Jaipur Travel Tips

Jaipur Travel Tips is the largest city in Rajasthan and was built in the eighteenth century by Sawai Jai Singh as India's first planned city. Jaipur is a major tourist attraction amongst Indian as well as international travellers. It belongs to the tourist Golden Triangle of Delhi, Jaipur and Agra. It hosts several attractions like the City Palace, Govind Dev ji Temple, Vidhan Sabha, Birla Temple, several massive Rajput forts and so on. It also serves as a stepping stone for travelers heading to the desert cities of Jodhpur and Jaisalmer.
Now Jaipur is growing fast and various development projects are being undertaken by the government and private enterprises. The town planning and infrastructure development in Jaipur is quite above the mark relative to many other Indian cities.
Jaipur is often called the Pink City in reference to its distinctly colored buildings, which were originally painted this color to imitate the red sandstone architecture of Maugham cities. The present earthy red color originates from repainting of the buildings undertaken for a visit by the Prince of Wales in 1876.

History of Jaipur city:
Jaipur is the largest city of Rajasthan which was established by Jai Singh II in 1727. It is considered to be India’s first planned city and it’s various sites are termed to be world class heritage by UNESCO world heritage. Initially Rajasthan capital was Amber which is few kilometers from Jaipur. Later on, Jaipur was named to be the capital of Rajasthan. I’ve read in some books that in 1872, Prince wales visited Jaipur and that’s when the whole Jaipur was colored in terracotta Pink. Hence, Jaipur is known as “The pink city”.
In addition, the architecture of Jaipur was considered to be the most advanced at that time. Probably the reason behind this is the architecture of monuments, palaces and other historic places, you will feel the touch of both Hindu-Muslim mix architecture. This is where the glimpse of royal and unbound Rajasthani culture can be seen. There is so much to tell about the Jaipur which I cannot explain in any single post. That’s why I have already shown some glimpse of Jaipur, its history and culture through last few posts on Jaipur.

Hawa Mahal
Hawa Mahal, the romantic pink sandstone fortress cascading over the streets of Jaipur, was originally built in 1799 as a vantage point for the ladies of the royal household. From behind the dark shadowed windows of Hawa Mahal, high above the streets, the women could observe the city below without being observed themselves. Today, the structure still stands as proudly as ever. The landmark “honeycomb” facade reaches five stories high and is made up of 152 windows nestled into rounded latticed balconies, exemplifying the strong yet delicate Rajput architecture in all its splendour. When the sun drops down toward the horizon, a small beam of sunlight can sometimes be seen shining through a top story window. For visitors looking to learn about the history of this building, a visit to the Hawa Mahal Museum, just behind the monument, is a must. It displays relics, artifacts, statues, and other historical memorabilia that commemorate Rajasthan’s royal history.

City Palace
Located just behind the Hawa Mahal is Jaipur’s famous City Palace, the centerpiece of the city and the heart of founder Jai Singh II’s reign. The City Palace includes Chandra Mahal and Mubarak Mahal as well as a number of other structures. Built with highly trained architectural care, City Palace combines Rajput, Mogul and European styles and is another stunning example of Jaipur’s royal influences. Concentric zones to fortify the inner dwellings of the palace, as well as the period-appropriate asymmetric design, make it an architectural marvel. Today, part of the City Palace is home to the Maharaja Sawai Man Singh II Museum, which showcases historical relics and art from the city and the region.

Jantar Mantar
Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II not only envisioned and executed the highly organised city of Jaipur, he was also responsible for the development of five astronomical observatories throughout west central India. Jantar Mantar is one such observatory located in the heart of Jaipur. The large-scale geometric formations are the stars of this historical structure, jutting out independently with staircases that lead to nowhere and in what would appear to be a random manner. The observatory is a wonder to architects and artists alike, and today, it is presented to audiences as an all-encompassing experience, complete with time-lapse sequences, drawings and 3D models to showcase this historical site.

Albert Hall Museum
Albert Hall Museum near the city centre is home to an industrial arts exhibit. This museum displays artifacts and information on the history of traditional arts and crafts around Jaipur and Rajasthan. It’s goal is to support local traditions and customs, and the people of Jaipur are very proud of this museum. Its architecture even impressed Rudyard Kipling, who wrote of the Albert Hall Museum, “It is now a rebuke to all other museums in India from Calcutta downwards.”

Amber Fort
One such Rajput palace is located only about 11 kilometres from the centre of Jaipur. The sand-coloured walls of Amber Fort (pictured above) fade into the surrounding hillside in a nearly perfect disguise. This was the original capital of Rajasthan before Maharaja Jai Singh II relocated during his reign to the City Palace. Constructed using breathtaking red sandstone and marble, this structure was built roughly 200 years before Jaipur was established. Today, you can hop on the back of an elephant decorated in bright colours and patterns. Rajput kings considered elephants their premier symbols of power. These animals have long been revered by locals and are often richly costumed with paints, fabrics, and jewels. You will sway gently in your high perch as your elephant lumbers majestically up the stone walkway to the hilltop’s main entrance. This is arguably the most popular sight in the area surrounding Jaipur, so be prepared to meet people from all over the world.

Jaigarh Fort
Nearby Jaigarh Fort is another very popular destination on the outskirts of Jaipur city. Jaigarh was built in 1726 to protect the city of Jaipur. A true fortress, this fort lacks the intricacies of the fort-palace architecture found elsewhere in Jaipur. Fortunately, this fort never served in any serious conflicts and thus has remained essentially intact in its original structure. It offers visitors a breath-taking view over the surrounding mountainous landscape.

Galtaji Temple
Just ten kilometres outside of Jaipur, Galtaji Temple, also known as the Monkey Temple, is a Hindu site with natural springs where pilgrims can immerse themselves to wash away their sins. The temple is also home to tribes of monkeys who gleefully congregate to enjoy the temple’s fine spring water. This other-worldly temple affords not-to-be-missed views of Jaipur. Galtaji Temple owes its stately elegance to the architects serving under Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II, who built much of what is most impressive about the palaces of Jaipur.