| | | Visit Guide
Jaipur (India)
| | | | Jaipur (Rajasthani: जयपुर), also popularly known as the Pink City, is the capital and largest city of the Indian state of Rajasthan. During the British rule in India, Jaipur was the capital of the princely state of Jaipur. Founded on 18 November 1727 by Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II, the ruler of Amber, the city today has a population of more than 3.5 million. | | Jaipur : Virtual tour |  | 11 sections and 97 items |
 |
Jaipur : Castles and Palaces (6)
| Amber Fort (10)
1592
Amber Fort (आमेर क़िला), also known as Amer Fort, is located in Amber, 11 km from Jaipur. It was the ancient citadel of the ruling Kachhawa clan of Amber, before the capital was shifted to present day Jaipur.
|
|  | City Palace of Jaipur (17)
City Palace of Jaipur
between 1732 and 1890
City Palace of Jaipur is located northeast of the centre of the grid patterned Jaipur city, the capital of the Rajasthan state. It includes the Chandra Mahal and Mubarak Mahal palaces and other buildings. It was the seat of the Maharaja of Jaipur, the head of the Kachwaha Rajput clan. The Chandra Mahal palace now houses a museum but the greatest part of it is still a royal residence.
|
| Hawa Mahal (8)
हवा महल
Palace of Winds - Palace of the Breeze
1799
Hawa Mahal (Hindi : हवा महल -"Palace of Winds" or "Palace of the Breeze"), is a palace in Jaipur, India. It was built in 1799 by Maharaja Sawai Pratap Singh, and designed by Lal Chand Usta in the form of the crown of Krishna, the Hindu god.
|
| Jaigarh Fort (10)
Victory Fort
between the XIst and the XVth century
Jaigarh Fort, located around 11 km from Jaipur, is one of the most spectacular forts in India, with almost all its original facilities intact.
|
|  | Jal Mahal
Water Palace
1799
Jal Mahal (meaning "Water Palace") is a palace located in the middle of the Man Sagar Lake in Jaipur city, the capital of the state of Rajasthan.
|
| Rambagh Palace (21)
between 1900 and 1951
The Rambagh Palace in Jaipur is the former residence of the Maharaja of Jaipur
|
Jaipur : Market(s) (1)
|  | Johari Bazar (7)
Jaipur is famous for its different shopping areas. The wide range of items and goods that are available in the markets of Jaipur make this capital of Rajasthan one of the most shopped places on earth.
|
|  | Albert Hall Museum Jaipur
between 1876 and 1885
Located in the middle of the Ram Niwas Gardens, just south of the walled city, the Albert Hall is a stunning example of Indo-Saracenic architecture.
|
|  | Sanganeri Gate
Shiv Pol
The city was planned according to Indian Vastu Shastra. The directions of each street and market are East to West and North to South.
|
| Jantar Mantar astronomical observatory (17)
between 1727 and 1734
The Jantar Mantar astronomical observatory also part of the Jaipur City Palace complex. It was built by the astronomer/Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II. He is also responsible for building the city of Jaipur.
|
| | |
| | Jaipur : Visit Guide | |
|
Get in
By plane
Jaipur Airport (JAI/VIJP) is situated in the satellite town of Sanganer and offers sporadic (chartered) service to London and Dublin. Flights to Singapore and Bangkok are available via Delhi. Direct flights to Sharjah, Muscat and Dubai are also available.
Jaipur also has daily domestic air links with many Indian cities such as Jodhpur, Udaipur, Aurangabad, Delhi, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Goa, Chennai, Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Mumbai and Indore.
One plus point for those flying out of Delhi is that the Delhi airport is close to the highway, so you could reach the airport without entering the city.
By train
Indian Railways connects Jaipur from all over the country and is one of the cheapest options. A number of daily trains connect Jaipur to Delhi, Ahmedabad, Agra,Mumbai, Jodhpur, Kota, Alwar and Ajmer. Daily connections are also available for Udaipur, Chittaurgarh, Bikaner, Jaisalmer, Barmer, Kolkata, Jammu, Pathankot, Ludhiana, Kanpur, Roorkee, Haridwar, Gwalior, Indore, Jabalpur and Bhopal.
Long-distance trains arrive from many other major cities including Lucknow, Allahabad, Benaras, Vadodara, Surat, Nagpur, Bilaspur, Raipur, Patna, Ranchi, Bhubaneswar, Puri, Chennai, Bangalore, Mysore, Hyderabad, Goa, Mangalore, Kozhikode and Kochi.
However the most popular option from Delhi is the Shatabdi express which departs New Delhi station at 06:05am and reaches Jaipur at 10:50am.
