Jaipur
About Jaipur
Jaipur, also known as the "Pink City" is the capital of Rajasthan. It is about 260 km from Delhi.This city was founded by Raja Sawai Jai Singh II in 1727 and is famous for Amber Fort, Jantar Mantar,Hawa Mahal, City Palace, Sisodia Rani Ka Bagh and Raj Mandir (Movie theater).Jaipur is also known for the textile block prints, semi precious jewellery and handicraft items. Jaipur is popularly known as the Pink City.It is also the capital of the state of Rajasthan. It is one of the most visited tourist places of India.The old city of Jaipur is partially encircled with seven gates - the major gates are Chandpol, Sanganeri, and Ajmeri.The Capital of Rajasthan, Jaipur is steeped in history and culture.Here the past comes alive in magnificient forts and palaces, blushed pink, where once lived the Maharajas. The bustling bazaars of Jaipur,Famous for Rajasthani jewellery, fabric and shoes, possess a timeless quality and are surely a treasure trove for the shoppers.
History Of Jaipur
During the British Raj, Jaipur was the capital of a princely state of the same name. Jaipur state, which existed from the twelfth century until Indian independence in 1947 took its name from the city. It had a total area of 15,579 square miles (40,349 km²) in 1900. The maharajas of Jaipur belonged to the Kachwaha clan of Rajputs, claiming descent from Rama, king of Ayodhya. The state is said to have been founded about eleventh century or 1097 by Dūlaha Rāya, who hailed from Gwalior; he and his Kachwaha kinsmen are said to have absorbed or driven out the local Meenas and Bargujar Rajput chiefs. In which the Meenas were to become a key ally of the Kachwahas.Their original capital in the Dhundhar region was Dausa then Jamwa Ramgarh then Amber before the shift to Jaipur.The ruling dynasty of Jaipur provided the Mughal Empire with some of their most distinguished generals. Among them were Raja Man Singh I, who fought and governed from Kabul to Orissa and Assam; Jai Singh I, commonly known by his imperial title of Mirza Raja, whose name appears in all the wars of Shah Jahan and Aurangzeb; and Jai Singh II, or Sawai Jai Singh, the famous mathematician and astronomer, and the founder of Jaipur city.
Places To See In Jaipur
1. Hawa Mahal
Or the Palace of Winds, built in 1799 is the major landmark of Jaipur.This 5-storey building that overlooks the main street of the old city, is a stunning example of Rajput artistry with its pink semi-octagonal and delicately honeycombed sandstone windows.It was originally built to enable the ladies of the royal household to watch the everyday life and processions of the city.
2. City Palace Complex
Located in the heart of the old city, the City Palace occupies a large series of courtyards, gardens and buildings. The palace is a blend of Rajasthani and Mughal styles. The sons of the last Maharaja and his family still reside in a part of the palace. Before the palace proper is the Mubarak Mahal or Welcome Palace built in the late 19th century by Maharaja Madho Singh II as a Reception centre for visiting dignitaries. It now forms part of the Maharaja Sawai Mansingh II Museum, containing a collection of royal costumes and superb shawls including Kashmiri pashmina (goat's wool). Other exhibits include 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.
Other interesting features of the complex are the Diwan-I-Am or the Hall of Audience, with its intricate decorations and manuscripts in Persian and Sanskrit. The Diwan-I-Khas or Hall of Private Audience, with a marble-paved gallery and the exquisite Peacock Gate in the Chandra Mahal courtyard. Outside the buildings are kept enormous silver vessels in which the former Maharaja used to take the holy water of the Ganges on his trip to England. The complex 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 Maharaja Jai Singh II to study astronomy in d
etail.
3. Jantar Mantar
Located next to the entrance to the City Palace is this Observatory, built by Maharaja Jai Singh in 1728. Jai Singh's passion for astronomy was even more notable than his power as a warrior. This is the largest and best preserved of the five observatories that he built. The others are at Delhi, Varanasi and Ujjain. The fifth, the Muthura observatory is destroyed. The complex is a collection of curious instruments, each having a specific purpose such as measuring the positions of stars, altitudes and azimuths and calculating eclipses. The most striking instrument is the sundial with its 27m high gnomon.
4. Govind Devji Temple
Is the most popular spire-less temple of Jaipur dedicated to Lord Krishna. It is located in the central pavilion of the Jai Niwas Garden to the north of Chandra Mahal. The image of the presiding deity (originally installed in a temple of Brindavan) was reinstalled here by Maharaja Jai Singh II as his family deity.
5. Galta
Located about 100m above Jaipur city to the east is an ancient temple dedicated to the Sun God. A deep temple-studded gorge stands behind the temple and there are good views over the surrounding plains. Pavilions and holy kunds (natural spring and reservoirs) along with lush landscape make it a delightful spot.
6. Museums & Galleries
There are a couple of interesting museums and galleries in Jaipur. The Central Museum, housed in the architecturally impressive Albert Hall in the Ram Niwas Public Gardens has sections on natural history, tribal wares, dioramas depicting Rajasthani dances, decorative arts, costumes, and musical instruments. The Museum of Indology is an extraordinary private collection of folk art objects and other bits and pieces of interest. There is everything from a map of India painted in a rice grain to manuscripts (one written by Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb), tribal ornaments, fossils, old currency notes, clocks and much more. Near the Ram Niwas Public Gardens, in an old theater is Jaipur's Modern Art Gallery. The Juneja Art Gallery has an excellent collection of contemporary paintings. [Read more on Jaipur in Rajasthan]
