Monkey Temple Jaipur is an important religious site in Jaipur. It attracts several Hindu devotees every year. It is also a place where you can see several aspects of ancient Hindu culture and tradition depicted in the art. It was built by the courtier of Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II, named Diwan Rao Kriparam.
The central and chief temple is the Temple of Galtaji. Adjoining the Temple of Galtaji is the temple of Balaji, and the Temple of Surya. The Temple of Galtaji features beautiful and extensive crafting of pink sandstone, and bears numerous courtyards having the traditional Rajasthani roofs and sculptured pillars along with painted walls. Monkey Temple Jaipur The adjoining premises of the temple also include several natural water springs, which are regarded holy and as blessings. The spring water is collected in reservoirs called Kunds, to allow the visitors to take holy baths as religious rituals. The GaltaKund is regarded as the most holy among the baths.
The reason it is called the Monkey Temple Jaipur is due to the scores of monkeys that inhabit the area in and around it. It isn’t that these monkeys have recently started living here though. There is evidence of these monkeys having been here and the temple being called the monkey temple even in ancient times. This certainly makes it an impressive place to visit Jaipur Tour Packages.
History of galtaji monkey temple
Galta is a pre-historic Hindu pilgrimage site was built by Diwan Rao kriparam in the eighteenth century. Diwan rao kriparam was the courtier of Sawai Jai Singh 2nd of Monkey Temple Jaipur.
By legends it is believed that saint Galav rishi spent his whole life in search of truth and did ‘Tapasya‘ for several years in galtaji. Pleased with his penance the god appeared before him and blessed his place of worship with abundant water. It has a galta kund which is a holy water tank and the water of the tank never dries. Taking bath in this holy galta kund is considered as pavitra and can wash your all sins.
To honor Saint galav rishi a temple was built here and it was named after him. One of the important facts which are linked with this galta temple is that some part of Ram Charit Manas i.e. ‘Ramayana’ is written in this temple by Goswami Tulsidas. Monkey Temple Jaipur It is said that the Galta kund has curative powers and because of it this is known as pilgrim centre.
Places to visit near Galtaji Temple Jaipur
- Krishna Temple: Since it is a prominent location for the vaishnavite community, the Krishna Temple in the Galta Ji Temple Complex is a must visit. The faith here, goes on similar lines of ISKCON teachings. The temple is also called Shri Gyan Gopal ji temple.
- Surya Temple: Located on top of the rocky patch on the highest point of the Monkey Temple Jaipur Complex, this temple site is a lesser known and least visited one. Visit the temple for its serene atmosphere and the best views of sunsets from the top.
- Balaji Temple: More of a shrine, the Balaji Temple inside the Monkey Temple Jaipur Complex is in the same alley as the Krishna and Ram Temple. The shrine gives a sense of peace and leaves a visitor in awe.
- Sitaram Ji Temple: Dedicated to Lord Ram, this temple is surrounded by monkeys and no visitor can avoid their presence. The Sitaram Ji temple complex also has few shrines on the outside as well as a small Hanuman temple.
- Sisodia Rani Ka Bagh: Visit the Sisodia Rani Ka Bagh that’s located very close to the Galta Ji temple complex. One visit to the garden and you will know how to create magnificence for the love of your life. Monkey Temple Jaipur Come back with stories about the love of Radha- Krishna and also the love of the Maharaja who built the garden for his beloved queen.
Best Time to Visit
The best time to visit Galtaji Temple Jaipur and surrounding tourist spots is during Makar Sankranti, the harvest festival celebrated all over India. The festival falls in mid-January. Taking a dip in holy Galta Ji is auspicious and has multifold effects on this day. The Monkey Temple Jaipur is open from dawn to dusk and the best time is around sunset. You can see flocks of monkeys taking a bath in the temple tank. The surrounding dense green vegetation makes this place surreal. As one of the most beautiful places in Jaipur’s landscape, the temple needs to be charted.
Also, it is preferred to reach the premises around 3-4 PM to be able to enjoy the evening on the premises. In all, a different experience for devotees, art lovers, photographers, historians, nature-lovers, travelers, architecture students, and filmmakers Monkey Temple Jaipur.
How to reach galta temple
The temple is located at a distance of 11 km away from pink city jaipur. You can go to galta ji by two different routes. The first you can hire a taxi or auto rickshaw and drive directly to the temple. The second option is to hike to galtaji from the end of surajpol bazaar road and follows the path east through the large pink stone archway. It is an approximately 30 minutes of short hike from start to end. This route provides stunning views of the temples and jaipur Day Tour while passes the Monkey Temple Jaipur.