Jaipur: differently royal!

Reflecting the prestigious Mughal Empire, this city of India is full of art, tradition and culture which overwhelmingly attract people from all over the world. The beautiful city of Jaipur is the capital of the north Indian state, Rajasthan, well known for its rough deserts, magnificent forts, cultural Dance-Ghoomar and Kalbeliya, delectable Dal-Baati-Choorma and colorful ethnic dress Chaniya Choli. Jaipur, The Pink City of India has so much to offer to its tourists that one cannot resist visiting this capital again and again. The tourist count hikes during the months from October to March due to pleasant weather conditions. So let's quickly have a small picture of what all one gets too see in this vibrant city. Here are the most popular attractions…

Amer Fort

11 kilometers from Jaipur stands a magnificent piece of architecture built in 1592 by the royal Maharaja Maan Singh, The Amer Fort. One is bound to fall in love with this architectural gem. It reveals a perfect blend of Hindu and Muslim artistic styles. It is located on a hill top and has a 10 minute walk uphill or one can get seated comfortably on the back of an elephant, and enjoy a ride to the hilltop. The fort is built in red sandstone and white marble and to add to the charm of the palace is the Maotha Lake.

Albert Hall Museum

The Albert Hall Museum is Jaipur’s oldest museum built in 19th century to commemorate the Prince of Wales, Albert Edward, during his visit to India. The striking Indo-Saracenic architecture and carved arches constructed from inlaid stone, wonderfully depicts the classic Indian styles ranging from the Mughals to the Rajputs. At the display are the extensive relics from Jaipur’s history, paintings from the various tribes, costumes, folk art, wood carvings, arms and ammunitions. The museum is actually located at the center of the Ram Niwas gardens, which are to the south of the city.

Hawa Mahal

Hawa Mahal is strikingly an amazing piece of architecture ever built. An exemplar of knowledge, creativity and brains, all applied at once and portrayed in such a beautiful manner that one just cannot get their eyes off this mesmerizing structure. Hawa Mahal also known as the  Palace of Winds is a five story palace, constructed in the shape of a pyramid with 953 small windows called the‘ jharokhas’ which are ornamented with intricate lattice work. This awe-inspiring construction deserves a stopover.

Jaigarh Fort

The opulent Jaigarh Fort has a victorious history. It was built in the early 18th century to safeguard the Amer Fort and the Jaipur city from rivals and warlords. The fort also served the purpose of storing the weapons needed for combat. It possesses a great treasure, the‘ Jaivana Canon’, which is the biggest canon all over the world. The Lakshmi Vilas palace at the fort is a dazzling experience and comprises a mini theater which was the source of entertainment for the Maharajas.

Nahargargh Fort

Also known as the‘ Sudarshangarh Fort’, the Nahargarh fort was established in the year 1734 by the Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II. It lies in the vicinity of the incredible Amer Fort and Jaigarh Fort. One gets to witness the panoramic view of the city of Jaipur, overlooking the sky. All of it so beautiful that all of it won’t fit in a single glimpse!

Jantar Mantar

In the medieval period where the movement of stars and moons predicted one’s fate, Maharaja Jai Singh II built a place, the Jantar Mantar, where he could determine the major events of his life. Jantar Mantar possesses some of the best astronomical instruments which could determine the exact orbit of the earth around the sun, could forecast eclipses and locate stars. Of all the instruments was the greatest ‘Samrat Yantra’or the Giant Sundial at a height of 27 meters and a shadow movement of 6 cm per minute.

City Palace

One after the other the Pink City surprises you with its spell bound architectures and here comes another one, The City Palace. The palace is a consequence of the perfect combination of the three rich artistic styles of the Mughals, the Rajputs and the Europeans. It has three entrances the‘ Udail Pol’being the main entrance, ‘Tripolia Gate’for the royal and ‘Virendra Pol’. The palace is adorned with lush green gardens, courtyards, extensively decorated gateways and fine palaces- the ‘Mubarak Mahal’and the ‘Chandra Mahal’.

Jal Mahal

Built on the Man Sagar Lake is another marvelous archaeological structure that decorates the Pink City. The palace is located 4 kilometers north to the city and is on the road to the Amer Fort. The serenity of the place is an attractive pull. Contrasting to the beauty of the palace is the blue waters of the lake; with overlooking Aravalli hills, is a total eye popper.