Attractions & Places to Visit in Jaipur
Amber Fort -
Is one of the most magnificent destinations in Jaipur located on the
hills
just outside Jaipur. It was commenced by Raja Man Singh in 1600 AD and
then
completed by Sawai Jai Singh in the eighteenth century. The fort is an
example of fascinating blend of Hindu and Muslim architecture built in
red
sandstone and white marble. The highlight of the fort is the Sheesh
Mahal
(Mirror Palace), a palace known for its craftsmanship in mirrors. It
also
locates in itself large ramparts, terraces and pavilions. Gardens like
Dilaram Garden & Mohan Bari, which draw a leaf from the gardens that
Mughals
laid, are also sights to behold. An elegant temple of Shila Mata is
situated
inside the palace complex. The image of the Mother Goddess worshipped
with
reverence by thousands of devotees every day was brought from Jessore
in
Lower Bengal (Now in Bangladesh) by Raja Man Singh and installed here.
City Palace -
Is the citadel of the Kachchawah Rajput rulers of Jaipur. It occupies
one
seventh of the walled city of Jaipur and is wonderful blend of Rajput
and
Mughal architecture. Largely Sawai Jai Singh had constructed the walls
of
the Palace. Constructions and additions to the palace continued till
twentieth century. The museum houses an extensive collection of rare
manuscripts, Mughal and Rajasthani miniatures, Mughal carpets, costumes
and
textiles, arms and weapons, objects of art and royal paraphernalia. The
pair
of giant silver Gangajalis displayed in the open Sarvatobhadra,
building
were fabricated in the court workshops for Sawai Madho Singh ji to
carry
holy water of Ganges to England. These are mentioned in the Guinness
Book of
World Records as the largest silver objects in the world.
Hawa Mahal - A Pandora's box of wonders, the enchanting Hawa Mahal, the palace of
winds,
tier upon tier of curved arch surmounting fairy casements with "jali",
lattice work screens.
Jaigarh -Is an impregnable and un-approachable fort. The fort was cleverly built
to
give its archers an advantage over their targets. It is said that Raja
Man
Singh has buried huge treasures in this bastion. The fort also houses
the
Jai Ban, the largest cannon in Asia, which is supposed to have been
test
fired only once. Built on a peak, overlooks the palace & city of Amber
below.
Jal Mahal -
Is Jaipur's lake palace. Surrounded with water.
Mooti 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 marvelous Lakshmi
Narayan
Temple built in marble a few years back, are also noteworthy.
Jantar Mantar -
Jantar Mantar, one of the five observatories (the others being in
Delhi,
Ujjain, Varanasi and Mathura ), built in 1718 by Sawai Jai Singh an
avid
astronomer, to study the movements of stars. This one is the largest
and the
best preserved observatory. It has a collection of complex astronomical
instruments chiseled out of stone, most of which continue to provide
fairly
accurate information to this day. Constructed with stone and marble,
its
complex instruments whose settings and shapes are precisely and
scientifically designed represent the high -points of Medieval Indian
astronomy. The observatory contains a large number of structures called
'yantras' to determine position of stars and the stellar movements. The
two
Ram yantras used for gauging altitudes are unique.
Swargasuli(Isar Lat) -
Credit to have been built by Ishwar Singh in 1747 to commemorate his
victories when he acceded to throne defeating other pretenders in the court.
This minaret towers any thing else in Jaipur was also a watchtower of
sorts.
Albert Hall Museum -
It is erected in the middle of Ram Niwas Garden of Jaipur . It was
built in
1876 to mark the visit of Prince of Wales to the city. The beautiful
Indo -
sarcenic structure of the Albert designed by Sir Swinton Jacob was
opened in
1887 as a public museum. It contains a fine collection of sculptures,
paintings, decorative art objects, natural history specimens, an
Egyptian
mummy and a celebrated Persian Garden Carpet.
Govindeoji Temple -
The presiding deity of Jaipur is Govindeoji, Lord Krishna, who came
from
Vrindavan, before the city of Jaipur was built. The temple is located
between the Chandra Mahal and the Badal Mahal, so that the rulers of
the
state could view the temple from their residences. The temple attracts
large
number of devotees specially on the Janamashtmi, the day of Lord
Krishna's
birth.
Jal Mahal -
Is Jaipur's lake palace. Surrounded with water.
Statue Circle -
The full length exquisitely carved statue of Sawai Jai Singh in white
marble
in the centre of the circle is a landmark in a newly planned
residential
area to pay homage to the founder of Jaipur.
Nahargarh Fort - Also located on the rugged Aravali Hills, Nahargarh meaning abode of
the
tigers, was built by Jai Singh to bolster the defence of Amber. The
fort has
uniquely a cluster of 12 suits for queens and at the head is a suit for
the
Jai Singh himself. It was named Nahargarh after Nahar Singh a prince
whose
spirit would destroy the construction and not allow it to progress
further.
So by a tantrik prayer the spirit agreed to leave on one condition that
the
fort be named after him. Originally called Sudarshan Garh affords a
splendid
view of Jaipur.
Ram Niwas Garden -
Was built in 1868 by Sawai Ram Singh as project to provide famine
relief to
the draught effected farmer. Located in the center of modern Jaipur it
spreads over 33 acres of land. It houses the Albert Hall Museum, the
state
Zoo, Ravindra Manch Theatre and several cafes and picnic spots in its
premises.
