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INDIA
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History |
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Sightseeing |
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MAP |
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Location : Situated in the north Indian state of
Rajasthan, about 261 kms away from Delhi, the capital
city of India.
Major Tourist Attractions : Hawa Mahal, City Palace,
Jal Mahal, Ram Niwas Garden, Jaigarh Fort, Nargarh
Fort, Amber Fort, Jantar Mantar, Rani Sisodia's Garden
and Palace, Govinddev Ji ka Mandir, Albert Hall
Museum, Statue Circle.
Best Buys : Jaipuri quilts, Tie-dye textiles, block
printed textiles, semi precious stone jewelry.
Best Activity : Shopping
Nearby Tourist Destinations : Ajmer, Alwar, Delhi,
Agra, Shekhawati, Sawai Madhopur.
About Jaipur
Jaipur, capital of Rajasthan, also known as 'Pink
City' is sorrounded by an ancient 20ft high wall and
eight gates. Situated at a distance of 261 km away
from Delhi, today, Jaipur is the personification of
the old order influence the new. An inherent interest
for colour and design penetrated over stratum of
society, and jewelry, crafts and architecture became
objects of fascination equally between prince and
peasant. Jaipur is also the main tourist hub of
Rajasthan tourist circuit. From here you can reach out
to places like Jodhpur, Bikaner, Jaisalmer, Udaipur,
Pushkar, and many more such destinations from Jaipur.
Jaipur is also the third corner of the famed Golden
Triangle tourist circuit of India along with Delhi and
Agra.
Tourist Attraction in Jaipur
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HAWA MAHAL |
Built in 1799, the Hawa Mahal (the palace of Winds) is
one of the Jaipur's major Landmarks, although it is
actually little more than a facade. This five - storey
building, which looks out over the main street of the
buzzing old city , is a stunning example of Rajput
artistry with its pink, delicately honeycombed
sandstone windows, of which there are 953. It was
originally built to enable the women of the royal
household to watch the everyday life and processions
of the cit. The palace was built by Maharaja Sawai
Pratap Singh and is a part of the city palace complex.
Most of the people come her to see the beautiful
facade, but you can also climb the top for a view of
the city below; peer through the latticed windows to
experience the fascinating interplay of gazes set up
by the structure. The entrance is from the rear of the
building.
Time: 9:00 A.M.- 4:00 P.M.(Daily)
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AMBER FORT |
The Kachchawahas ruled from Amber, 11 km from Jaipur,
for seven centuries. With a history so old, it is not
unexpected that there is a lot of the past that can be
traced in its archaeological history. While many of
the early structures have either disappeared or
ruined, those dating from the16th century on are in a
remarkable state of preservation. Amber as it exists
now is the handiwork of three of the kingdom's rulers
that include Man Singh, and Jai Singh I and II.
Approached from a steep ramp, visitors ride up on
elephant back, entering through the grand Singh Pol
gateway and continuing to Jaleb Chowk, the courtyard
where they disembark from the pachyderm. From here,
they are faced wit two flights of steps, one leading
to Shila Mata complex with its enshrined image of the
goddess, and the other to the main palace complex.
Within the complex, Ganesh Pol, an imposing gateway
painted with images of the elephant-headed god, Ganesh,
takes pride of the place. Also a part of the complex
is the Diwan-i-Am or hall of the public audience with
its spectacular display of pillars. The typical
merging of Rajput and Mughal architectural styles is
captured in the Sukh Nivas and Jas Mandir apartments,
and the Charbagh garden with its perfectly
proportioned landscaping. A highlight is the pierced
screen windows which offer views form points of
vantage, as well as the shimmering mirrors encrusting
the walls of the Sheesh Mahal. Several other gardens
and pavilions within the sprawling spread of ramparts
offer enough scope for investigating medieval
lifestyles at leisure.
Beyond the ramparts, the old city, once the abode of
the aristocracy, has a wonderfully medieval flavor,
though it has few buildings of majestic proportion
that are still extant. However, a walk through the
rambling lanes will reap rich rewards for the curious
besides a large number of temples there are also
step-wells, memorials and town houses.
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CITY PALACE |
In the heart of the old city, the City Palace occupies
a large area divided into a series of courtyards,
gardens and buildings. The outer wall was built by
Sawai Jai Singh, but other additions are more recent,
some dating to the start of the 20th century. The
palace is a blend of Rajasthani and Mughal
architecture. The son of the last Maharaja and his
family still live in part of the palace.
Before the palace proper lies the Mubarak Mahal
(Welcome Palace), built in late 19th century by
Maharaja Sawai Madho Singh II as a reception center
for visiting dignitaries. It now forms part of the
Maharaja Sawai Mansingh II Museum and contains a
collection of royal costumes and superb shawls
including sanganeri block prints, royal shawls.
Kashmiri Pashmina (goat's wool) shawls, folk
embroideries and Banaras saris.
At the heart of the complex is the seven - tiered
Chandra Mahal where erstwhile royal family is still in
residence, though only a small part of the apartments
are occupied. However, it is only the buildings around
Chandra Mahal that are open to the public, and these
also form a part of the museum.
