The Rose Pink City founded by Maharaja Jai Singh II (1693-1743), is the capital of Rajasthan. It is a major attraction Jaipur for the first-time visitor. Jaipur is surrounded on all sides by rugged hills, crowned with forts & enclosed by embattled walls. Houses with latticed windows line the streets with their rose pink colour, lending enchantment to the scene, which is almost magical at sunset.
The Old City (Known as the Pink City) is a great place to wander around. The whole city was painted in Pink colour by Maharaja Man Singh II when Prince of Wales, later Edward VII, visited Jaipur in 1876 AD. Today, every home within the city is obliged by law to maintain its facade. It is a very well planned city laid out in a grid pattern and was designed by a young Bengali engineer and scholar by the name "Vidyadhar Bhattacharya".
Jaipur was and remains the only city in the world, symbolising the nine divisions of the universe, through nine rectangular sectors sub-dividing it. Jaipur is a royal city & this is its most noticeable aspect, small buildings & festivals testify it.
Jaipur & its surroundings are rather like an endless museum. The city also offers an endless variety of crafts. Jaipur Jewellery here still fashion the beautiful enamel-on-gold pendants, studded on the reverse with precious stones or pearls & turquoise that one sees in miniature paintings. Jaipur's lacquer bangles are famous all over the world.
Jaipur, the pink city was founded in 1727 by Maharaja Jai Singh II, a Kachhwaha Rajput, who ruled from 1699-1744. Initially his capital was Amber, which lies at a distance of 11kms from Jaipur. He felt the need of shifting his capital city with the increase in population and growing scarcity of water. Jaipur is the first planned city of India and the King took great interest while designing this city of victory. He consulted several books on architecture and architects before making the lay out of Jaipur.
Fair & Fastival in Jaipur :
Makar Sankranti :
The festival is celebrated on the 14th of January every year. This has now become the festival of kite-flying which does not spare the soaring spirits of anyone in Jaipur. The devoted ones, however, take a holy dip in the kund at Galtaji. The traditional sweet associated with it is Phirni, made in abundance by the halwais of Jaipur.
Gangaur Festival :
Young girls and newly married women praying for their loved one or husband respectively, offer prayers to Goddess Parvati in spring (March-April). A colourful procession follows the silver and gold palanquins of Goddess Parvati brought out from the City Palace. Ghever, the traditional sweet associated with this festival is prepared all over the city.
Elephant Festival :
This festival is held on the day of Holi, the festival of colours, at the Chaughan stadium. Beautifully decorated and caparisoned elephants assemble to participate in the royal procession. Horse Polo, elephant race, elephant tug-of-war with a few tourist and holi on elephant back are some of the exciting events.
Teej Festival :
To celebrate the advent of the monsoon, girls and young women dressed in colourful leharia sarees or costumes, sing songs and offer puja to goddess parvati, and pray for conjugal bliss and happiness. An elaborate procession comes out of the City Palace for two consecutive days. Villagers come to watch it in large numbers and buy knick-knacks from the stalls on the footpaths of the main bazars.
Dusshera Festival :
Dusshera is celebrated by staging Ramlila in different parts of the city and cuminating in the ceremonial burning of the giant effigies of Ravan, Kumbhakaran and Meghnath, celebrating Lord Rama's victory over the Demon King, and victory of Good over Evil.
Diwali :
Celebrated every year in October- November, Diwali is perhaps the most popular of all Indian festivals. The origin of this festival can be traced back to the ancient Hindu epic Ramayana, when Lord Rama returend to this kingdom Ayodhya after 14 years of exile.
