HAPPY TRAVELLING
Jaipur - Pink city of India
Imagine an entire city being painted Pink to welcome someone and a grand hall being constructed to his honor !!! The ruler of the land passes law requiring all future buildings in the city to be painted pink. In todays world, it would be called a madness but back in 1876, it was a show of great hospitality from one ruler to another. Fast forward to today, city is not pink at all.
Present day Jaipur comprises of Jaipur and Amer town. King Jai singh used to rule on Amer around 1727 from hilltop Amer Fort cum palace. With growth of population and scarcity of water, he shifted 11 KM from Amer and founded Jaipur. Amer was just 15 minutes horse ride from newly founded Jaipur. Naturally he needed a new palace in Jaipur so he founded City palace and to protect this empire, Nahargarh fort and Jaigarh fort were built subsequently. As Jai Singh had keen interest in astronomy, he build Jantar Mantar adjacent to his city palace. As his picnic spot, he renovated and enlarged Old Jal Mahal, 5 Km away from his palace (7-10 minute horse ride) Later on, his grandson build Hawa Mahal next to City palace.
Jaipur has two World heritage sites of Amer Fort and Jantar Mantar. On 6 July 2019, the city itself was named to the World Heritage Cities list. Here are top tourist attractions of Jaipur in the order of popularity.
State Govt site which give a glimpse of all notable attractions – https://www.tourism.rajasthan.gov.in/jaipur.html
- Jaipur itself is a world heritage city which has 2 more world heritage sites, Amber Fort and Jantar Mantar in it. Only 2 cities in India has that honor.
- During the rule of Sawai Ram Singh II, the city was painted pink to welcome Albert Edward, Prince of Wales in 1876.
- Jaipur still has a Maharaja although he is not recognized by law.
- The Raj Mahal Palace hotel has a presidential suite with a room tariff exceeding $50,000 (1200K INR) per night.
- Jaipur is cultural and formal capital of Rajasthan due to its rich royal vibes and vibrant culture.
- Tourist typically spends 2-3 days to peacefully explore Jaipur attractions.
Being capital of Rajasthan, Jaipur exhibits all colors of vibrant Rajasthani culture. Rajasthan has its own dance form, musical instruments, cuisine and architecture. The city proudly hold iconic buildings representing different architecture styles. For Example
- Amer Fort, Panna Meena Ka Kund Stepwell - Represent traditional Hindu architecture.
- Hawa Mahal - build in 1799, it is amalgamation of Hindu Rajput and Islamic Mughal-influenced designs.
- Albert Hall Museum - Built by Britishers, it represents fusion of Indo-Islamic-European style.
- Jama Masjid - Built in AD 1569, it is representation of Islamic architecture.
Here are few things we you would love to know about Rajasthan:
- Glimpse of traditional instrument - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P-VKg0OvEvY
- Folk Dance - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nHhRWgkkpMk
- Local dishes - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Buy4Ei9nt1k
- Traditional Dresses - https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=rajasthani+attire
We recommend trying Rajasthani thali first which are plates with many local dishes in small quantity. That will give a taste of common dishes. Thalis are available almost everywhere but do check what all and how many items are offered in thali. Here is list of few places you can try which we noticed from visitors blogs but T&T is not affiliated with any food outlets anywhere.
- Chokhi Dhani - Local thalis and more
- Caffé Palladio - European
- Please check the temperature during your stay. Rajasthan gets significant hot during summer days and it may not be suitable (rather bearable) to everyone.
- There are several tour organizers available to enhance your experience. Please do proper research on duration and time allowed on each site. If you are visiting Jaipur for first time, you might want to spend more time then usually allowed in tours (a common complaint of tourists opting for tours). Jaipur can be visited on your own as it is quite cheap to take taxi or tuktuk.
- Always carry ID proof and 1 photo copy of it.
- Tipping in India is always welcome and even 50 Rupee tip is big enough to make receiver smile.
There are countless hotels and stays in Jaipur. Please have thorough review check before booking. Jaipur offers budget homestays, dorms and even palaces to complement your stay here.
Jaipur is full of domestic and foreigner tourists and with tourist, comes bit of scamming. Jaipur is no different. Local transport (tuk-tuk, Autos) will surely try to charge foreigners and non-Rajasthani higher fare. Similarly shops also dramatically increase price for foreigner. Its not specific to foreigners. The fact that fares and cost of items are sometime dirt cheap, no one wants to miss the opportunity of earning quickly. Have a basic idea of distance or item you want to buy and bargaining is everywhere in India.
