Ramblings about life and travel: Jaipur - the land of the Maharajahs

Jaipur, the capital of the fascinating state of Rajasthan is also known as the Pink City. It, alongwith Agra and Delhi, forms the famous Golden Triangle which is a "must do" for every tourist. So when my friends Martin and Hasna visited India, I convinced them to see Jaipur alongwith Agra. They were not at all disappointed.

Rajasthan is also known as the land of the Maharajahs and it was only fitting that we stayed in the royal Rambagh Palace now converted into a hotel. It truly was exquisite to stay in a place where there were peacocks walking on the lawns, royalty staying in the same hotel (the King and Queen of Bhutan were on their honeymoon) and the opulence and grandeur of the rooms in the hotel reminded one of a forgotten era. We actually had to drag ourselves to go out and see the sights which were each better than the other.

Some of the important places of interest are:

The Hawa Mahal - The "Palace of Winds" was built in 1799 and is designed in the form of the crown of the Lord Krishna, a Hindu God. Its unique five-storey exterior is also akin to the honeycomb of the beehive with its 953 small windows called jharokhas that are decorated with intricate latticework. The original intention of the lattice was to allow royal ladies to observe everyday life in the street below without being seen, since they had to observe strict "purdah" or veil. Built of red and pink sandstone, the palace is situated on the main thoroughfare in the heart of Jaipur’s business centre. It forms part of the City Palace, and extends to the Zenana or women's chambers, the chambers of the harem. It is particularly striking when viewed early in the morning, lit with the golden light of sunrise.
The City Palace - It is a complex of various palaces in the heart of the city and is still a royal residence. The Chandra Mahal palace now houses a museum but the greatest part of it is still a royal residence. Mubarak Mahal, meaning the 'Auspicious Palace', was built with a fusion of the Islamic, Rajput and European architectural styles in the late 19th century by Maharaja Madho Singh II as a reception centre but today has a vast collection of textiles which are displayed.
The Amber Fort - The Amber (pronounced Amer) Fort is situated on a hill and is one of the principal attractions of Jaipur. The fort is built on 4 levels, each with its own courtyard and is built with red sandstone and marble. There are various parts to it including the Diwan-e-Aam or the "Hall of Public Audience", the Diwan-e-Khas or the "Hall of Private Audience", the Sheesh Mahal (mirror palace) or Jai Mandir, and the Sukh Niwas where a cool climate is artificially created by winds that blow over the water cascade within the palace.
Jaigarh Fort - The Jaigarh Fort is connect to the Amber Fort through a subterranean passage and together they are considered as one complex. It is also known as the Victory Fort.
Jantar Mantar - The Jantar Mantar is a collection of architectural astronomical instruments, built by Maharaja (King) Jai Singh II at his then new capital of Jaipur between 1727 and 1734. It is modeled after the one that he had built for him at the Mughal capital of Delhi. He had constructed a total of five such facilities at different locations, including the ones at Delhi and Jaipur. The Jaipur observatory is the largest and best preserved of these. It has been inscribed on the World Heritage List as "an expression of the astronomical skills and cosmological concepts of the court of a scholarly prince at the end of the Mughal period". The most amazing thing is that it is very accurate. An excursion through Jai Singh's Jantar is a unique experience of walking through solid geometry and encountering a collective astronomical system designed to probe the heavens. The observatory consists of fourteen major geometric devices for measuring time, predicting eclipses, tracking stars' location as the earth orbits around the sun, ascertaining the declinations of planets, and determining the celestial altitudes and related ephemerides. Each is a fixed and 'focused' tool and huge in size.
The Albert Hall Museum - The museum has a rich collection of artefacts like paintings, carpets, ivory, stone, metal sculptures, colourful crystal works etc. The building itself is a fine example of Indo-Saracenic architecture. I saw some amazing ceramics from Pecs in Hungary.
Nahargarh Fort - Nahargarh Fort stands on the edge of the Aravalli Hills, overlooking the city of Jaipur. The view of the city from the fort is breath-taking. Along with Amber Fort and Jaigarh Fort, it formed a strong defence ring for the city. During the Sepoy revolt of 1857, Nahargarh served as a refuge for Europeans fleeing from the havoc created by mutineers in neighbouring states. The word Nahargarh means the abode of tigers. Legends say that it was named after Prince Nahar whose spirit haunted the place and obstructed construction of the fort. Built mainly in 1734 by Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II, it is partially in ruins. It was extended in 1868. The rooms are linked by corridors and still have some delicate frescos. There are nine apartments for the nine queens the Maharaja had and all are well planned and decorated. Nahargarh is also called the hunting residence of Maharajas.
The Jal Mahal - or the "Water Palace" is located in the middle of the Man Sagar Lake. It is an architectural beauty built of red sandstone of five stories, four of which remain under water when the lake is full with only the top floor being exposed.
Choki dhani - is a unique village resort which captures the spirit of Rajasthan showcasing the life, culture and arts of the people. You can also sample the traditional food at the popular buffet.