Shopping in Jaipur :
The builders of Jaipur took special care to provide ample space and facilities for the production and marketing of hadicarfts which made the place famous throughout India and abroad. An entire street and several city sectors were earmarked for artisans and traders. The mainmarkets are along Johri Bazar, Bapu Bazar Nehru Bazar, Chaura Rasta, Bapu Bazar, Chaura Rasta, and M.I. Road. Shops specialising in precious and semi precious stones, ornaments and jewellery are to be found on and along Johri Bazar. Jaipur enjoys a high reputation for the manufacture of jewellery. It is one of the most active jewel markets of the world and is famous for precious and semi-precious stones and also for the cutting, polishing and setting of these stone, particularly that of diamonds, topaz and emeralds
Tourist Places in Jaipur :
Hawa Mahal :
Built by Maharaja Sawai Pratap Singh in 1799, the Hawa Mahal is one of Jaipur's major tourist attractions. Shaped like a pyramid, this five-storeyed palace is also known as the Palace of Winds. Consisting of arched roofs and small windows, the Hawa Maha has become the biggest landmark in the city.
Jaigarh Fort :
Known as the Fort of Victory, Jaigarh Fort is the most imposing tourist attraction in Jaipur. At a distance of about 15 kilometers from the city, perched in the midst of thorny hills, the Jaigarh Fort offers a panoramic view of the city below.The fort houses the world's largest cannon on wheels. Known as Jaivana, it was built in 1720. It is believed, out of the three underground tanks in the fort, one could store up to 60,00,000 gallons of water. The museum and armory inside Jaigarh Fort are must-sees.
Nahargarh Fort :
Built in 1734 by Maharaja Jai Singh, the Nahargarh Fort, also known as the Tiger Fort, was meant to bolster the defense of Amer. This tourist attraction in Jaipur offers an incredible view of the Man Sagar Lake.
Laxmi Narayan Temple :
Also known as the Birla Mandir, the Laxmi Narayan Temple is one of the religious tourist attraction in Jaipur. Beautiful idols of Hindu gods and goddesses adorn the temple, which looks amazing in the night.
Rambagh Palace :
This palace was built in 1835 by the Queen of Jaipur. In the year 1972, the Rambagh Palace was converted into a heritage hotel and is now one of the premier attractions on your Rajputana Splendour itinerary.
Amber Fort :
Jaipur Attractions Standing tall over a small hillock overlooking the Pink City, Amber is the classic romantic Rajasthan fort-palace. Amber today is nothing but a reflection of the glorious past of the fierce Kachwaha Dynasty that ruled over this region from 12th to 18th century. Man Singh I started the construction of this fort in 1592 and, perhaps, it was the defence that topped his priorities before constructing this fort. The rugged walls of this fort may not look beautiful from outside, but the interior is a virtual paradise and painted scenes of hunting and wars adorn the walls along with precious stones and mirrors set into the plaster. Half the fun at Amber Fort is the walk from the road to the fort with majestic views of the surrounding valley. An elephant ride up to the fort is also an unforgettable experience. Not to be missed if you plan to travel to Jaipur.
Jantar Mantar :
Jaipur Attractions This largest stone observatory in the world has a very interesting story behind its construction. Sawai Jai Singh, the founder of five observatories in India including this one, was a great admirer of developments in science and technology, especially astronomy. Before constructing this observatory, he sent his emissaries to all corners to the world, who returned with many manuals of cutting-edge technology including a copy of La Hire's Tables. He built the structures following every detail given in the manual, but at the end, he found to his astonishment that the observatory was 20 seconds more accurate than that given by La Hire. Situated near the gate of the City Palace, the observatory has 18 large instruments, many of them still in working condition. The Jantar Mantar is not to be missed if you plan to travel to Jaipur.
How to reach Jipur city :
By Air :
Jaipur Airport is located near Sanganer at a distance of 13 kms from the city of Jaipur. Many domestic airlines connect the city to all the major cities of India including Udaipur and Jodhpur as well. Flights for Delhi and Mumbai run on a regular basis. The airport has been granted the status of an international airport and connects to the foreign cities like Sharjaha and Muscat too.
By Rail :
An excellent connection to Delhi by Shatabdi Express and the Pink City Express. Other connections to Jaipur are from Bikaner, Jodhpur, Udaipur, and Lucknow.