There are three major railway stations Jaipur Junction (main station),Durgapura and Gandhinagar (Jaipur), which is not to be confused with Gandhinagar in Gujarat state. All trains stop at Jaipur Junction and a few trains stop at Durgapura and Gandhinagar stations also.
By bus
There is an excellent bus service between Jaipur to Delhi by Rajasthan State Road Transport Corporation with buses approximately every half an hour both sides. There are several types of buses including Deluxe, AC and the superior AC Volvo buses. From Delhi you can board the bus from Bikaner House on Pandara Road next to India Gate. From Jaipur you can board the bus from Narayan Singh Circle or the main Sindhi Camp bus stand. You can also book tickets up to 6 days in advance from both these places.These buses typically take 6 hours (by Volvo) or 6-7 hours by other deluxe buses. There are also some private bus operators active in the city but you should avoid them as most of them do not have permits and drive rashly. Also note that if you plan to leave from Delhi airport, you can get off the bus at Dhaula Kuan and get an autorickshaw or perhaps a taxi from there. You do not need to enter congested Delhi.
Express buses to several cities and towns within Rajasthan (such as Kota and Bundi) are also available.
By car
This is the most popular way of reaching from Delhi. The journey by car from Delhi to Jaipur takes less than 4hrs. National Highway no. 8 connects Delhi to Jaipur via the industrial township of Gurgaon. The road is excellent.
Get around
By RTDC bus
It is the best and cheaper way to visit the Jaipur Local Sights by RTDC (Rajasthan Tourism Dept. Corp.) There are three type of tours: 1) full day tour, 2) half day tour and 3) Pink city by night tour. For details see the website. There will be one guide with each bus to give you brief info about all sights.
By autorickshaw
By and large, autorickshaw is the best way around the city. In order to hire an autorickshaw for a whole day (with a trip to Amber Fort) costs Rs.350 (August 2009). Prepaid autos are available at the Jaipur railway station and the Sindhi Camp bus stand.
The rates have been revised to around Rs.350-400, and the autorickshaw walas will tell you to take the Slip from the Police Booths, but you can also go directly without the Slip but don't forget to Bargain over the price in that case, it could be much cheaper. It'll be best if you start your Sight seeing by 10 in the morning as all the major spots get closed by 4:30 and each spot takes a lot of time especially the Forts.
In some cases, the autorickshaw drivers try to bring up with some excuses that this happened or that happened so pay more, or any lame story or excuse to get some more from you after the trip is over. But strict to the original amount decided, Police in Jaipur is very friendly, in case you feel the autorickshaw driver is trying to misguide you or forcing you for some extra money then just refer the police persons located at various spots. The cops are really friendly and caring there. Also some autorickshaw drivers will tell you to buy artifacts and gifts from some shops especially some located on way to amber fort. Firmly refuse to stop there as these shops operate on commission to the auto driver and fleece you. If you've got to buy some souvenirs buy them in city's main shopping areas like Bapu Bazzar. Also take some first hand information about the eating and Shopping places as the drivers have their fixed commissions at shops and eating outlets, so you might end up paying more for and item or eating at an undesirable place.
Get By cycle-rickshaw
Cycle-rickshaws are cheaper, but the amount of time it takes quickly makes the extra few rupees worth it. Walking in the bazaar is a treat, although side streets are a bit less welcoming and offer a sharper glimpse of poverty.
By taxi
The taxis in Jaipur are very convenient and comfortable. Most of the vehicles are Maruti Omni Vans or Tata Indica cars, which are much safer than Auto rickshaws, and the drivers are polite. If you are alone or going to an unknown destination, you are strongly advised to choose this option, even though the rates will be double that of an autorickshaw. you must call for a taxi, as it is nearly impossible to hail one unless you are at a major point like the airport. When you call, you should negotiate a fare (or agree on using the meter) and get the taxi's 'number'. The taxi will come pick you up, and call you when they are close. Taxis generally have yellow license plates with black letters. Some taxis are painted with yellow & black color scheme on their body which helps to uniquely identify from the private cars.
* Shree Shyam Radio Taxi, ☎
* Jain Taxi Service, ☎
By car
Most travel agencies will provide cars for local hire. There are many tour operators available which are approved by Tourism dept. and one can hire for a leisure tours.
Get out
Continue into Rajasthan, to the beautiful city of lakes Udaipur, the stunning, powerful fort of Jodhpur, and onto the dreamy, enchanted desert city of Jaisalmer or for a more untouristic desert city go for the charm of Bikaner as an alternative to Jaisalmer.
