Jaigarh Fort Jaipur is a majestic stronghold built by Sawan Jai Singh II. This almost-intact fort is surrounded by huge battlements and is connected to the Amer Fort (also called ‘Amber‘ Fort), with subterranean passages. Originally built to protect the Amer Fort and the palace within the complex, the Jaigarh Fort Jaipur is architecturally similar to the Amer Fort, and offers a panoramic view of the city of Jaipur.
The fort houses the world’s largest cannon on wheels, a majestic palace complex and the assembly hall of the warriors known as ‘Shubhat Niwas’ along with a museum and an armory. Apart from the intricate architecture of the fort, the fort was also renowned for a huge treasure that was believed to be buried under the fort. It is now said that the government of Rajasthan seized the treasure when it was discovered in the 1970s. The Jaigarh Fort Jaipur was built to secure Jaipur City and the Amer fort from warlords and rivals.
History of Jaigarh Fort:
The area that is home to the Jaigarh Fort Jaipur and the Amer Fort was initially ruled by the Meenas, and it is believed that the Jaigarh Fort was built by them along with the Amer Fort. The Meenas originally built the fort as the home of the King and the royal family, who resided there, apart from their residency in the Amer Fort.
After the Meenas were overthrown by the Kachwahas, they made certain changes in the structure of the fort. During the rule of the Mughal ruler Aurangzeb, the fort came under the charge of Raja Jai Singh II who made significant changes to the structure and utility of the fort, Jaipur Tourism and because of his contributions, the fort came to be named Jaigarh- after Jai Singh.
Throughout the reign of the Mughals, including that of the great emperor Akbar, Jaigarh Fort Jaipur was used as a place to keep the treasure, loot, arms, ammunition and other supplies for the Rajputs. An interesting feature about the fort is that despite seeing several rules and coming under siege many times, no one truly ever managed to capture the fort, which is why it earned the name- Victory Fort.
Architecture of Jaigarh Fort:
Jaigarh Fort Jaipur is a massive sandstone structure that is built in Indo-Persian style, complete with cyclopean walls that have been held together with lime mortar. The structure consists of a square garden that is surrounded by ramparts which lead to the upper levels of the fort.
There is also a central watchtower from where one can get a clear, unobstructed view of the stunning landscape on all sides. One of the most interesting features about the architecture of the fort is the lattice windows, which are so intricately designed that one can get a clear view of the outdoors from inside, but no one from outside can see the interiors through these windows Jaipur Tour Packages.
The main entrance of the Jaigarh Fort Jaipur is called the Dungar Darwaza. There are two ancient temples within the premises of the fort including the Ram Harihar Temple that was built in the 10th century and the Kal Bhairav Temple that has existed since the 12th century.
Guests can walk through courtrooms, restrooms, assembly halls and much more, which are a testimony to the brilliant architecture and construction techniques of the Rajputs. There are fortified gates throughout the fort that offer incredible views of the Aravalli ranges and Sagar Lake located in the vicinity of the fort.
Major Attractions in Jaigarh Fort
The major attraction near Jaigarh Fort that cannot be missed is indeed the Amer Fort. The Amer Fort is connected to the Jaigarh Fort through a secret subterranean passage. You can also travel to the Aravalli Hills. Check out another nearby attraction which is Vijay Garh. Do visit the popular Sheesh Mahal which is about half a km away from the fort. Do explore the Shila Devi Temple and the Panna Meena also. Whenever you visit the Jaigarh Fort Jaipur, you are not just getting a sight of a beautiful piece of architecture but it is also a sign of history.
It is something special that, though the fort was constructed to protect the region and Jaipur city, it never went through any of the wars and battles. Though this fort was considered as one of the largest cannons, it has never been used in any of the battles. Don’t get disappointed thinking that you are exploring the never used cannon because some things are best when not used. That’s the main thing which Jaigarh Fort Jaipur reminds you. Here the saying that “Peace is always better than war” comes into account and is a real message which Jaigarh Fort wants to spread among its visitors.
- Laxmi vilas
This structure contains the drawing room and an emergency hall. This is the hall where army gathered during emergency. You can find huge war drums that were used to signal army. The complex behind the hall is the drawing room of the palace. You can find wall painting here.
- Lalit Mandir
This is the summer place of the king. It is a two level building and only the ground floor is open to public. There is a small theatre where royal entertainment were held in the past. Puppet shows take place here and you can also buy a few puppets as souvenirs
- Vilas Mandir
This is a woman area, whichis reserved for the royal women. You can find lattice window here. The area is chilled with winds through the window and one can see the Amber Fort from the window.
- Aaram Bagh
This is a garden inside the fort, which has low walls and arch gateways. Royal families used to stroll in the garden in the past.
- Armory
The armory chamber is now a museum, which displays a lot of weapons and shields. You can find collection of guns, muskets, cannon balls, ancient pictures, swords and others. There are a few unfinished cannon and cannon balls too. Photography is not allowed here. The foundry here used to suck mountain air to increase the temperature of the furnace, in the past.
- Museum
There is a small museum near Awami gate. This museum contains many artifacts, spittoons, drawn plan for the palace, stamps, photographs and other attractions.
- Jaivana Cannon
Jaigarh Fort Jaipur contains very large cannon, which was built in 18th century. The cannon was never used in any war. It is one of the features of the fort today. The barrel is carved with designs and is mounted on a wheel. It is said that when fired, it would scale up to 35 km.
Best Time to Visit in Jaigarh Fort
The fort is open from 9 am to 5 pm. One of the best part of the fort is the panoramic view from the top that covers the valley, Amber fort and others. Thus, it is better to avoid rainy season so that you can get a good view. The fort covers a very large area and a lot of walking has to be done. Thus, summer is also not suitable. Winter is the most preferred season for visiting the fort. Winter starts in October and ends in March.
How to Reach Jaigarh Fort
Jaigarh Fort may be reached from Jaipur at ease by road. One may take a taxi or cab, and even frequent buses run by Rajasthan Road Transport Corporation are available. The buses are well-furnished, with comfortable seats and air conditioning. One may also take an auto-rickshaw, which will charge not less than Rs. 500. Sometimes, tourists opt for one of the several packages offered by the travel guides, which includes a whole-day excursion to all the three forts nearby: the Jaigarh Fort Jaipur, the Nahargarh fort and the Amber Fort.