
charge for the museum is 130 bucks for Indians and 900 bucks for the
foreigners.
> Photography
is not allowed inside City Palace.
5. Jal Mahal
Jal Mahal
also called Water Mahal is an architectural glee that Jaipur proffer its
tourists amid the chaos of the city. Positioned in the mid of Mansagar Lake,
this magnificent palace was constructed by Maharaja Sawai Pratap Singh in the
year 1750 as his summer retreat and hunting chalet.
The craftsmanship of the
Rajput and Mughal style made this palace a wonderful piece of art. The view of
the Jal mahal along with the Mansagar Lake and the splendid Nahargarh hills
bordering the lake will make you speechless.
 |
| Jal Mahal |
Things to
Remember
> This palace
is located on the Jaipur-Amer road.
> Entry is not
allowed inside the Jal Mahal. You can only enjoy the view from the roadside.
> You can also
enjoy boating in Mansagar Lake and click some photos of the Jal Mahal from a
distance.
6. Nahargarh Fort
NahargarhFort is one among the innumerable forts and palaces constructed by the Kings of
Rajasthan. Sited on the hilltop of the hefty Aravallis, this fort offers a
panoramic view of the Jaipur city. Nahargarh Fort was constructed by Maharaja
Sawai Jai Singh in 1734 as his retreat fort.
According to legends, this fort
was cursed by the spirit of a Rathore Prince named Nahar Singh Bhomia. Whatever
the people tried to construct, was destroyed by the spirit. Maharaja then
decided to name the fort after the spirit’s name and the spirit became happy
and after that the fort was constructed and named Nahargarh Fort. This fort is
a beautiful blend of European and Indian style design and was extended in the
year 1868 by Maharaja Sawai Madho Singh. Madhavendra Bhavan is the main
attraction of this fort. There are 12 absolutely similar suites for the Royal
Ladies. Maharaja’s all nine wives were given 2 storied villas located on the 3
sides of the fort. You can see the western toilets also in this fort.
 |
| Nahargarh Fort |
Things to
Remember
> This fort is
open every day from 10:30 am to 5:30 pm.
> The entry
charge 50 bucks for Indians and 200 bucks for foreigners.
> For students
the entry charge is 5 bucks (Indians) and 25 bucks (foreigners).
> For visiting
Sheesh Mahal or Wax Museum the entry charge is 350 bucks each.
> Photography
is allowed inside the fort.
> This fort is
nearly 6.5 kms away from Jaipur city so; you can hire cabs or autos to reach
this fort.
> It takes 2-3
hours to visit the entire fort.
7. Jaigarh Fort
The hill on
which this majestic fort is positioned is known as ‘Cheel ka Tilla’ (Mount of
Eagles). Jaigarh Fort was constructed by Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II in 1726
for the protection of the Amber Fort.
This palatial fort is bordered by lush
greenery and huge fortifications and has subterranean channels to get to the Amber
Fort. This fort is also recognized as the ‘Victory Fort’ as it is believed to
be the strongest among the other 3 forts built by Maharaja and also it was
never conquered. This fort exhibits the world’s biggest cannon called ‘Jaivan’.
 |
| Jaigarh Fort |
Things to
remember
> This fort is
open all days from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm.
> The entry
charge is 85 bucks for foreigners and 35 bucks for Indians.
> Photography
is allowed inside the fort.
> This fort is
about 6-7 kms away from the city so it is better to hire auto/cab to get there.
> It takes 2-3
hours to explore this vast Jaigarh fort.
8. Albert Hall Museum
Exhibiting
the legacy of the Regal Rajasthan, Albert Hall Museum is believed to be the
optimum museum in Jaipur. Albert hall Museum was constructed in the 19th
century by Sir Swinton Jacob. This museum is a perfect illustration of the
Indo-Saracenic style of architecture.
This museum comprises alluring arches,
pillars and extended patios which exhibits a great compilation of art,
sculptures, weapons, paintings, ornaments, musical instruments, textiles,
clocks etc. If you are a history lover than, this is the place for you to know
the Indian history and culture in a better way.
 |
| Albert Hall Museum |
Things to
Remember
> This museum
remains open all days except Tuesday from 9:00 am to 5:30 pm and 7:00 pm to
10:00 pm.
> Entry charge
is 20 bucks for Indians and 150 bucks for foreigners.
> Local guides
are available at a reasonable charge.
> You can
click some photos in the Ram Niwas garden.
> Photography
is allowed inside the museum.
Delicious Delicacies
You can try
a wide variety of mouthwatering delicacies in Jaipur. Either vegetarian or non
vegetarian, each recipe of Jaipur will leave you speechless. So, trying these Kachoris,
Ghewar and last but not the least Dal Baati Choorma will make your trip to Jaipur
a memorable one.
 |
| Rajasthani Thali |
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Masterful Handicraft
Jaipur is
well recognized for its handicrafts as well. Bandhni and Leheriya are the two
most famed forms of handicraft in this city. Jaipur is a very colorful city and
you will always see the locales here in colorful attires. So, if you are a shopaholic,
than you must try the colorful tradition and contemporary attires of Bandhni
and Leheriya of this city.
 |
| Rajasthani Handicraft |
Alluring Festivals
People of
Jaipur celebrate the festivals at their best. A large number of festivals are
celebrated here such as Kite Festival, Elephant Festival, Literature Festival,
Teej Festival, Diwali etc. This palace city can’t be defined without its
festivals. One of the peculiar festival celebrated by them is the Donkey
Festival, which is a must see, if you visit Jaipur.
 |
| Rajasthani Festival |
Ethnical Dancing and Soothing Music
There is no need
to introduce the spell of Jaipuri music as well as dance. A perfect merge of
ethnical music and the Sufi music is a treat to your ears and will connect you
to the origin of Jaipur forthwith. The dancing forms such as dancing on the
glass edge or on sword edge by the skillful performers will make you just
speechless and this is the magic of Jaipur.
 |
| Rajasthani Dance |
How to Reach Jaipur
1. Jaipur is
easily accessible to all the major cities of India like Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai
and Bangalore and abroad via airways. The Jaipur International Airport is only
13 kms away from the city. Cabs are available outside the airport to get to the
city.
2. Jaipur railway station is well connected with almost all the cities and towns of
India. From railway station you can hire any cab or auto to reach your
destination.
3. Jaipur is
the capital of Rajasthan thus; it is well connected by the government/private
bus network with all the cities and towns of Rajasthan. Buses from Jaipur are
also available for cities/towns of other states also such as Gujarat,
Maharashtra etc.
Best Time to Visit Jaipur
1. Summers from
April to June are very dry and hot in Jaipur. The temperature rises to a maximum
of 48 °C. Hot wind blows all through
the day so it is not a suitable time to explore the city.
2. Monsoons
from July to September are moderate in Jaipur. The temperature remains pleasant
but Jaipur receives unpredictable rainfalls (low to heavy). So, sudden rainfall
can ruin your sightseeing trip.
3. Winters from
October to March are perfect to visit Jaipur. The days are normal but the
nights become chilly. The temperature falls to a maximum of 4 °C. You can also witness the
festivals of Rajasthan like Kite festival, Elephant festival etc. during this
period.
After knowing
all these facts about this Pink City, Don’t waste anymore time, just plan for a
trip of this city and get a once in a lifetime experience.
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