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History of Jaipur
 Built by the warrior-astronomer Raja Sawai Jai Singh II in 1727, it is full of formidable forts, enchanting palaces and lovely temples. Jaipur is listed in most tourist books as one of the three cities that make India's Golden Triangle - the other two are Delhi and Agra. The old city of Jaipur is enclosed within seven gates, the most important of which are Chandpol, Jaipuri and Sanganeri.
The abode of architectural marvels like the majestic City Palace, the splendid Jantar Mantar, the glorious Hawa Mahal, the history laced Amer Fort, Jaigarh Fort and Nahargarh Fort, the land of colorful festivities like Teej and Gangaur- the marvelous Jaipur the capital city of vibrant Rajasthan is a must-visit tourist destination on the itinerary of every travel buff.
Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh, the Second, who gives the city its name, is credited with laying of the foundation stone of the beautiful Pink City in the year 1728. The blueprint of the city is the brain child of the uber talented Vidyadhar Bhattacharya, a descendant of the Shaspati lineage. Shilpa Shastra and the Pithapada form the keystone of his vision. Jaipur has been built in alignment with rules of the grid method of construction. Nine rectangle shaped chokris or city spheres, laid out in broad, spruced up roads comprises the avant-garde architectural framework of Jaipur. Bolstered by munition to ward off any foreign attack, Jaipur, in all its pink splendor is a fascinating spectacle to behold.
The birth of jaipur is dotted with engaging historical legends. History has it that Raja Sawai Jai Singh, the Second, conceptualized the creation of Jaipur, led by reasons like the growing head count, the paucity of water resources and the gradual demise of the Mughal aura. The charismatic ruler’s sound understanding of the science of engineering is reflected in the nook and corner of Jaipur. The amazing Jantar Mantar or the famous observatory, built between 1728 and 1734, is another architectural delight, credited to the Maharaja. An interesting nugget of information for all those quiz buffs is that the incredibly talented Raja, is said to have contrived the mechanism for watering the sprawling acres of Amber Fort, at the tender age of thirteen.
The City Palace of Jaipur forms the cynosure of attraction, both literally and metaphorically. It comprises the Olympian palace, the Jantar Mantar and the janana mahals or the dwelling of the Maharanis’, an insignia of his political maneuvering. A fervent devotee of Lord Krishna, the King reestablished the idol of the blue hued God, at Jaipur in the year 1719.
A real connoisseur of art and culture, Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh’s court witnessed an unprecedented spurt of activities in the cultural sphere. Distinguished intellectuals made a beeline for the esteemed Raja’s durbar.
This famous city is the capital of Rajasthan and has earned universal renown as the " Pink City ", and pink it is, with beautiful constructed palaces, havelis and forts. Tall, rugged men with handle-bar whiskers sport bright pink turbans. A strong wall encircles the old city and even today has a suggestion of formidable strength, its function of protecting all within is obvious.
Jaipur was the first planned city of its time ( the earlier planned city in northern India having been built near Taxila sometime in the 2nd century BC ). Jaipur was planned by Vidhyadhar Bhattacharya, a Bengali architect, in a grid system with wide straight avenues, roads, streets and lanes and uniform rows of shops on either side of the main bazaars, all arranged in nine rectangular city sectors (chokris). The city itself is an attractive creation worthy of universal admiration.
The wonderful Jaipur, located in Eastern Rajasthan, occupying 11117.8 square.kilometers, is situated at a height four hundred and thirty meters. Temperatures soars up to forty five degrees during the sweltering summer months and plummets down to twenty two degrees during the chilly winter season. Ban Ganga and Sabi flow through its historic terrains. The Ramgarh Dam, built upon the Ban Ganga, is a constant source of drinking water. It also houses the Sambhar Lake, that is famed for its salt. English, Rajasthani and Hindi forms common dialects of Jaipur.
Strewn with remnants of yester years, Jaipur houses some of the exquisite tourist highlights. Maps of India lists some of the must visit destinations of the Pink City.
Hot Attractions
- Kite Festival: A festival with a difference - as kites take to the sky all over Jaipur. In the evening, kites with lights in them and fireworks brighten the skies above. If you like kite flying, you should be here.
Elephant Festival: A festival to celebrate Holi, this is a great occasion for the visitor to watch several elephant sports and also play this festival of colors.
Gangaur Fair: A festival devoted to Goddess Parvati. It is time for young girls to dress up in their finery and pray for grooms of their choice while the married women pray for the well-being of their husbands.
Teej Festival: A festival to mark the advent of monsoon. Essentially a women's festival, it is interesting to watch them enjoying in groups and at various bazaars where they turn up to shop in all their finery.
Reaching Jaipur
- By Air
Jaipur is well connected to all the major cities which includes Delhi, Mumbai, Calcutta, Jodhpur, Udaipur. Recently, flights to Dubai has also started from Jaipur by Indian Airlines.
- By Bus
Rajasthan Roadways run very comfortable deluxe & air conditioned buses from Delhi (Bikaner House, Nr. India Gate) to Jaipur. The roads are very good, and it takes around 5-6 hrs from Delhi. You can also come by taxi.
- By Train
Jaipur is on the Broad Gauge and hence connected to all the metro cities of India. There are daily trains from Delhi in morning (Shatabdhi Exp) and evening (Intercity Exp).
Getting around
In the city you can travel by un-metered auto-rickshaws, buses, cycle-rickshaws or you can also use car cabs and car-taxi. The Rajasthan Tourism Development Corporation operates regular bus service for local city tour
There is a feast in store for tourists. Attractive monuments where one can breathe the fragrance of history. Comfortable and luxurious hotels, once the proud of kings, parks, gardens, and excursions of nearby places of interest, make Jaipur a tourist's paradise. Jaipur History Getting there and around
One of India's hottest tourist destinations, Jaipur's well-connected to the rest of the country: the domestic airport has regular flights to and from all across India, and trains- including superfast Shatabdis- link the city to Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, and a host of other cities in Rajasthan, Gujarat and other nearby states. Besides that, buses (regular as well as deluxe and air-conditioned) are operated from neighbouring states, and within Rajasthan, by the Rajasthan State Roadways. The Rajasthan Tourism Development Corporation (the RTDC), also run special daytrips to Jaipur from Delhi, Agra and elsewhere.
Getting around Jaipur is best done by autorickshaw, tourist taxis or cycle rickshaws, as public buses are usually crowded and uncomfortable. Alternately, you could try hiring a car: chauffeur-driven jeeps, buses, cars, minivans and MUVs are readily available for hire within the city and to the attractions round about.
Accommodation
Visitors to Jaipur can choose from the luxurious splendour of regal palace hotels and deluxe modern hotels with all the facilities to modest three star ones down to economical lodges, guest houses and tourist hostels run by government agencies. For those looking for the ultimate in Rajasthan exotica, a stay in a heritage hotel is highly recommended- check out the Samode Palace, which has been rated as one of the world's best heritage hotels.
Within each segment of hotels, a wide variety of accommodation and price options are available as Jaipur is a prime tourist destination. The RTDC can also arrange for home stays for those visitors who would like to stay with local families.The contact address is: Department of Tourism , Art & Culture, Government of Rajasthan, Govt. Hostel Campus, Paryatan Bhawan, M.I. Road, Jaipur - 302 001(Tel. : 5110595-7) |