Through Singh Pol (Lion Gate), visitors can approach
the Diwan-i-Khas and Diwan-i-Am, where the maharaja's
private and public courts would be held. The
architecture seems to consist of a number of arched,
pillared halls, while the courtyards with painted
doorways are a prominent feature.
Time : 9:30 A.M.- 5:30 P.M.(Daily)
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JANTAR MANTAR |
Next to the City Palace entrance is the Jantar -
Mantar, begun in 1728 by Savaii Singh whose passion
for astronomy was even more notable than his powers as
a warrior. Before commencing Jantar Mantar, he sent
scholars abroad to study foreign observatories. This
observatory is the largest and best preserved of the
five he built, with 13 different instruments for
calculating the movement of celestial bodies. It was
restored in1901. The others are in Delhi, Varanasi and
Ujjain. The fifth observatory, at Mathura, has
disappeared.
Jantar mantar (or 'instrument of calculation')is a
curious if somewhat compelling collection of
sculptures. In fact, each construction has a specific
purpose, for example, measuring the positions of the
stars, altitude and azimuth, and calculating eclipses.
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JAIGARH FORT |
The imposing fort, built in 1726 by Jai Singh was
opened tot he public in mid - 1983 and offers a great
view over the plains from the Diwa Burj watchtower.
The fort served as the treasury of the Kachcawas. It
is a remarkable feat of military architecture in a
fine state of preservation, with water reservoirs,
residential areas, a puppet theatre and world largest
wheeled cannon, Jaya Vana.
Time:
Admission is free if you have a ticket to Jaipur's
City Palace that is less than two days old. Vehicles
can drive up to fort, or it's steep half - hour walk
from Amber. The admission charge for cars is Rs 50 and
parking outside is Rs 5.
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RAMGARH LAKE |
A huge artificial lake created by constructing a high
bund amidst tree covered hills. While the temple of
Jamwa Mata and the ruins of the old fort are some of
its antiquities, its beautiful landscape, especially
during monsoons, makes it an idyllic picnic spot.
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ELEPHANT FESTIVALS |
The Elephant Festival is a unique event held annually
in Jaipur, the capital of Rajasthan. Groomed to
perfection, glittering in gold, row upon row of
elephants catwalk before an enthralled audience. The
elephants move gracefully in procession, run races,
play the regal game of polo, and finally participate
in the spring festival of Holi. It is festival time
for the elephants.
Activities
A festival where elephants are the centre of
attraction. The festival begins with a procession of
elephants, camels and horses, followed by lively folk
dancers. Elephant races, elephant-polo matches and a
most interesting tug of war between elephants and men,
are all part of this spectacular event.
History
The Jataka stories of Buddhism refer to the tradition
of Hastimangala (the Elephant Festival). A royal mount
from time immemorial, the elephant has also been a
symbol of strength and wealth. For the Rajput kings,
the elephants were of especial significance not only
during war but also during the royal festivities-a
must at royal pageant. Nishan-ka-hathi, the flag
carrier, led the procession. The king always mounted a
caparisoned elephant. Special hunting programs and
elephant fights were organized to entertain the royal
guests. Jaipur was a favorite with the important
personalities of the British Raj and the Maharajas
always arranged for their guests of honor elephant
rides up to the Amber palace. Even today, the mahouts
take tourists up to the Amber Palace on elephant back.
Rajasthan Tourism revived the tradition by including
the Elephant Festival in the cultural calendar. The
present-day pageant, originated only a decade ago, was
devised especially with the tourist in mind. The
inclusion of the game of polo is more recent, being
inspired by a cartoon in Punch magazine that showed
the Indian polo team atop an elephant after it won all
the international tournaments. Every year on the day
after Holi, the old stadium at Jaipur, the Chaugan
(originally planned for elephants), forms the venue
for a spectacular jamboree.
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KITE FESTIVALS |
14 January is celebrated in India as Makar Sankranti -
heralding the transition of the sun into the Northern
hemisphere. It is also a big kite day in most parts of
India when children from 6 to 60 can be seen with
their heads turned to the sky. In Jaipur kites
virtually blot out the sky. Everyone joins in this
riotous celebration and shouts of " Woh Kata Hai !"
reverberate from rooftops to the accompaniment of
drums as adversaries’ kites are cut down. And
everyone’s an adversary! Any kite in the sky is fair
game.
Activities
The three-day festival starts with an inauguration at
the Polo Ground, which is the venue for some serious
kite flying and fighting for the three days of the
festival. The festival includes two kinds of
celebrations. A massive extravaganza follows, with Air
Force helicopters releasing kites from the sky, and
hundreds of schoolchildren releasing balloons. Kites
that look like wasps, exquisite stained glass windows,
graceful mythical birds soar in the sky and the sky
shimmers with magic.
Fighting kites beautifully choreographed by the wind
look like poetry in the skies, written by kite flyers
from many nations. The three days of the festival are
divided into two sections. One is the Fighter Kite
Competition and the other is the more sober Display
Flying and there are prestigious trophies to be won in
both categories. Every evening participants are
provided with dinner at an exotic location.
