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Founded
in AD 1727 by Sawai Jaisingh II, the capital of
Rajasthan is popularly known as the Pink City with broad
avenues and spacious gardens. The original city light
grey, edged with white border and motifs. In honor of
the visit in 1983 of prince Albert, consort to Queen
Victoria, it was order to be painted the traditional
color of welcome, which has been retained since.
The city was designed by Vidyasagar Chkravarty, a young
Bengali architect, who succeeded in making a marvellous
synthesis of many influences- Hindu, Jain, Mughal (with
Persian overtones), beside his own idea from eastern
India.
This fascinating city with its romantic charm takes you
to an epoch of royalty and tradition. The imperial city,
replete with amazing legends of romance and heroism.
This is the fortified city of Jodhpur, standing a wary
sentinel to the great Thar Desert. Beckoning you to the
wilderness of fascinating dunes, rocky terrain and
thorny vegetation.
General Information
Altitude:
236.53 meters
Best Season:
July to March
STD Code:
0141
How to get there
Air
Jaipur is connected by air with Delhi, Jodhpur, Udaipur,
Aurangabad, Bombay, Varanasi, Calcutta, Ahmedabad.
Rail
Jaipur is connected by rail with Delhi, Agra, Ahmedabad,
Ajmer, Abu Road (Mount Abu), Udaipur, Bombay and Sawai
Madhopur.
Road
Good motorable roads connect Jaipur with Delhi 258 km,
Agra 236 km, Bikaner 321 km, Udaipur 405 km, Ajmer 131
km, Jodhpur 316 km, Bharatpur 176 km, Jaisalmer 638 km
and Bombay 1202 km
In and around
City Palace
In the center of the sprawling old walled city stands
the City Palace with its ornate entrance gates, arches,
projecting balconies and a series of courtyards. The
ground and first floors of the seven storey Chandra
Mahal houses the Maharaja Sawai Man Singh II Museum. The
museum has a rare and rich collection of ornaments,
arms, royal costumes, carpets and decorative art
objects.
Hawa Mahal
Or palace of winds, which is , in fact, no Palace, but
an extraordinary facade 0f 953 airy windows used by the
ladies of the Palace to watch the outside world. It was
built in 1799. The top of the honeycomb like frontage of
Hawa Mahal offers an excellent view of the surrounding
Jantar Mantar
The observatory of Maharaja Jai Singh II. The
construction and precision of the observatory were a
unique achievement for the year 1716. This observatory
best reflects the passion of its founder for astronomy
and his scientific genius. It helped in calculating the
movements and positions of stars and planets and in
foretelling the eclipses.
Jaigarh Fort
It was recently opened to the public after being sealed
for seven years, following a rumor that an enormous
treasure in gold was buried in vaults under deep
reservoirs.
Nahargarh Fort
Nahargarh Fort 15 km, provides a marvelous view of
Jaipur city. Shekhawati 168 km, the painted town, was
once subordinate to Jaipur. Sariska Palace 37 km, once a
hunting lodge, now a private hotel set on the outskirs
of a wildlife sanctuary where tiger, panther, blue bull,
wild boar and deer roam the scrubby thicket and bush.
Mehrangarh Fort
One of the largest forts in India, it is unsurpassed in
beauty and grandeur. Innumerable palaces in the fort,
interspersed with sprawling courtyards, are intricately
carved. Various folk musicians and bands gather here on
important occasions and perform against the magical
backdrop of the fort - reviving the regal splendor of a
bygone era.
Jaswant Thada
The 19th century royal cenotaph, a creation in white
marble was built in commemoration of Maharaja Jaswant
Singh II and displays some rare portraits of Jodhpur's
rulers.
Umaid Bhawan Palace
The only palace built in the 20th century as a famine
relief project, which gave employment to hundreds of
people for 16 years. Its sculpted lawns with sandstone
pavements and bouquets of bougainvillea bushes, offer a
lovely sight. The palace now runs as a hotel with a part
of it retained as a museum.
Mandore
The capital of ancient Marwar, it is truly an oasis in
the desert with its beautifully laid out gardens. The
sprawling greenery of peepal, banyan, palms and
plantains along with swirling fountains and lovely
peacocks make Mandore a visual treat. The main
attraction is the 'Hall of Heroes' housing sixteen
gigantic figures chiselled out of a single rock and the
cenotaphs of the former maharajas of Jodhpur.
Clock Tower and Sardar Market
One can go shopping for Jodhpur tie-and-dye textile,
embroidered leather shoes, lacquer ware, antiques,
carpets and puppets, amidst the setting of traditional
haat bazaar and the well-planned Sardar Market near the
Clock Tower.
Mahamandir Temple
Built in 1812, is an old walled town with few hundred
houses. The temple with 84 beautifully carved pillars is
an architectural wonder.
Kailana Lake
An artificial lake on the Jaisalmer road. An idyllic
picnic spot with spectacular sunsets.
Balsamand Lake and Palace
A picturesque artificial lake with a summer palace on
its banks. There are lush orchards of mango, guava and
other fruits.
Sardar Samand Lake and Palace
As you drive to the lake, the picturesque countryside
with lovely villages and smiling folks on the way, offer
a spectacular sight. A rendezvous with chinkara and
black buck might add more fun to the drive.
Osian
An ancient town of the Thar Desert, renowned for a
cluster of ruined Brahmanical and Jain temples dating
from 8th to 11th century. The most important temples are
the Surya or Sun Temple and the Sachiya Mata Temple. The
latter has a 'shikhar' clustered by a row of tarrets, an
ambulatory and a large assembly hall with an elaborate
ceiling.
Guda Bishnoi (25 km)
These are immaculately kept villages of Bishnoi
community-staunch believers in the sanctity of plant and
animal life. Khejri trees and varieties of deer are the
attractions of the villages
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