Discover the Pink City of India: Jaipur
Part of India’s popular Golden Triangle and amongst the country’s top tourist destinations, Jaipur is brimming with heritage, history, culture, and beautiful architecture. The capital of the Rajasthan region, Jaipur has a good infrastructure, making visiting not only pleasant, but relatively straight-forward. You’ll find plenty of places to eat, drink, and sleep, as well as an abundance of fascinating sights and great Jaipur travel guides to help you make your most of the time in the Pink City.It is known as the Pink City because of the lovely colour of the buildings; they were painted so as to emulate the red sandstone that is often found in typical Mughal cities.
If you’re planning a trip to India’s enchanting city of Jaipur, here are some of the best things to see and do:
Amber Fort
Also sometimes referred to as the Amer Fort, Jaipur’s Amber Fort is a huge complex that once served as both a palace and a defensive fortress. Sitting in an elevated position, whilst it is possible to hike up the hill, many visitors choose to ride a brightly-coloured elephant to the complex, arriving in the same manner as dignitaries did in times gone by. Combining elements from typical Hindu and Islamic architecture, it was constructed from pink and yellow sandstone with gleaming white marble. You can admire the ornate wall tiles, feel in awe as you stand in the large main courtyard, called JalebChok, feast your eyes on the decorative details of the Siladevi Temple, step through exquisite arches to enter the apartments, soak up the beauty of the intricate and, in parts, whimsical wall carvings, and more. The fort’s lofty position lets you gaze across the shimmering waters of the lake and soak up excellent views. A superb site, exploring with a Jaipur travel guide is highly recommended so that you can learn more about the building’s past and the people who once lived in splendour within its walls.
City Palace
Jaipur’s sprawling and spectacular City Palace is home to a number of impressive and interesting structures, elegant courtyards, and well-maintained gardens, and it is well worth dedicating an entire day, if not longer, to discover the many gems within the complex. A tour guide is highly recommended to help you navigate your way around the complex and hit the highlights, especially if your time is limited. The current Jaipur Maharajah (ruler) lives within the grand Chandra Mahal, and it is easy to imagine that you have been transported back to the days when the ruling elite wielded much power of the common folks. Don’t miss seeing the enormous silver pieces in Dian-e-Khas and the super-sized clothing of a former heavy-set Maharaja in Mubarak Mahal. There are also several museums within the palace complex, including a display of weapons inside the former Maharani Palace. Cast your gaze towards the ceiling and be dazzled by the opulent gem-encrusted designs.
Hawa Mahal
Also known as the Palace of the Winds, the unusual Hawa Mahal is a striking vision of dusky pink with row upon row of small windows. Part of the City Palace, it was built to allow the royal and noble ladies to peer out onto the bustling streets below, and observe regular daily activities, without being seen themselves. As you walk in front of the building, imagine unseen eyes peeping out at you from behind the façade. It is possible to go inside too, where you can feel like royalty as you indulge in a spot of people-watching.
Govind Dev ji Temple
Also within the City Palace complex, Govind Dev ji Temple is one of the most important temples across the globe for adherents of Vaishnavism, one of the Hindu sects. Housing several images of Lord Krishna, it is not unusual to see devotees worshiping and leaving offerings of flower garlands and incense.
Jantar Mantar
With a rather curious appearance, Jantar Mantar is a large astronomical observatory. The cumbersome, yet precise, instruments do appear, however, to be some sort of rather odd playground! A UNESCO-protected site, it shows Maharaja Jai Singh’s fascination with the universe. Dating back to the early 1700s, instruments include those that can track stars, measure periods of time, follow the paths of planets, and more. Although the large devices might look rather odd in today’s technological world, they were really quite revolutionary for their time. The available information is quite sparse, so having a Jaipur tour guide would really help you to fully appreciate the innovative equipment and understand how each piece works.
Other great places to enjoy whilst in Jaipur include the mighty Jaigarh Fort and the relatively small Nahargarh Fort, the gleaming Marble Temple, the temple of MotiDoongari, the Winter Palace of JalMahal, the historical pilgrimage spot of Galtaji, and peaceful gardens, such as Vidyadhar and Ram Niwas. Experience a veritable assault on your senses with a chaotic exploration of the bustling and colourful bazaar, and sit alongside locals as you watch a show at the Raj Mandir Theatre.