By Road :
Jaipur is well connected by road to major cities in India. Excellent road network serves people to enjoy a comfortable journey to and from Jaipur. This mode of traveling is quite easy and comparatively cheap. Regular bus services from nearby cities connect Jaipur to the other cities. Deluxe Buses, AC coaches and Government buses are available for the convenience of the passengers.
The Old City (Known as the Pink City) is a great place to wander around. The whole city was painted in Pink colour by Maharaja Man Singh II when Prince of Wales, later Edward VII, visited Jaipur in 1876 AD. Today, every home within the city is obliged by law to maintain its facade. It is a very well planned city laid out in a grid pattern and was designed by a young Bengali engineer and scholar by the name "Vidyadhar Bhattacharya".
Jaipur was and remains the only city in the world, symbolising the nine divisions of the universe, through nine rectangular sectors sub-dividing it. Jaipur is a royal city & this is its most noticeable aspect, small buildings & festivals testify it.
Jaipur & its surroundings are rather like an endless museum. The city also offers an endless variety of crafts. Jaipur Jewellery here still fashion the beautiful enamel-on-gold pendants, studded on the reverse with precious stones or pearls & turquoise that one sees in miniature paintings. Jaipur's lacquer bangles are famous all over the world.
Jaipur, the pink city was founded in 1727 by Maharaja Jai Singh II, a Kachhwaha Rajput, who ruled from 1699-1744. Initially his capital was Amber, which lies at a distance of 11kms from Jaipur. He felt the need of shifting his capital city with the increase in population and growing scarcity of water. Jaipur is the first planned city of India and the King took great interest while designing this city of victory. He consulted several books on architecture and architects before making the lay out of Jaipur.
Fair & Fastival in Jaipur :
Makar Sankranti :
The festival is celebrated on the 14th of January every year. This has now become the festival of kite-flying which does not spare the soaring spirits of anyone in Jaipur. The devoted ones, however, take a holy dip in the kund at Galtaji. The traditional sweet associated with it is Phirni, made in abundance by the halwais of Jaipur.
Gangaur Festival :
Young girls and newly married women praying for their loved one or husband respectively, offer prayers to Goddess Parvati in spring (March-April). A colourful procession follows the silver and gold palanquins of Goddess Parvati brought out from the City Palace. Ghever, the traditional sweet associated with this festival is prepared all over the city.
Elephant Festival :
This festival is held on the day of Holi, the festival of colours, at the Chaughan stadium. Beautifully decorated and caparisoned elephants assemble to participate in the royal procession. Horse Polo, elephant race, elephant tug-of-war with a few tourist and holi on elephant back are some of the exciting events.
Teej Festival :
To celebrate the advent of the monsoon, girls and young women dressed in colourful leharia sarees or costumes, sing songs and offer puja to goddess parvati, and pray for conjugal bliss and happiness. An elaborate procession comes out of the City Palace for two consecutive days. Villagers come to watch it in large numbers and buy knick-knacks from the stalls on the footpaths of the main bazars.
Dusshera Festival :
Dusshera is celebrated by staging Ramlila in different parts of the city and cuminating in the ceremonial burning of the giant effigies of Ravan, Kumbhakaran and Meghnath, celebrating Lord Rama's victory over the Demon King, and victory of Good over Evil.
Diwali :
Celebrated every year in October- November, Diwali is perhaps the most popular of all Indian festivals. The origin of this festival can be traced back to the ancient Hindu epic Ramayana, when Lord Rama returend to this kingdom Ayodhya after 14 years of exile.
Shopping in Jaipur :
The builders of Jaipur took special care to provide ample space and facilities for the production and marketing of hadicarfts which made the place famous throughout India and abroad. An entire street and several city sectors were earmarked for artisans and traders. The mainmarkets are along Johri Bazar, Bapu Bazar Nehru Bazar, Chaura Rasta, Bapu Bazar, Chaura Rasta, and M.I. Road. Shops specialising in precious and semi precious stones, ornaments and jewellery are to be found on and along Johri Bazar. Jaipur enjoys a high reputation for the manufacture of jewellery. It is one of the most active jewel markets of the world and is famous for precious and semi-precious stones and also for the cutting, polishing and setting of these stone, particularly that of diamonds, topaz and emeralds
Tourist Places in Jaipur :
Hawa Mahal :
Built by Maharaja Sawai Pratap Singh in 1799, the Hawa Mahal is one of Jaipur's major tourist attractions. Shaped like a pyramid, this five-storeyed palace is also known as the Palace of Winds. Consisting of arched roofs and small windows, the Hawa Maha has become the biggest landmark in the city.