Sisodia Rani Ka Bagh -
Sawai Jai Singh built it in 1728 for his Sisodia Queen from Udaipur.
The
garden is laid in Mughal style and it depicts the legends of Radha and
Krishna. The garden is located 8 kms from Jaipur on the Agra route.
Bairath -
(86 km on the Shahpura-Alwar Road) : An important historical place with
the
excavated remains of a circular Buddhist temple - unique in Rajasthani
and
the earliest known temple in India. Bairath also has relics of the
Mauryan,
Mughal and Rajput periods. A mint constructed by Akbar, a beautiful
Mughal
garden and a remarkable monument with painted chhatris and wall built
by
Jahangir are other attractions.
Gaitor - (6.5 km on the road to Amer ) : There are memorials to the queens in
the
Maharani-ki-Chhatri complex near the Ramgarh road crossing. The white
marble
cenotaph of Maharajah Jai Singh II is the most impressive and is
decorated
with carved peacocks. Next to it is the cenotaph of his son., the
island
palace-Jal Mahal built by Sawai Madho Singh as a pleasure spot at the
centre
of the Man Sagar Lake, and the Kanak Vrindavan complex of temples and
gardens recently renovated to its pristine glory. To the west of this
road,
in a narrow valley, is the royal cremation ground at Gaitor. The
cenotaphs
of all Jaipur rulers, with the exception of Sawai Ishwari Singh, who
was
cremated outside the Jai Niwas Garden, Were built at this place. The
imposing cenotaph of Sawai jai Singh Stands out for its delicate
carvings
and beautiful shape.
Galta -
(2.5 km) : Beyond the gardens amidst the low hill guarding the city
lies the
old pilgrim centre of Galtaji, Temples, pavilions and holy kunds
(natural
springs and reservoirs) dot the serene green landscape. The small
temple of
the Sun god, built by Diwan Kriparam on top of the highest peak, is
visible
form all parts of the city.
Ramgarh Lake -
(32 km north east) An ancient site now famous for its huge artificial
lake
created by constructing a high bund amidst tree convered hills where
the
citizens throng in a large number for picnic in the rainy season. The
old
royal hunting lodge has now been converted into a hotel. While the
temple of
Jamwa Mata and the ruins of the old fort are some of its antiquities,
its
beautiful landscape, especially during in oils pools, makes it an
idyllic
picnic spot.
Abhaneri -
(128 kms from Agra road near Bandikui ) This ancient place is famous
for the
temple of Harshad Mata built in the 7th - 8th century and the stepped
chand
baori. Two jain temples were built here at a later period. The harshad
mata
temple was decorated with delicate sculptures of the highest quality
some of
which are to be seen in the museums of Jaipur.
Samode -
(40 km north west ) : The old palace renovated and rebuilt in a very tasteful manner provides the most gorgeously decorated and painted
example
of Rajput haveli architecture. Set amidst the quiet of protective
hills, it
provides an ideal spot for outing. The town has its own cloth printers,
bangle makers and other artisans. The palace has now been converted as
a
heritage hotel.
Sanganer -
(16') km : Located on the Tonk road. This small town is entered through
the
ruins of two 'Tripolias' or triple-gateways. The town has a ruined
palace
and a group of Jain temples with fine carvings. Entry to the temples is
restricted. The town is an important centre for craft, industry and
produces
some of the finest hand printed textiles from units of block and screen
printers. This textile is popular all over the country and abroad. On
the
Ajmer Road, the ground level fort is still in good shape. it is noted
for
its hand printed handloom industry using simple techniques. The designs
of
these hand complicated are in earthy hues.
Vidyadhar's Garden -
Nestled in a narrow valley, this beautiful garden was built in honour
of jai
Singh's chief architect and town planner. It named after Vidyadhar
Bhatacharjee the architect of Jaipur.
Weather in Jaipur
The climate of Jaipur is extreme and tropical. Summers are extremely
hot and
the maximum temperature can be as high as 45 degree Celsius, while
winters
are cold and foggy. Heavy rains and high humidity mark the monsoon
season.
Jaipur can be visited throughout the year, but one must avoid the
extreme
hot summers (April-June) and rainy season (July-Sept). The most
suitable
time to visit Jaipur is in winters.
How to Reach Jaipur
The nearest International Airport from Jaipur is Delhi, 200 Kms away.
Jaipur
well connected with rest of indian major cities by train and road
network.
Hotels & Palaces in Jaipur
The Pink city of India, Jaipur is dotted with Five Star Hotels,
four-star
hotels, three star hotels, Government approved hotels, and other
hotels. The
various hotels of Jaipur are replete with modern day facilities. The
services offered by the hotels in Jaipur are efficient. The luxury
hotels of
Jaipur promise you a time of your life in Jaipur. Most of the Jaipur
Hotels
are located close to its landmark the Taj Mahal. The leisure travelers
and
tourists in Jaipur usually prefer hotels near Taj Mahal. For the
business
travelers Jaipur Hotels offer well-equipped business centres and
meeting
rooms. The government approved hotels, and other hotels of Jaipur cater
to
the accommodation needs of the budget travelers. The honeymoon hotels in
Jaipur are heaven on Earth for the honeymooners. The Airport hotels in
Jaipur are strategically located near the airport in Jaipur. |