| Jaipur - The Pink City | |
Jaipur is named after its founder the warrior and astronomer sovereign Sawai Jai Singh II (ruled 1688 to 1744). The decision to move out of his hilltop capital Amer was also compelled by reasons of growing population and paucity of water. Moreover in the early seventh century the power of the great Mughals was dwindling with its aging Monarch Aurangzeb and after several centuries of invasions the north was now quite and the wealth of the kingdom had become greater than before. Seizing upon this opportune time Jai Singh planned his new capital in the planes. Jaipur is a corroborative effort of Sawai Jai Singh's strong grounding in sciences and astrology and a Bengali architect Vidyadhar with a strong instinct for planning. |
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| Tourist Attraction of Jaipur | |
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Albert Hall (Central Museum): Central Museum or the Albert Hall lies in the Ram Niwas Garden. It is a vast and verdant garden housing a zoo, a greenhouse, an aviary, a museum and a sports ground. Maharaja Sawai Ram Singh II built it in 1868 as a relief project for his famine struck subjects. The zoo has a very depressing atmosphere as badly nourished bird and animals have to survive here in their artificial homes with no sympathy or medical care. |
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Moti Doongri: Moti Doongri is a hilltop fort built like a Scottish castle and is today the residence of Rajmata (Queen Mother) Gayatri Devi. The place was previously a small fortress called Shankargarh (Shiva’s Foot) but was later altered by Sawai Man Singh II on the design of a Scottish castle. Later it was used as the venue for his innumerable parties attended by the top socialites of his times. The Ganesh Temple at the foot of the hill and the marvellous Birla Mandir are most notable for their works in marble. |
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City Palace of Jaipur: Occupying the centre of Jaipur, the City Palace covers one seventh of the city area and the plan of the palace is exactly similar to the plan of the city. The palace has a high wall or the sarahad that surrounds it on all sides. It is a bit confusing to find the main entrance to the palace and can only be arrived at after going through various bazaars (Sireh Deori), past the Town Hall (Vidhan Sabha), passing through the arches of Sireh Deori (boundary gate) also known as the Udai Pol, Naqqar Darwaza (drum gate), the Vijai Pol, Jai Pol, Ganpati Pol and via the Jaleb Chowk. The Town Hall (late 19th century) once housed the State Council. It faces west over Sireh Deorhi bazaar and has a large terrace and verandah. Jaleb Chowk was previously the residence of the Palace Guards. The residential wing of the rajas that were modified in the 19th century by Sawai Ram Singh II surround the chowk on all sides. After crossing the Jaleb Chowk and proceeding through a narrow archway you will reach the Gainda ki Deorhi (rhinoceros gate) and the city palace complex. |
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Jai Mahal Palace: The ground on which the Jai Mahal Palace stands has always been referred to as Natani ka Bagh or the Garden of Natani. Sawai Ishwari Singh’s (1743-50) Military Commander and Prime Minister, Hargovind Natani, developed it around 1745. Natani was a prominent military figure but is also known to be something of a traitor. Unlike Rajput warriors he did not belong to the Kshatriya caste but came from the lower trading castes. In 1747 Natani led the Jaipur armies to victory at Rajmahal in Tonk, against Madho Singh’s combined forces of Udaipur, Kota, Bundi, and the Marathas of Holkar states. He was honoured for this victory with a tower called Ishwar Lat built by Maharaja Sawai Ishwari Singh in 1749 that overlooked Natani’s house in Chhoti Chopar. Ishwar Lat (c. 1751) is the highest tower dominating the skyline on the western side of the Tripolia baazar. It is an octagonal minaret of seven storeys topped by a canopy and has balconies on alternate floors. Locally it is called Swargasuli or a dart piercing the heavens. |
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Hawa Mahal Jaipur: The Hawa Mahal, or the Palace of Winds, is arguably Jaipur’s best-known monument. For one, it is unlike any other Rajput monument – fort, palace or temple. Secondly, it’s a bit too whimsical and delicate, almost like a magical structure from the Arabian Nights. Despite its towering height and length, the Hawa Mahal looks like a light, airy structure which might blow away with the slightest wind. Placed right in the middle of the bustling Johari Bazaar, near the Badi Chaupad (the big square), this reddish-pink building made of red sandstone is a constant reminder of Jaipur’s colourful history which refuses to just curl up and die. |
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Jantar Mantar: Jantar Mantar, built between 1728 and 1734, literally means the ‘instruments for measuring the harmony of the heavens’. Jai Singh, the brain behind the grand project, chose stone with marble facing. This was the biggest of all his observatories and the only one built of stone. He used it daily, often with his astronomy gurus Pandit Jagannath and Kewal Ram. In all there are 17 instruments in the Jantar Mantar complex. The function of each instrument is rather complex but serves a particular function where time plays the main theme. |
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B.M. Birla Planetarium: The Planetarium imparts audio-visual education with its modern projection equipment to young and old who have an interest in the workings of the celestial bodies. The place allows concessions to schools. The planetarium is closed on the last Wednesday of every month. |
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The Samode Attractions: Samode nestles quietly among the rugged hills of the Northern Aravallis. As you weave your way through these low hills, the Samode Fortpalace, perched high on a ridge, looms into view. But the high point of a trip to this place is the imposing Samode Palace, now converted into a hotel. The village is full of character; local artisans churn up beautiful printed cloth and glass bangles. and that's not all, there's a small artist's colony which produces wonderful miniature paintings on old paper (See Arts & Crafts for more on miniature painting of Rajasthan). A walk through the old painted havelis (mansions) of Samode can be real fun, like walking into the past. |
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Jaigarh Fort: Whenever Man Singh I (late 16th century) or his successors warred and won gold, silver, jewels and other booty, they hoarded it in the Jaigarh Fort. and they had the loyal Minas to fiercely guard their haul. (In fact, legends tell us that the Minas were such strict guards that they let each new Kachhawaha king to enter only once and pick one single piece for himself from the dazzling pile!) Anyway, all this treasure paid first for building Amber, then Jaipur and for centuries of lavish living. Indian Government officials tried to retrieve whatever was left; they dug the place in 1976 but found nothing. In fact they even drained the three arched water tanks (in a courtyard on the way to the northern end of the fort) in the hope of finding the fortune there. Some say that everything was used up in building Jaipur while others claim that it is still there somewhere. The dictum of the ancient Hindu scriptures, the Puranas, 'a fort is the strength of a king', must have loomed large in the minds of the Rajputs while building the Jaigarh Fort. The ambitious Jai Singh II then expanded, remodelled and renamed it in 1726. and since this fort never fell in the hands of enemies, it stands almost intact to this day. |