An Insight :
Jaipur was founded by Maharaja Jai Singh II (1693-1743) and is the capital
of Rajasthan. Jaipur is surrounded by hills and dotted with forts. Houses
with pink latticed windows line the streets, and look almost magical at
sunset. An extremely well planned city, Jaipur was designed by an engineer
and scholar Vidyadhar Bhattacharya, in accordance with ancient Hindu
treatise on architecture, the Shilpa Shasta (Vastu).
It was planned in a grid system with wide straight avenues, roads, streets
and lanes and uniform rows of shops on either side of the main roads. Jaipur
remains the only place where the nine sectors that sub-divide the city
symbolise the nine divisions of the universe. Jaipur is surrounded by a wall
having seven gates and was built for protection from invading armies and
wild animals that lurked just outside in the jungles that surrounded the
city.
The Old City, also known as the Pink City, is a wonderful place to wander
around. The whole city was painted pink by Maharaja Man Singh II when Prince
of Wales, later Edward VII, visited Jaipur in 1876. Today, every home within
the city is obliged by law to maintain this facade.
Jaipur's regal heritage is evident in its architecture and culture.
Beautifully laid out gardens and parks, attractive monuments and marvellous
heritage hotels, once the residence of Maharajas are testaments to the
Rajasthan of yesteryears. The arts and crafts of the state are amazing.
You'll find elaborately fashioned jewellery, the multi-coloured 'bandhini'
fabrics, richly decorated handlooms, and other trinkets at the colourful
bazaars of Jaipur. These bazaars are a lot of fun not just what's available,
but also for the cheerful people in their traditional costumes.
For the first-time visitor, it is an intriguing and unforgettable
experience.
Lets Explore The Pink City of Jaipur :
The Pink City is famous for its royal forts, palaces and is the right place
for those who love to shop! It is a shopper's paradise. It is a home of
traditional and elegant handicrafts and is especially known for the
exquisite gold jewelery, precious stones, blue pottery, carving on wood,
stone , block print, tie & dye textiles and miniature painting ,lovely
handmade and embroidered clothes which includes dresses, dress materials
etc. It is the place where the shoppers can actually see the traditional
skilled artisans.
The places of interest are mainly located within the walled city. The Hawa
Mahal , City Palace , Albert Hall Museum , Jantar Mantar, Amer fort etc .
are some of the attractions of the city.
» Jantar Mantar - Sawai Jai Singh who also built
the five observatories in India built the largest stone observatory in the
world, Jantar Mantar. Its complex instruments are excellent for predicting
the figures related to the Indian astronomy. Hawa Mahal is the renowned
landmark of Jaipur. As against the popular belief, it is not really a
palace. It is a sandstone screen veiling the ladies of the court who could
watch the proceedings on the road below without being noticed.
» The City Palace of Jaipur - The City Palace is an
architectural marvel that presents a perfect blend of Rajasthani and Mughal
art and architecture. The City Palace has projecting balconies, arches and
the entrances. The palace covers one-seventh of the area in Jaipur. The City
Palace also has a museum with an exclusive collection of Rajasthani
costumes, miniature paintings, carpets and royal paraphernalia.
Fairs-Festivals in Jaipur :
Gangaur festival held in honor of goddess Parvati is celebrated after a few
days after Holi in February/March on a grand scale. Primarily a women
festival, married women pray for the long life of their husbands and
unmarried girls pray for getting a good husband.
Teej is a major festival in Jaipur celebrated during the months of
July/August and dedicated to goddess Parvati. The festival celebrates the
onset of the monsoon
Where is Jaipur ?
» By Air - Jaipur is well connected by air to
Delhi, Mumbai, Calcutta and to the other tourist destinations of Rajasthan
i.e. Jodhpur and Udaipur.
» By Rail - Jaipur is connected by superfast trains
to Delhi and Mumbai and to the other tourist destinations of Rajasthan i.e.
Jodhpur and Udaipur.
» By Road - Jaipur is well connected by road to
Delhi (260 kms), Agra (250 kms), Jodhpur (330 kms), Udaipur (400 kms),
Bikaner (330 kms), Pushkar (145 kms) and serves as the gateway for tourists
travelling through Rajasthan.