Jaigarh Fort :
Known as the Fort of Victory, Jaigarh Fort is the most imposing tourist attraction in Jaipur. At a distance of about 15 kilometers from the city, perched in the midst of thorny hills, the Jaigarh Fort offers a panoramic view of the city below.The fort houses the world's largest cannon on wheels. Known as Jaivana, it was built in 1720. It is believed, out of the three underground tanks in the fort, one could store up to 60,00,000 gallons of water. The museum and armory inside Jaigarh Fort are must-sees.
Nahargarh Fort :
Built in 1734 by Maharaja Jai Singh, the Nahargarh Fort, also known as the Tiger Fort, was meant to bolster the defense of Amer. This tourist attraction in Jaipur offers an incredible view of the Man Sagar Lake.
Laxmi Narayan Temple :
Also known as the Birla Mandir, the Laxmi Narayan Temple is one of the religious tourist attraction in Jaipur. Beautiful idols of Hindu gods and goddesses adorn the temple, which looks amazing in the night.
Rambagh Palace :
This palace was built in 1835 by the Queen of Jaipur. In the year 1972, the Rambagh Palace was converted into a heritage hotel and is now one of the premier attractions on your Rajputana Splendour itinerary.
Amber Fort :
Jaipur Attractions Standing tall over a small hillock overlooking the Pink City, Amber is the classic romantic Rajasthan fort-palace. Amber today is nothing but a reflection of the glorious past of the fierce Kachwaha Dynasty that ruled over this region from 12th to 18th century. Man Singh I started the construction of this fort in 1592 and, perhaps, it was the defence that topped his priorities before constructing this fort. The rugged walls of this fort may not look beautiful from outside, but the interior is a virtual paradise and painted scenes of hunting and wars adorn the walls along with precious stones and mirrors set into the plaster. Half the fun at Amber Fort is the walk from the road to the fort with majestic views of the surrounding valley. An elephant ride up to the fort is also an unforgettable experience. Not to be missed if you plan to travel to Jaipur.
Jantar Mantar :
Jaipur Attractions This largest stone observatory in the world has a very interesting story behind its construction. Sawai Jai Singh, the founder of five observatories in India including this one, was a great admirer of developments in science and technology, especially astronomy. Before constructing this observatory, he sent his emissaries to all corners to the world, who returned with many manuals of cutting-edge technology including a copy of La Hire's Tables. He built the structures following every detail given in the manual, but at the end, he found to his astonishment that the observatory was 20 seconds more accurate than that given by La Hire. Situated near the gate of the City Palace, the observatory has 18 large instruments, many of them still in working condition. The Jantar Mantar is not to be missed if you plan to travel to Jaipur.
How to reach Jipur city :
By Air :
Jaipur Airport is located near Sanganer at a distance of 13 kms from the city of Jaipur. Many domestic airlines connect the city to all the major cities of India including Udaipur and Jodhpur as well. Flights for Delhi and Mumbai run on a regular basis. The airport has been granted the status of an international airport and connects to the foreign cities like Sharjaha and Muscat too.
By Rail :
An excellent connection to Delhi by Shatabdi Express and the Pink City Express. Other connections to Jaipur are from Bikaner, Jodhpur, Udaipur, and Lucknow.
By Road :
Jaipur is well connected by road to major cities in India. Excellent road network serves people to enjoy a comfortable journey to and from Jaipur. This mode of traveling is quite easy and comparatively cheap. Regular bus services from nearby cities connect Jaipur to the other cities. Deluxe Buses, AC coaches and Government buses are available for the convenience of the passengers.
