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One
of the major tourist
destinations of India, Jaipur
India is given a world wild
title, as the Pink City due to
the pink wash applied to its
buildings. Travel to Jaipur -
the capital city of Rajasthan,
it is an abode of extensive
boulevard and beautiful gardens.
Jaipur India was founded by
Sawai Jaisingh II, in 1727 AD,
still preserves its glory of
rich history and culture. The
past comes alive in its
impressive forts, majestic
palaces and in its royal
building which for centuries
were the abode of royal
families. Rajasthani jewelry,
art and fabrics maintain an
ageless feature and are surely a
treasure-trove for the shoppers.
These exquisite items are of
great demand in the
international market. Jaipur
Tourism with its romantic grace
takes one to an era of kingship
and heritage. |
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Main Attractions in Jaipur |
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Hawa Mahal |
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Located
to one side, but a part
of the City Palace
complex, Hawa Mahal is
best viewed from the
street outside. If is
were not for the
bustling bazaar all
around, it would have
been easy to mistake it
for a film set, so
exquisitely is it
proportioned, and so
incongruous is its
delicacy. Hawa Mahal
consists of five tiers
of corridors on the
inside, with pierced
screen windows that
overlook the street
below.
If one were to select
the most outstanding of
all buildings in the
walled city, or the most
unusual, then the Hawa
Mahal would easily stand
out. Built in 1799 by
Maharaja Sawai Pratap
Singh, this remarkable
structure adjoins the
outside of the City
Palace wall. Sawai
Pratap Singh was a great
devotee of Lord Krishna
and he dedicated this
mahal to the Lord, its
intricate exterior wall
looks like a mukut
(crown), which adorns
Lord Krishna’s head. |
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City Palace |
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The
City Palace is located
in Pink City, Jaipur
which is the capital of
Rajasthan. The City
Palace has an imposing
blend of traditional
Rajasthan and Mughal
architecture. The vast
palace complex occupies
one seventh of the
walled city of Jaipur.
The City Palace was
originally built by
Maharaja Jai Singh II of
the Kachhwaha clan of
Rajputs. Later several
additions were made to
the palace complex by
many of his successors.
The City Palace is the
core of the royal
residences in Jaipur.
The centre of the
palace, is the Chandra
Mahal, or the Moon
Palace, which provides a
fine view of the gardens
and the city. The ground
and first floor of the
Chandra Mahal, form the
Maharaja Sawai Man Singh
Museum. |
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Jantar Mantar |
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Jantar
Mantar of Jaipur is one
of the five astronomical
observatories built by
Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh
II in the year 1728.
There is a story behind
this observatory also.
The Maharaja, ruler of
Ajmer and founder of
Jaipur, was a scholarly
man interested in the
workings of the
celestial bodies.
Emperor Muhammad Shah,
once, asked him to make
corrections in the
astronomical tables and
to confirm the already
available planetary
positions data. For the
purpose, he built two
observatories, one at
Delhi (in 1724) and one
at Jaipur (in 1724). It
took him approximately 7
years to finish the task
assigned by Muhammad
Shah. |
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Ram Niwas Bagh |
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Gardens
are laid to decorate
cities, add softness to
the concrete jungles and
cast a relief in the
barrenness around.
Gardens represent
leisure and romance. It
is often people wish to
spend a few moments
among the greenery and
flora and fauna of
nature for respite from
the daily events. Ram
Niwas Bagh was
established by the
founder keeping in mind
the famine that had
struck the city. Ram
Niwas Bagh in Jaipur is
a green patch in the
midst of acres of barren
desert. It is a garden
established by Maharaja
Ram Sigh in the 19th
century. It was a famine
relief project and also
houses a zoo, a bird
sanctuary, a museum and
a sports complex. |
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Amber Fort |
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Amber
Fort is located in Amber
(Jaipur), which used to
be the capital of the
Kachhwaha clan, till
Jaipur was made the
official capital in
1727. The Amber Fort
looks stunning,
all-built in white
marble and red
sandstone. To add to its
charm, Maotha Lake makes
its foreground. The
crystal mirror image of
the Fort, on the still
waters of the lake,
seems to be a beautiful
illusion. Amber Fort is
usually pronounced as
Amer Fort. In 1592,
construction of the Fort
was started by Raja Man
Singh I. However, the
Amber Fort took its
present form during the
reign of Raja Jai Singh
I.
The outer appearance of
the Fort, being rough
and craggy is totally
different from its core.
The interior of the Fort
provides a soothing and
warm ambience, which is
least expected from its
outer appearance. |
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Jaigarh Fort |
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Whenever Man Singh I
(late 16th century) or
his successors warred
and won gold, silver,
jewels and other booty,
they hoarded it in the
Jaigarh Fort. and they
had the loyal Minas to
fiercely guard their
haul. (In fact, legends
tell us that the Minas
were such strict guards
that they let each new
Kachhawaha king to enter
only once and pick one
single piece for himself
from the dazzling pile!)
Anyway, all this
treasure paid first for
building Amber, then
Jaipur and for centuries
of lavish living. Indian
Government officials
tried to retrieve
whatever was left; they
dug the place in 1976
but found nothing. In
fact they even drained
the three arched water
tanks (in a courtyard on
the way to the northern
end of the fort) in the
hope of finding the
fortune there. Some say
that everything was used
up in building Jaipur
while others claim that
it is still there
somewhere. |
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Nahargarh Fort |
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Nahargarh Fort is the
first of the three forts
built by Maharaja Jai
Sawai Singh of Jaipur.
The Fort stands at the
top of rugged point of
the Aravalis and offers
a spectacular view of
the City. Keeping this
fact in mind, the fort
was made to serve as a
means of supporting the
security of Amer. The
term "Nahargarh" refers
to "the Abode of
Tigers", so it is also
known as the Tiger Fort.
The Fort was constructed
mainly in 1734, however
further additions were
made to it, by the
succeeding rulers in the
19th century.
Another major attraction
of the Fort is that, it
provides an eye catching
view of the Man Sagar
Lake and the suburbs.
The geometrically
designed Nahargarh Fort
looks at its best in the
night, when it is
dazzlingly lit. |
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A Stay To Remember |
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There are number of hotels in
Jaipur which provide comfortable
stay to its visitors. The hotel
category may vary from deluxe to
budget. All the hotels are
present with requisite
facilities. |
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