Area : Jaipur City (Municipal limits)
Altitude : 431 Meters
Season : September –March
Language : English, Hindi, Rajastani
This city of Victory, was founded in 1727 AD by one of the greatest
rules of the Kachhawaha clan, the astronomer king Sawai Jai Singh.
The brilliant architect Vidyadhar Bhattacharya designed it. Sawai
Jai Singh came to the throne of Amer in 1699, at the tender age of
11 years and showed signs of his brilliance even at that early age
and to be proved a strong and an able ruler who could establish
peace and stability.
Jaipur, the vibrant capital of Rajastan, is popularly known as the
‘pink city ‘for the colour of the buildings in its wonderful old
city. This buzzing metropolis is certainly a place of wild contrasts
and is a feast for the eyes. The pink colour was used at time of
making to create an impression of red sandstone buildings of Mughal
cities. It was repainted in 18 76, during the visit of the Prince of
Wales. It is still maintained scrupulously.
The city displays a remarkable harmony and architectural splendour.
Designed in accordance with ancient Hindu treatise on architecture,
the Shilpa Shastra, Jaipur follows a grid system and is encircled by
a fortified wall. The palace lies in the heart of the city and
occupies the space of the central grid. Wide lanes which divided the
area into tidy. Well laid-out rectangles of commercial and
residential use cut across the rest of the grids neatly. The
fortified wall has seven gates and was built for protection from
invading armies and wild animals that lurked just outside in the
thick jungles that surrounded the city.
Today, the city has spread beyond these walls and reached
neighbouring towns and continues to grow. But Jai Singh’s planned
city has withstood all the pressures and the changes. Today it has
become the most popular tourist destination in Rajasthan, making one
corner of the ‘Golden Triangle’ (Delhi-Jaipur-Agra) . The city is
best explored on foot and the adventurous visitors willing to go
into the inner lanes can discover a whole new world not visible to
the tourist in-a hurry.
Places of attraction
Prime Sites-Inside the Walled City
The city palace: In the heart of the old city is the former
royal residence built in the blend of the Rajasthani and Mughal
styles. This complex is the most important landmark with its
numerous outbuildings, courtyards, impressive gateways and temples.
Occupying one-seventh of the walled city area, the palace houses the
seven-storeyed Chandra Mahal, Mubarak Mahal, the Diwan-i-Am and
Diwan-i-khas. Chandra Mahal (Moon palace) was built between 1727-34,
is the earliest building of the palace complex and dominates the
north side of the Pritam Niwas Chowk and there is an exquisite
peacock Gate in the Chandra Mahal courtyard.The main gate entrance
of which is the Mubarak Mahal, faced in white marble. The Diwan-i-Am,
or the hall of public Audience, with its Persian and Sanskrit and
the Diwan-i-khas, or Hall of private audience, with a marble paved
gallery outside the buildings, there are enormous silver vessels.
The palace houses an art gallery and also a museum with a rare
collection of arms, carpets, costumes, paintings and royal
paraphernalia. A notable exhibit is a pair of pure silver containers
that are the largest single pieces of silver in the world.
Jantar Mantar: Next to the entrance to the city palace is the
Jantar Mantar, a stone observatories. Its complex instruments, whose
settings and shapes are scientifically designed, represent the high
points of medieval Indian astronomy, most of which continue to
provide fairly accurate information to this day. Literally
‘Instruments for measuring the harmony of the heavens, the Jantar
Mantar was built between 1728 and 1734. The most striking of these
are the Ram Yantras used for gauging altitudes.
Hawa Mahal or Palace of Winds: Built in 1799 AD by Maharaja
Sawai Pratap Singh, it is a major Rajput landmark. It adjoins the
outside of the palace wall. This five-storey building along the main
street of the old city is in pink splendour with semi-octagonal and
delicately honey combed sandstone windows. This is a remarkable
structure that overlooks one of the main streets and also provides
some excellent views of the city. 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. Dedicated
to Lord Krishna, it is shaped like a ‘mukut’ or crown, which adorns
the Lord’s head. It has over 900 niches and is quite an unusual
structure.
Govind Devji Temple: Within the palace complex, located in
the central pavilion of the Jai Niwas garden is the spireless
temple, dedicated to Lord Krishna. The most popular spireless temple
of Jaipur dedicated to Lord Krishna.
Outside the palace walls are the famous ‘mohallas’- rectangular
blocks, each designed in conformity with a particular trade or
craft. Key areas include the chandpole Bazar, Chotti Chaupar, Badi
Chaupar, Tripolia Bazar, Kishanpole Bazar, Johari Bazar, Bapu Bazar
and many more. Each of these lanes is like an open museum, a
treasure house of traditional crafts and arts.
Outside the walled city
Ram Niwas Baugh: A lush spacious garden with a zero, an
aviary, a greenhouse, a herbarium, a museum and popular sports
ground. Sawai Ram Singh 11 built it in 1868 A.D. , as a famine
relief project. The majestic Albert Hall Museum occupies pride of
lace situated as it is in the middle of the garden. It was designed
by Sir Swanton Jacob, was opened later with an exquisite collection
of sculptures, paintings, decorative wares, an Egyptian mummy,
dioramas depicting Rajasthani dances, the celebrated Persian carpet
and the models of yogis adopting various positions and musical
instruments.
Swargasuli (Isar Lat): The highest tower dominating the
skyline on the western side of the Tripolia Bazaar.Swami Ishwari
Singh built it in 1749 AD to commemorate a grand victory.
Dolls Museum (Time 12 Noon to 7.00 pm) : Pretty dolls from
various countries are on display in the compound of the school for
deaf and dumb children, near the Police Memorial .
BM Birla planetarium (Time 12 Noon to 7.00 pm): The
planetarium offers unique audio-visual education and entertainment
with its modern computerized projection system. Concessions are
available for school groups. Closed on last the Wednesday of every
month.
Jain Temple: The exquisite Jain temple on the Agra road has
some of the most beautiful 19th century paintings in Jaipur style on
its walls. Moti Doongri and Lakshmi Narayan Temple Moti Doongri is a
privately owned hilltop fort built like a Scottish castle. The
Ganesh Temple at the foot of the hill and the marvellous Lakshmi
Narayan temple built in marble a few years back, are also
noteworthy.
Statue Circle: The full-length exquisitely carved statue of
Sawai Jai Singh in white marble in the centre of the circle was
erected under the newly planned scheme area to pay homage to the
founder of Jaipur.
Rambagh Palace: Until recently, the residence of the royal
family, Rambagh Palace is now a world famous palace hotel. The
magnificent building has spacious corridors, wide terraces, splendid
reception and banquet rooms and large will-laid gardens. |
