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Jaipur
The Rose Pink
City founded by Maharaja Jai Singh II (1693-1743), is the
capital of Rajasthan. It is a major attraction 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. Jewellers
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. This is a city
to be visited.
The City Palace : In the heart of the old city is
former royal residence built in a blend of the Rajasthani and
Mughal styles. The carved arches are supported by grey-white
marble columns ornate with floral motifs in gold and colored
stones. Two carved elephants in marble guard the entrance. The
retainers whose families have served generations of rulers
serve as guides.
The palace houses a museum with a superb collection of
Rajasthani costumes and armory of Mughals and Rajputs. The
palace also has an art gallery with an excellent collection of
miniature paintings, carpets, royal paraphernalia and rare
astronomical works in Arabic,Persian,Latin and Sanskrit,
acquired by Sawai Jai Singh II to study astronomy in detail.
Hawa Mahal : The Hawa Mahal, or the "Palace of Wind"
built by Maharaja Sawai Pratap Singh in 1799 A.D. is
characterised by elaborate and fanciful architecture. The
broad pyramidical facade comprises five storeys of semi
octagonal overhanging windows with perforated screens, domes
and spires.
Govind Devji Temple : To the north of Chandra Mahal in
the midst of the sprawling Jai Niwas Garden is the spireless
temple of Lord Krishna. The idol wsa brought from Vrindavan
and installed here by Sawai Jai Singh II as the tutelary
deity. Today, the temple attracts devotees, from all over the
country. A delightful system of fountains is placed in the
middle of the paved path between the Chandra Mahal and the
Badal Mahal. The palace has extensive and sprawling gardens.
Amer Fort : At a short distance of 11 kms . from Jaipur,
the Amer Fort complex stands amidst wooded hills overlooking
the Delhi-Jaipur highway, with its forbidding ramparts
reflected in the still waters of the Maota Lake below. One of
the finest examples of Rajput architecture, it was the ancient
capital of the Kachhawah rulers. The original palace was built
by Raja Man Singh and additions were made later by Sawai Jai
Singh. Within the palace are the Diwan-e-Aam or the "Hall of
Public Audience", the Diwan-e-Khas or the "Hall of Private
Audience" and the Sukh Niws where a cool breeze blows across
channels of water for the purpose of air-conditioning.
Ram Niwas Garden Central Museum (or Albert Hall Museum) :
Situated in the spacious and beautiful Ram Niwas Garden, the
museum has a rare collection of art facts and craft items such
as metalwork, ivory carvings, cane wood articles and exquisite
pieces of jewellery, textile, pottery and paintings. It is
particularly rich in specimen of embossed, hammered and
chiselled brass wares. The building was designed by Colonel
Sir Swinton Jacob in the modern Indo-Saracenic style and was
built in 1886 A.D. when King Edward VII visited as the Prince
of Wales.
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