The romantic capital of Rajasthan, Jaipur is also known as the ‘Pink City’ due to the number of pink plastered stone buildings. The city was painted in honour of Queen Victoria’s visit in 1876. Pink denotes the colour of hospitality, so the Maharaja had the whole city painted to welcome his special guests.
India’s first planned city, Jaipur is rich in heritage, culture and architecture. This enchanting historical city is the gateway to Rajasthan which is India’s most colourful and flamboyant state. It is surrounded on three sides by rugged hills each crowned by formidable forts, beautiful palaces, mansions and gardens.
The city’s colourful, chaotic streets ebb and flow with a heady mix of old and new. Noisy buses dodge dawdling camels and cows, leisurely cycle-rickshaws frustrate swarms of motorbikes, and buzzing auto rickshaws crawling along the streets looking for patrons. In the midst of this mayhem, the splendours of Jaipur’s majestic past are spots of relative calm evoking a different pace and another world.
Jaipur was founded in 1727 by warrior and keen astronomer, Maharaja Jai Singh II. In 1728 he commenced building Jantar Mantar, the novel royal observatory. The fascinating collection of astronomical instruments are chiselled out of stone and to this day they still provide fairly accurate information. In 2010 it was added to India’s list of World Heritage Sites.
The old city is partially surrounded by a fortified wall with massive grand gateways. At the city’s heart, the City Palace continues to house the former royal family. The enormous complex comprises of several palaces along with pavilions, temples, wonderful gardens and a museum. The fascinating museum has priceless handwritten Hindu scriptures from the ancient past, miniature paintings, beautifully painted ceilings and a wonderful collection of textiles and clothing.
The honeycombed Hawa Mahal or Wind Palace gazes onto the bazaar below. Built in 1799 when women of the royal family had to observe strict purdah. It is believed that the palace was built for the women to take pleasure in the processions in the streets below without showing themselves and thus enjoying a sense of freedom.
Amber Fort, the ancient capital of Rajasthan is on the outskirts of Jaipur. This magnificent fort is perched on a rocky ridge and is more like a palace with its halls, pavilions, gardens and temples built from pale yellow and pink sandstone and white marble. It is divided into four sections each with its own courtyard and a unique 17th century air conditioning system. You can walk up the steep hill; take a ride in a jeep or like me hitch a ride on one of the brightly decorated elephants – which is an experience on its own!!
Jaipur is well known for its fairs and festivals that are held on a grand level and its delicious cuisine. It is also famous for exquisite handicrafts, textiles and spectacular jewellery, I should know as I shopped with gusto, filling up my already bulging suitcase!!
