India It is a huge country and one of the states that compose it is Rajasthan, whose capital is the beautiful and attractive city of Jaipur We will talk about it today because it is one of the most tourist destinations in the country.
It is one of the most populated cities in India and has a lovely nickname: «The Pink City», because if there is a color that predominates among the buildings, it is that. Also, since 2019 Jaipur es World Heritage. Today then what to see in Jaipur.
Jaipur.
Is the capital of the state of Rajasthan, is inhabited by 3 million people and thus, it is the tenth most populous city in India. In addition, as we said above, it is a super tourist destination since It is located in the Golden Triangle circuit which makes up with Delhi and Agra. Delhi is about 240 kilometers away and Agra 149 km, in addition to that Jaipur itself is usually the springboard to other cities such as Kota, Udaipur or Mount Abu ...
Jaipur. was founded by the King of Amer in 1727 with the intention of moving its capital from Amer to this new city as there were more people and less water. A) Yes, Jaipur was thought, planned and built. The plan was divided into nine blocks, two with public buildings and palaces and the rest dedicated to the common population. Seven fortified gates and several huge access ramps were added.
It was in 1876 the city was painted pink, on the occasion of the visit of the Prince of Wales Albert, future King Edward VII. Today much remains of that original color and that is why Jaipir is also called Pink City.
The weather is very hot in summer, and humid, and winters are mild and short. It rains a lot between July and August, due to the passage of the monsoon, and if you go in summer be prepared that there may be days that touch 48 ºC. A fright.
What to see in Jaipur
In principle, the Palace Complex which is within the walled city. It was thought by King Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II, the founder, and it is a beautiful fusion of two architectural styles, the Mughal and the Rajput. Still today, in some parts of the complex, live the royal family.
The complex includes the Mubarak mahal or reception palace, the Maharani palace or the queen's palace. Today the first palace houses a royal museum and the second exhibits ancient weapons from the XNUMXth century, but it is also a beautiful building with paintings on the ceilings that still look great today.
One of the most classic postcards of Jaipur is the Hawa Mahal, or Palace of the Winds. It was built in 17879 by the poet king Sawai Pratap Singh as a family summer retreat. Through its innumerable windows the royal family could peer outside without being seen.
The building has five floors, a mixture of Indian and Hindu style, it is made with pink limestone and although it is always photographed from the outside, one can enter and climb up to the roof to enjoy a great panoramic view of the city. In the courtyard there is an archaeological museum.
El Nahargarth Fort It is on the Aravalli Hills and they are the best backdrop for Jaipur. It was built in 1734 and expanded in 1868, and it served as an incredible barrier against enemies. Inside there was a royal summer retreat, a palace with room for twelve wives and a king. All connected by corridors with murals.
Another imposing fort is the Jaigarh Fort, about 15 kilometers away from the city, on rocky and arid hills. It is old and it has an old cannon which is the biggest canyon in the world. Another recommended site is the Birla Temple, built on the base of Moti Dungari, on a high platform, all in white marble. It was built by the Birlas family, very wealthy entrepreneurs, in 1988, and is dedicated to Vishnu and his partner, Lakshmi.
There are two more temples that are touristy: the Govind Devji Temple and Moti Doongri Ganesh Temple. But of course, they are not the only ones, there is also the Digamber Jain Mandir Temple, 14 kilometers away, in Sanganer. On the other hand, the pilgrims come to Galtaji, an ancient pilgrimage center in the city, crossing by the Temple of the Monkey, with many of these animals that are loose. The site is beautiful, on a green hill.
El Lake Palace or Jal Mahal It is a treasure in Jaipur, a colored limestone building, on a blue lake, contrasting in the best way. It floats like a ship in the middle of Man Sagar Lake and cannot be entered but admired from the outside. The Sisodia Rani Palace and his garden is only eight kilometers from Jaipur on the Agra highway. It is Mughal style, painted with the legends of Radha and Krishna. The garden has many fountains, water spaces and colorful pavilions.
El Vidyadhar Garden it is close and it is also very beautiful. Continuing with the green theme is the Central Park, huge green area in the center of the city. It's great to pass by, stop for a bit, take photos. It is the largest park in the city and contains even a golf course. Here is also the National flag, huge. Another recommended garden is the Ram Nivas Garden, dating from 1868, in the heart of the city and hosting the Albert Hall Museum o Central Museum, a zoo, a bird park, a theater and an art gallery.
This museum was inspired by the Victoria & Albert Museum in London and in its rooms you can see handicrafts of different materials, folders, sculptures, weapons, ivory objects and a beautiful and valuable collection of miniatures from all the local art schools.
Another similar site is the life-size white marble statue of the founder of Jaipur, King Sawai Jai Singh II. Or the Ishwar minaret, near the Tripolia Gate, built in 1749, from whose top you can take an unforgettable photo.
Nor can we forget the Queens Memorial, the funeral area that belongs to the women of the royal family, just on the road to Fort Ambar. It is a crematorium with many beautiful cenotaphs, made of marble and local stone. An interesting place to learn about local and Indian history is the Jaipur Wax Museum, inside Fort Nahargarh, with its collection of 30 statues, including Gandhi, Bhagat Singh or Michael Jackson.
Another famous site in Jaipur is the Raj Mandir cinema, a luxurious cinema that is ideal to enjoy a good Indian cinema movie. It dates from 1976 and is quite extravagant, with stairways and chandeliers everywhere. There is also the Madhvendra Palace that King Sawai Ram Singh built for his nine queens, about 15 kilometers if you want to move a bit, or the Akshardham Temple, one of the most visited for its architectural splendor.
We talk about parks, temples, forts ... but we need to talk about more museums: there is the Museum of Gems and Jewelry, near the New Gate, the Amrapali Museum, also dedicated to Indian jewelry, the Museum of the Legacies, dedicated to the culture of Rajasthan and the Anokhi Museum of handwriting, which works in a beautiful mansion and the Jantar Mantar, a World Heritage site that It is the largest of the five observatory built by King Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II, the founding king of the city. It is spectacular.
Practical information about Jaipur
- How to get there: Jaipur has an international airport, Sanganer Airport. There are domestic flights to all of India. It can also be reached by road from the other cities of the state and by train from Agra, Delhi, Bombai, Calcutta, Udaipur, Bangalor, etc.