On the final day the venue of the festival shifts to
the exquisite lawns of the Umaid Bhawan Palace, the
royal residence of the Maharaja of Jodhpur. The finals
of the Fighter Kite Competition and the final judging
of the Display Kites are followed by the prize
distribution ceremony, the valedictory function, and a
farewell dinner with the Maharaja. As the festival
draws to an end, traditional Indian kite craftsmen
prepare to return to their humdrum lives, selling
handcrafted aerial art for mere pennies.
History
Started just few years ago, this festival has got no
mythological connections or legends attached to it.
Currently, this sport is witnessing a major revival
globally and India, with its ancient tradition of kite
flying, could benefit from becoming a part of the
international kite flying community.
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GANGUAR FESTIVALS |
Gangaur Festivals holds a special significance for the
Rajasthanis. It is celebrated in honour of Gauri, the
goddess of abundance. Young girls adorned in their
best clothes pray for a spouse of their choice. The
married ladies pray for the welfare of their husbands.
This spring festival is celebrated with great
enthusiasm and zeal all over Rajasthan. The
celebrations at Bikaner, Jodhpur, Nathdwara and
Jaisalmer are full of pomp and are a must-see.
Activities
At an auspicious hour in the afternoon, a procession
is taken out to a garden, tank or a well with the
images of Isar and Gauri, placed on the heads of
married women. Songs are sung about the departure of
Gauri to her husband's house. The procession comes
back after offering water to the image of Gauri, which
faces backwards on the first two days. On the final
day, she faces in the same direction as Isar and the
procession concludes with the consignment of all the
images in the waters of a tank or a well. The women
bid farewell to Gauri and turn their steps homewards
with tears in their eyes and the Festival comes to an
end.
History
Parvati or gauri is the consort of Shiva, the
destroyer. The festival is held in her honour as she
is the symbol of virtue and fidelity and as such is
the mythological role model of married women.
Gangaur is the most important local festival in
Rajasthan. It is believed that if unmarried girls
observe the rituals of this festival they will get
married to the spouses of their choice and married
women observe the same for the happiness and long life
of their husbands. The celebrations in Jaipur and
Udaipur have a unique charm and attraction.
The festivities begin almost a fortnight before the
actual day. Girls worship the goddess throughout the
preceding fortnight. Colorful images of Gauri are
taken out in procession accompanied by the town band.
Thousands of people from the countryside come to take
part in the procession of the image from village to
village.
Another unique thing about this festival is that on
this occasion, tribal men and women have an
opportunity to meet and interact freely and during
this time, they select partners and marry by eloping.
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TEEJ FESTIVAL |
Held during the monsoons, July-August Teej is also
dedicated to Lord Shiva and Parvati and this time it
is married women who pray for a happy and long married
life. Though celebrations are held all over the state,
it is particularly colorful in Jaipur where a
procession winds its way for two days through the Old
City. It is the festival of swings which are decorated
with flowers and hung from trees. Young girls and
women dressed in green clothes sing songs in
celebration of the advent of the monsoon. The Teej
idol is covered with a canopy whereas the Gangaur idol
is open.
Activities
Teej is celebrated mainly by the women folk of
Rajasthan. Married women who idolize Parvati for her
devotion to her husband Shiva celebrate Teej. The
festivity revolves around singing and dancing in
praise of Parvati. The rituals allow the women to
pamper and enjoy themselves, to feast, to dress in the
best of cloths, finery and jewellery, in fact to look
the stunning best.
All over Rajasthan, even in remote villages, Jhoolas
(swings) are hung from trees and decorated with leaves
and flowers. Ladies and girls can be seen enjoying on
these swings, playing games, singing folk songs and
applying Mehandi (henna) on their palms. In Jaipur an
idol of Goddess Parvati (Teej Mata) is taken out in a
royal procession from the city palace so that the
general public can have a chance to pay homage to the
Goddess. Antique gilt palanquins, bullock carts
pulling cannons, chariots, gaily decorated elephants
with silver haodas, horses, camels, brass bands, and
group of dances all form a part of this grand
spectacle. The Palanquin of Goddess Paravati is
carried by 8 men dressed in red color. This kilometer
long procession winds its way through the lanes of the
old city. Local people come in huge numbers, dress in
their best traditional clothes. Space is at a premium
as people perch on top of building, windows even trees
to catch a glimpse of Goddess. A huge band of urchins
follows the Palanquin to grab these offerings.
A lot of merriment prevails during the Teej
procession. Groups of men and women can be seen
singing dancing and playing musical instruments. Men
and women dressed as gods and Goddess also join in the
procession.
History
According to Hindu mythology, on the 3rd day (teej)
after the new moon in the month of Shravan Goddess
Parvati went to the house of lord Shiva, her husband
and was united with him. This day is celebrated as
Teej all over India and especially so in Rajasthan.
Apart from its mythological origins this festival also
heralds the arrival of the rainy season. In the month
of Shravan the long awaited monsoon finally arrives in
Rajasthan bringing relief to the parched land. Like a
magic wand it transforms the hot, dusty and barren
summer landscape of Rajasthan into the fertile green
beehive of activity. The Teej festivities also
celebrate this rejuvenation.
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