- Area
200.4 sq. km
- Altitude
431 m above sea level
- Languages
Hindi, Rajasthani, English
- Best
time to visit October to March
- STD
code 0141
Jaipur
is a city where royalty still lives in the grandeur of its
palaces, where fighting for the honour of the clan has never
been a need but a way of life, and where treating guests as
gods has been a tradition from time immemorial. The city is
located at a distance of around 258 km from Delhi and 232
km from Agra, making it a part of the famed Golden Triangle
tourist circuit of North India. Jaipur got its name from its
founder Sawai Jai Singh (1693-1743), who had the vision
to create a meticulously planned city as his capital. All
the houses in the old city are painted pink, including the
famous Hawa Mahal, thereby giving the city its alternative
name, the Pink City.
Sightseeing
: Places to visit in destination - Jaipur
Jaipur
offers a plethora of touristic attractions to the traveller.
Some of them are:
City
Palace The City Palace is now converted into
a museum, except a small portion that is still used by the
royal family of Jaipur. Built in the fortified campus style,
the palace covers almost one-seventh part of the city. One
of the major attractions in the museum is the portion that
is devoted to the arms and ammunition used by the royal family
in the past. Other important attractions are the Textile and
Costume Museum, Art Gallery, Chandra Mahal, Mubarak Mahal,
and Diwan-i-Khas and Diwan-i-Am.
Central
Museum Located in the Ram Niwas Garden, the
Central Museum or Albert Hall is a mixture of pillars, arches,
and courtyards adorned with murals. There is a huge collection
of objects displaying different facets of Rajasthani culture
and history. There are miniature paintings, ivory carvings,
costumed mannequins, and shields depicting scenes from the
Hindu epics, among others
Jantar
Mantar This largest stone observatory in the
world has a very interesting story behind its construction.
Sawai Jai Singh, the founder of five observatories in India
including this one, was a great admirer of developments in
science and technology, especially astronomy. Before constructing
this observatory, he sent his emissaries to all corners to
the world, who returned with many manuals of cutting-edge
technology including a copy of La Hire/’s Tables. He built
the structures following every details given in the manual,
but at the end, he found to his astonishment that the observatory
was 20 seconds more accurate than that given by La Hire. Situated
near the gate of the City Palace, the observatory has 18 large
instruments, many of them still in working condition
Hawa
Mahal Strange though it may seem, this most
famous landmark of Jaipur is not actually a palace but a series
of sandstone screens. This pink structure was constructed
so that the ladies of the palace could watch the royal processions
without being seen by any outsider. This sandstone edifice
was named Palace of Winds after the many brass wind vanes
that adorned it until 1960s
Amber
Fort
Standing tall over a small hillock overlooking the Pink
City, Amber is the classic romantic Rajasthan fort-palace.
Amber today is nothing but a reflection of the glorious past
of the fierce Kachwaha Dynasty that ruled over this region
from 12th to 18th century. Man Singh I started the construction
of this fort in 1592 and, perhaps, it was the defence that
topped his priorities before constructing this fort. The rugged
walls of this fort may not look beautiful from outside, but
the interior is a virtual paradise and painted scenes of hunting
and wars adorn the walls along with precious stones and mirrors
set into the plaster. Half the fun at Amber Fort is the walk
from the road to the fort with majestic views of the surrounding
valley. An elephant ride up to the fort is also an unforgettable
experience.
Jaigarh
Fort Situated in the north of Jaipur, the Jaigarh
Fort is structurally similar to the Amber Fort. The only exception
is that it houses the mighty Jaivana, the largest wheeled
canon in the world. Other attractions in the Jaigarh Fort
include three water tanks, a museum, and breathtaking views
of the city below
