Jaipur, the Pink City By Seher, Mumbai, India
In February this year, I decided to finally visit Rajasthan, especially Jaipur, the Pink city. All my friends had been there and I was so jealous of the way they described the rustic beauty of the place. So I got my family together and headed for the land of folk-lore’s, of kings and queens.
How to reach there:
Air: There are domestic flight connections to Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Jodhpur and Udaipur.
Air: There are domestic flight connections to Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Jodhpur and Udaipur.
Train: Connections are from Delhi, Agra, Mumbai, Chennai, Bikaner, Jodhpur, Udaipur, Ahmedabad as well as many other main cities.
Road: Regular bus service of AC and Deluxe Coaches are available. We had taken a car on rent from Delhi.
Best time to visit: Oct – March
Clothing: Take warm clothes in winter and light cotton for summer as Rajasthan has extreme weather.
Places to visit
Amber Palace:
Established 11 kilometers from Jaipur City, Amber Palace or rather fort, defends the entrance into the city of Jaipur. We reached there quite early, so that we could be able to beat the herd of tourists on their way. This magnificent fort has been the citadel of the Kachchawaha dynasty for seven centuries. Some of its old structures have disappeared or is in ruins, but those parts built in the 16th century are in remarkable state of preservation.
Elephant ride up:
The Fort is approached by a steep ramp and we enjoyed an elephant ride up there. The ramp leads to Jaleb Chawk a huge courtyard where they disembarked or returned from war. In ancient times, women of the palace watched all the war booty laid down here from the “Jharokha”.
Sheesh Mahal (palace of mirrors):
It is one of the marvels of the Rajasthan. The mirrors are encrusted on the wall in such an amazing way that a small light can illuminate the hall. It has been a backdrop for many movie sequences as well. The living palaces on the ground floor are replicated on the first floor to allow the residents to be comfortable in different seasons by shifting accordingly.
Hawamahal:
It took us around an hour of lazy road watching to reach the heart of Jaipur. The first place we went to was Hawamahal – The Palace of Winds. The palace is a façade, which is fifty feet in height and a mere one-foot in width Its original intention was to allow royal ladies to observe everyday life in the street below without being seen. It is constructed of red and pink sandstone, highlighted with white quick lime. The side facing the street outside the palace complex has 953 small windows, and the breeze (hawa) which circulates through these windows gives the palace its name. The Hawa Mahal when viewed from a distance also resembles the Mukut (crown) of Lord Krishna.
It took us around an hour of lazy road watching to reach the heart of Jaipur. The first place we went to was Hawamahal – The Palace of Winds. The palace is a façade, which is fifty feet in height and a mere one-foot in width Its original intention was to allow royal ladies to observe everyday life in the street below without being seen. It is constructed of red and pink sandstone, highlighted with white quick lime. The side facing the street outside the palace complex has 953 small windows, and the breeze (hawa) which circulates through these windows gives the palace its name. The Hawa Mahal when viewed from a distance also resembles the Mukut (crown) of Lord Krishna.
City Palace:
In the heart of city lies the royal residence, City Palace. Grey-white marble columns support the carved arches with floral motifs in gold and colored stones. We saw 2 huge sterling silver vessels, at least 5 feet tall, used by the Raja when he took his own water from the sacred river on a trip to London .They are in the Guinness Book of World Records.
In the heart of city lies the royal residence, City Palace. Grey-white marble columns support the carved arches with floral motifs in gold and colored stones. We saw 2 huge sterling silver vessels, at least 5 feet tall, used by the Raja when he took his own water from the sacred river on a trip to London .They are in the Guinness Book of World Records.
Nahargarh Fort:
Portions of the movie Rang De Basanti was shot at this fort. To go the area where the 'Pathshala' song was shot, take a left turn as soon as you enter the fort. One of the major attractions of the Nahargarh Fort is the view it offers of the Man Sagar Lake and the surrounding area.
Portions of the movie Rang De Basanti was shot at this fort. To go the area where the 'Pathshala' song was shot, take a left turn as soon as you enter the fort. One of the major attractions of the Nahargarh Fort is the view it offers of the Man Sagar Lake and the surrounding area.
Jal Mahal:
The palace is perched amidst Mansagar Lake, which is in turn nestled amongst the Nahargarh hills. The first four floors of this building are under water; only the top floor remains outside. A causeway leads to Jal Mahal. The lake eco system is home to a variety of migratory and resident birds. The Mansagar Dam on the eastern side of the lake acts as a vantage point for viewing the lake and the valley.
The palace is perched amidst Mansagar Lake, which is in turn nestled amongst the Nahargarh hills. The first four floors of this building are under water; only the top floor remains outside. A causeway leads to Jal Mahal. The lake eco system is home to a variety of migratory and resident birds. The Mansagar Dam on the eastern side of the lake acts as a vantage point for viewing the lake and the valley.
Jantar Mantar:
We next visited Jantar Mantar of Jaipur, the Observatory built between 1727 and 1733. With the instruments here, the ancient scientists could measure time, predict eclipses, track stars in their orbit and more. The instruments are large, one 90 ft. tall, and form a garden of geometric forms. Using one sun dial one can tell the time with accuracy within 2 seconds.
We next visited Jantar Mantar of Jaipur, the Observatory built between 1727 and 1733. With the instruments here, the ancient scientists could measure time, predict eclipses, track stars in their orbit and more. The instruments are large, one 90 ft. tall, and form a garden of geometric forms. Using one sun dial one can tell the time with accuracy within 2 seconds.
Shopping at Jaipur:
An abundance of semi-precious and precious stones can be found at any corner of the city. The people of the Pink City are famous for their cutting style and homey touch to jewelry and stones. It is a great place to acquire and accessorize all you're wants and desires - a great place to shop till you drop. Jaipury clothes are popular all over the country, and perhaps the world.
An abundance of semi-precious and precious stones can be found at any corner of the city. The people of the Pink City are famous for their cutting style and homey touch to jewelry and stones. It is a great place to acquire and accessorize all you're wants and desires - a great place to shop till you drop. Jaipury clothes are popular all over the country, and perhaps the world.
We came back from Jaipur with our heart and bags full of memories.
beautiful depiction of a beautiful place. i have been to Jaipur once and i guess i missed the Nahargarh fort mentioned by you. will surely give it a trip next time. once again, beautiful writing. i love the way you have described the place.
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you have a knack of writing beautifully. i had read your last travel blog about Lakhshadweep and found it very informative. i admire the way you give all imp details and a small personal touch by telling the "trivial" things.. keep it coming.
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the pictures are so beautiful. i want to pack my bags and go to jaipur right now. the angle with the song pathshala was very interesting.
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