TRAVEL WITH JAN: INDIA APRIL 2015 - JAIPUR TO RANTHAMBORHE

HAWA MAHAL JAIPUR

COBRA SNAKE CHARMER

AMBER FORT JAIPUR

JAIPUR INDIA - we arrived Thursday April 16, 2015 and it is truly a spectacular city to be a traveller in! The PINK CITY of Jaipur was originally called Sawai Jaipur after its' founder Sawai Jai Singh in 1727 AD. It epitomizes the dreams of a visionary Kachhwaha ruler who wanted to build a planned capital city with the creative ideas of his talented designer & builder Vidyadhar. On a dried lake bed beneath Amer, Sawai Jai Singh's hill fort, he built a new capital naming it JAIPUR after himself "Jai" also means victory. In the course of time the sunset-pink tinge of its' walls, building, temples and emporia gave it the name by which it has become famous throughout the world.

ANYONE HOME?

Jai Singh envisaged this first planned city as the capital of united Rajputana, a centre for government, trade and workmanship. Some 250 years later, his foresight brought his ambition to reality. In 1948 after Independence for India, Maharaja MansinghII became "Rajpramukh", Head of the Rajputana renamed Rajasthan. Jaipur became the administrative & commercial capital of a democratized collection of formerly princely states.

Jaipur was built by Vidyadhar in a grid system with wide straight avenues, roads, streets and lanes and uniform rows of shops on either side of the main bazaar, all arranged in nine rectangular sectors called CHOKRIS. At its' heart stands the Palace which occupies two sectors. Jaipur was an attractive creation worthy of universal admiration. The Principal monuments are concentrated around the centrally located Palace sector called Chowkri Sarhad. Jaipur follows the principle of the ancient Hindu architectural treatise - the "SHILPA SHASTRA".

RIDE TO AMBER FORT ON ELEPHANTS

Jaipuris situated at 431 metres above sea level, there are various legends as to why Jaipur is called The PINK CITY, two are worthy of mention. It was believed that the Prince of Wales, the late Edward VII, visited India in 1876AD during the reign of Jai Singh. On his arrival he was given a warm welcome , and the entire city was paved with pink Bajri (fine gravel), thus giving it the name Pink City. Another theory is the Mahajrajah Jai Singh II was an ardent devotee of LORD SHIVA, and since terracotta is the favourite colour of the Lord he painted the entire city pink.

CLEANING LADY DRESSED IN BEAUTIFUL SAREE
AT AMBER FORT

We spent an amazing day and 2 nights here - the early morning was a visit to the Amber Fort which was the first royal residence of the Maharajas built on the top of a hill outside the main city of Jaipur. It stands with magnificent glory and consist of complex palaces, halls, pavilions, gardens & temples built by Raja Man Singh, Mirza Raja Jai Sing and Sawai Jai Singh over a period of 125 years and was completed in the 17th Century. The JAIGARH FORT lies above the Amber Fort and is one of the few military structures of medieval India preserved almost intact containing palaces, open garden and covered reservoirs. Being in the desert water is a precious commodity here. It also has an armoury, a well planned cannon foundry, several tall temples and a tall tower. While AMBER was the Royal residence, guarding it stood the military fortress JAIGARH - today you look around and see miles and miles miles of walls going up and down the hills around the Amber fort - I can only imagine how many bricks this took and how long to build it. Beyond JAIGARH stands the Fort of NAHARGARH, many in ruins day but the lovely buildings added by Sawai Ram SinghII and Sawai Macho Singh II in the 19th Century preserved well and provide good views of the city below.

AMAZING DIAWAL - I-AM at AMBER FORT

After spending lots of time (but never enough time or photos!) we headed into Jaipur City and the Palace Chandra Mahal (or Moon Palace) where the Royal Family still resides and is known today as the City Palace. The outer and inner courtyard have been converted into aPublic Museum - I loved the amazing well preserved gowns and formal attire that is in here, but unfortunately no photos. The coat from the 250kg Maharaja was huge! There were also woollen coats made for the first Maharaja to visit England. Then there was the amazing approximately 50 feet by 30 feet carpet made entirely from the purest pashmina - can you even imagine?

The HAWA MAHAL or Palace of the Wind was built by Sawai Pratap Singh in the 18th Century. HAWA MAHAL has a 5 storey unique facade - a;ll the windows have lattice stone screens from where the ladies of the court could view the activity in the city below without being seen.