To Udaipur train #2965, Gwalior Udaipur Superfast Express(via Agra), is the best option for Udaipur There are frequent busses to the small village of Amber from the Hawa Mahal in Jaipur (Rs.8 - 25 mins). You can also arrange transport to the village of Abhaneri
* Chokhi Dhani. Chokhi Dhani (Fine Hamlet in Rajasthani dialect) is a 5 star ethnic resort. It is located on Jaipur-Tonk highway, around 18 km from city center. There are lodging facilities available but the real attraction is the evening fun-fares. One can watch live folk dances, listen to live folk music, enjoy elephant, camel, bullock cart rides and eat a traditional eat-as-much-as-you-can meal on a single ticket. It gives you a glimpse of culture from different parts of Rajasthan, and could be nice if you will not have time to see much of Rajasthan yourself. They open at 06:00pm with entrance fee Rs.350 (including dinner). You can go there by bus, autorickshaw (Rs.400 for a return trip) or taxi, but best is probably to make sure you have a ride back.
* Bhandarej is a little known town 62 km from Jaipur off Jaipur-Agra Highway. From the times of Mahabharat, it is said, has seen a lot of history made. Around 11th century Dula Rai defeated Badgujjars at both Dausa and Bhandarej and ushered in the rein of Kachhawaha princes and established the kingdom of Dhundar. The Bhandarej Fort was built around then. It has been renovated extensively since. In 1994 it was made in to Bhadrawati Palace Hotel(P)☎. In the ancient times the fort was connected to the step well in the village. The Step Well has five stories, is known as the Bari Bawari and was made in 1732 by the Kumbhani rulers Deep Singh and Daulat Singh.It was renovated by Kuber Singh.Every year a Mela is held here at the Ancient Temple of Balaji. It is attended in large numbers by the local villagers.Other ancient temples in the village are of Bhadreshwar Mahadev - Bhandana Mata, Gopalji's Temple and Masthala Balaji. Abhaneri, an ancient step well, built on a much larger scale than the bhandarej step well and the ancient haunted towns of Ajabgarh-Bhangarh are 30km from Bhandarej.
In 1767 then aged Rao Dalip Singh was commander of Jaipur forces against Bharatpur ruler Jawahar Singh at Maonda-Mandholi, near Neem Ka Thana, for Jaipur ruler Sawai Madho Singh I. In a fierce battle Rao Dalel Singh his son Kunwar Laxman Singh and grand son Bhanwar Raj Singh (11yr) all lost their lives. Such was the bravery of Bhandarej chieftains. | | Jaipur : Description | |
|
Jaipur is the first planned city of India, located in the semi-desert lands of Rajasthan. The city which once had been the capital of the royalty now is the capital city of Rajasthan. The very structure of Jaipur resembles the taste of the Rajputs and the Royal families. At present, Jaipur is a major business centre with all requisites of a metropolitan city.
The city is remarkable among pre-modern Indian cities for the width and regularity of its streets which are laid out into six sectors separated by broad streets 111 ft (34 m) wide. The urban quarters are further divided by networks of gridded streets. Five quarters wrap around the east, south, and west sides of a central palace quarter, with a sixth quarter immediately to the east. The Palace quarter encloses a sprawling palace complex, (Hawa Mahal), formal gardens, and a small lake. Nahargarh Fort, which was the residence of the King Sawai Jai Singh II, crowns the hill in the northwest corner of the old city. The observatory, Jantar Mantar, is one of the World Heritage Sites. Jaipur is a popular tourist destination in Rajasthan and India.
Geography
Jaipur is the headquarters of the Jaipur district which is situated in the eastern part of Rajasthan. It has an average elevation of 431 meters (1417 ft).
The major rivers passing through the Jaipur district are Banas and Banganga. Ground water resources to the extent of about 28.65 million cubic meter are available in the district. Although serious drought is rare, poor water management and exploitation of groundwater with extensive tube-well systems threatens agriculture in some areas.
Climate
Jaipur has a hot semi-arid climate (Köppen climate classification BSh) receiving over 650 millimeters (26 in) of rainfall annually but most rains occur in the monsoon months between June and September. Temperatures remain relatively high throughout the year, with the summer months of April to early July having average daily temperatures of around 30°C (86°F). During the monsoon there are frequent, heavy rains and thunderstorms, but flooding is not common. The winter months of November to February are mild and pleasant, with average temperatures ranging from 15-18°C (59-64°F) and with little or no humidity. There are however occasional cold waves that lead to temperatures near freezing.
Architecture
Jaipur is considered by many urbanists to be one of the best planned cities. In an era when most of the Rajputs were busy fighting with each other, Jaipur's kings diplomatically broadened their control sphere maintaining good relations with the Mughals.
The city was planned according to Indian Vastu Shastra (Vedic Planning for the comfort and prosperity of the citizens). The directions of each street and market are East to West and North to South. The Eastern gate is called Suraj (Sun) Pol, while the Western gate is called Chand (Moon) Pol. There are three gates facing East, West, and North and a Northern gate (known as Zorawar Singh gate) which faces toward the ancestral capital of Amber, while many gates face South.
Although the present city has expanded from outside of its walls, the original planning was within the walls. The gates used to be closed at sunset and opened at sunrise. Almost all Northern Indian towns of that period presented a chaotic picture of narrow twisting lanes, a confusion of run-down forts, temples, palaces, and temporary shacks that bore no resemblance at all to the principles set out in Hindu architectural manuals which call for strict geometric planning. Thus, for Sawai Jai Singh II and the Bengali Guru Vidyadhar, the founding of Jaipur was also a ritual and a great opportunity to plan a whole town according to the principles of Hindu architectural theory.
The town of Jaipur is built in the form of a eight-part Mandala known as the "Pithapada". Nine signifies the nine planets of the ancient astrological zodiac. It is also known that Sawai Jai Singh II was a great astronomer and a town planner, and hence the "Pithapada". Also, the commercial shops are designed in multiples of nine (27), having one cross street for a planet.
Transport
The city of Jaipur is the capital of the state of Rajasthan and is centrally located. National Highway n° 8 links Delhi to Mumbai, and National Highway n° 11 links Bikaner to Agra, passing through Jaipur district with a total length of 366 km. The total length of different types of roads in the district was approximately 4,102 km in March 2000. Jaipur BRTS which is the Bus Rapid Transit System serving the city has been recently launched successfully.
Rail
Jaipur Railway station is the headquarters of the North Western Railway zone of the Indian Railways. It has direct trains on the broad gauge network to all major cities in Rajasthan and India such as Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Hyderabad, Bangalore, Gandhinagar, Pune, Indore, Bhopal, Gwalior, Jabalpur, Nagpur, Raipur, Lucknow, Kanpur, Varanasi, Patna, Trivendrum etc. and meter gauge network to Sri Ganganagar, Churu and Sikar. One of India's most famous and luxurious trains The Palace on Wheels, also makes a scheduled stop in Jaipur. Metro Train is going to start in the city by 2014.
Air
Jaipur International Airport is situated in its satellite town of Sanganer and offers sporadic service to Muscat, Sharjah, Bangkok and Dubai, London via Muscat, London via Sharjah, London via Delhi by Jet and Air India, and major European cities like Frankfurt, Paris, Zurich, Moscow by connection through Jet Airways or Air India. Jaipur also has well connected domestic air links with Jodhpur, Udaipur, Aurangabad, Delhi, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Goa, Chennai, Ahmedabad, Indore, Bangalore, Mumbai, Surat, Bhopal, Lucknow, Gorakhpur and Jabalpur.
Economy
Jaipur district is a centre for both traditional and modern industries. It is famous as largest exporter of Gold, Diamond and Stone Jewellery in Asia and only City finishing blue diamond or called Tanzanite in the world. .
Tourism
Jaipur is a very famous tourist and education destination in India. Lots of people flock to Jaipur to view the various forts and monuments in Jaipur which reflect its glorious past. Tourism is a significant part of Jaipur's economy. Some of the world's best hotels are located here.
Forts and Monuments
* Hawa Mahal
* Amber Fort
* Jaigarh Fort
* Nahargarh Fort
* City Palace
* Jantar Mantar
* Jal Mahal
* Rambagh Palace
* Central Museum, (Albert Hall Museum)
Temples
* Govind Dev Ji temple
* Galtaji
* Birla Temple also known as Lakshmi Narayan Mandir
* Moti Doongri Ganesh Temple
* Panchayati Hall devoted to Temples of Goddess Durga and Lord Shiva
Gardens
* Ram Niwas Garden
* Sisodia Rani Garden and Palace
* Vidyadhar Garden
* Kanak Vrindavan
Others
* Chand Baori (stepwell)
* Chokhi Dhani
* Raj Mandir Cinema
Demographics
As of 2001 India census, Jaipur had a population of 2,324,319. Males constitute 53% of the population and females 47%. In Jaipur, 15% of the population is under 6 years of age.
Festivals
Gangaur Festival
Gangaur is a significant festival of Jaipur. This festival is especially meant for the women. Gangaur festival is widely acclaimed and celebrated throughout the state of Rajasthan, in the month of March. The word Gangaur is derived from two words, "Gan" and "Gauri" which are synonyms of "Siva" and his consort "Parvati" respectively.
Literature Festival
Jaipur has been playing host to a literature fair inviting writers from subcontinent.
Kite Festival
Kite Festival is a popular festival of Jaipur, Rajasthan. Kite flying is enjoyed by people of all age-groups. However, 14 January, the day of Makar Sankranti, makes the official day for flying kites in Jaipur. People make most out of the festival by flying kites for the whole day.
Teej Festival
Teej Festival is one of the most popular festivals of India. Festival of Teej is widely celebrated, but its real charm can be found only in Jaipur, Rajasthan. Teej celebrates the arrival of monsoon, after the scorching sun of summers. Teej is celebrated in the month of "Shravan" (July-August), according to the Hindu calendar.
Shitla Mata Fair
A large fair is held to propitiate the goddess of war whose wrath can be the terrible scourge of smallpox unless appeased by her followers. Consecrated food on this day consists of stale food left out the previous night. The fair is held in and around the temple dedicated to the goddess in Amber, Jaipur.
Chaksu Fair
A gathering of people from Jaipur's rural pockets collects here in almost all forms of transport - laden into tractor trolleys and jeeps - at what must be one of the most colourful events on the Rajasthani fair calendar.
Elephant Festival
Celebrated on the eve of Holi, in the month of March, this festival features Elephant Polo and Elephant Dance. The Elephant Festival begins with a beautiful procession of bedecked elephants, camels, horses and folk dancers. The owners proudly embellish their elephants with vibrant colors, jhools (saddle cloth) and heavy jewellery. It is quite a treat to see female elephants wearing anklets, which tinkle as they walk. One can see people sprinkling "gulaal" (colored powder) perched on top of the elephant. The most beautifully decorated elephant is awarded. Elephant polo, Elephant race, the tug-of-war between Elephant and 19 men and women are the featured events of the festival.
Sister cities
Jaipur has the following sister cities :
* Fremont, United States of America since 1993
* Calgary, Canada since 1973
* Lagos, Nigeria
* Paris, France
From Wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jaipur
Text is available under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Text_of_the_GNU_Free_Documentation_License | | Jaipur : History | |
|
Jaipur was founded in 1727 by Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II who ruled from 1699-1744 and initially his capital was Amber, which lies at a distance of 11 km from Jaipur. He felt the need of shifting his capital city with the increase in population and growing scarcity of water. The King consulted several books on architecture and architects before making the layout of Jaipur. Finally under the architectural guidance of Vidyadar Bhattacharya, (initially an accounts-clerk in the Amber treasury and later promoted to the office of Chief Architect by the King) Jaipur came into existence on the classical basis of principles of Vastu Shastra and similar classical treatise.
After waging several battles with the Marathas, Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II was keen on the security aspect of the city. Being a lover of Astronomy, Mathematics and Astrophysics, Jai Singh sought advice from Vidyadhar Bhattacharya, a Brahmin scholar of Bengal, to aid him to design many other buildings including the Royal Palace in the center of the city.
The construction of the city started in 1727. It took around 4 years to complete the major palaces, roads and square. The city was built following the principles of Shilpa Shastra, the science of Indian Architecture. The city was divided into nine blocks, of which two consist the state buildings and palaces, with the remaining seven allotted to the public. Huge fortification walls were built along with seven strong gates.
For the time, architecture of the town was very advanced and certainly the best in Indian subcontinent. In 1853, when the Prince of Wales visited Jaipur, the whole city was painted pink to welcome him during the regime of Sawai Ram Singh. Today, avenues remain painted in pink, provide a distinctive appearance to the city. In the 19th century the city grew rapidly; by 1900 it had a population of 160,000. The city's wide boulevards were paved and lit.
The city had several hospitals. Its chief industries were of metals and marble, fostered by a school of art founded in 1868. The city also had three colleges, including a Sanskrit college (1865) and a girls' school (1867) initiated under the reign of the enigmatic Maharaja Sawai Ram Singh II. There was also a wealthy and enterprising community of native bankers, particularly the Jain, Marwaris and the administrators Kayastha. Maharaja Sawai Bhawani Singh Bahadur is the current Maharaja of Jaipur. | | Jaipur : More pictures | |
| | | | Related article(s) | |
The Kuchwaha
The Kuchwaha are also spelled as Kachavāhā - Kachawaha - Kacchavahas - Kachhawa - Kuchhwaha - Kachhawaha - Kushwaha - Keshwala - Kacchapghata - Kakutstha and Kurma.
|
| | |
|