Top Jaipur Attractions
Forts
Amer Fort
Amer Fort and palace is great example of Rajput architecture. There are so many attraction points within Fort like Diwan-e-Aam, or “Hall of Public Audience”, the Diwan-e-Khas, or “Hall of Private Audience”, the Sheesh Mahal (mirror palace), or Jai Mandir, and the Sukh Niwas etc. Even the entrance gates called Pol are worth praise and admiration.
We recommend going through wiki page for Amer Fort to have an idea about its history and cultural background.
Thumps Up
- Easy to reach
- Entry fee (Indians: Rs. 50; Foreigners: Rs. 550)
- Sufficient attractions inside fort to justify coming from city center
- parking space
Thumps Downs
- Bit far from city center requiring dedicated transport.
- Missing landscape for photography
- may get crowded during peak season.
Travel tips
- It requires significant walking. Carry water bottles.
- Please avoid riding elephants as they endure mental and physical torture and are kept mal-nourishment in order to serve as pet.
Nahargarh Fort
Nahargarh Fort stands on the edge of the Aravalli Hills, overlooking the city of Jaipur. Nahargarh once formed a strong defence ring for the city. The beauty of this fort in primarily in its architecture. It does not have highlighted attractions like Amer fort as it was a relaxing, holidaying and hunting spot for the kings and queens of Jaipur. This place got the construction which intentionally creates confusion because of the similarity in structures, paints, art and architecture.
Thumps Up
- Easy to reach
- Entry fee (Indians: Rs. 50; Foreigners: Rs. 200)
- parking space
Thumps Downs
- Bit far from city center requiring dedicated transport.
Travel tips
- It requires significant walking. Carry water bottles.
- It is a fort primarily not fort cum palace like Amer fort. So it should be visited for its architecture, without expecting intricate carvings usually found in palaces.
Jaigarh Fort
Jaigarh Fort is situated on the hilly side called the Cheel ka Teela (Hill of Eagles) and overlooks the Amer Fort and the Maota Lake. The Fort was build to protect Amer fort as Amer fort was permanent residence of kings. It is 3 Km long and 1 Km wide and due to its sheer size, tourist are even allowed to take car inside.
At present, it is famous for its Cannon foundry and its product Jaivana Canon. At the time of its manufacture in 1720, Jaivana canon was the world’s largest cannon on wheels of the Early Modern Era. Cannon foundry had a massive wind tunnel that sucked air from the high mountains into its furnace creating temperatures as high as 2,400 °F and became one of the world’s most efficient cannon foundries mainly due to the abundance of iron ore mines in the vicinity of the fort. With a right guide, one can still see whole setup and Jaivana canon.
Thumps Up
- Entry fee (Indians: Rs. 50; Foreigners: Rs. 200)
- parking space
- A real canon foundry and Jaivana canon
Thumps Downs
- Bit far from city center requiring dedicated transport.
- Other than Canon foundry, nothing much to see in fort.
Travel tips
- It requires significant walking. Carry water bottles.
- It is a fort primarily not fort cum palace like Amer fort. So it should be visited for its foundry, without expecting intricate carvings usually found in palaces.
Palaces
Hawa Mahal
A masterpiece of Mughal and Rajput architecture, Hawa Mahal is considered as the tallest building in the world without a foundation. This five-storey monumental palace managed to maintain upright because of its curved shape. It is basically a palace, built from red and pink sandstone, in the city of Jaipur, Rajasthan, India. Its five-floor exterior is akin to a honeycomb with its 953 small windows decorated with intricate latticework. One of the most recommended and famous monuments allowing visitors to go inside too.
Thumps Up
- Easy to reach
- Average Entry fee (Indians: Rs. 50; Foreigners: Rs. 200)
- Ample nearby eateries and accommodations
- Generally safe city full of tourists
- Value for money in terms of nearby attraction’s counts and importance
- Good parking options
Thumps Downs
- Situated on busy local street
- Missing landscape for photography
- Crowded tourist attractions
- No proper infra for wheelchair/specially abled visitors
Travel tips
- The famous facade is actually the back side of large palace and inside is also worth visiting.
- As it is situated on busy street, cafes across the street offer better views for photographs.
- Aim for early morning visit to avoid local crowd. As the facade is visible from street, there is no time restriction.
City Palace
The City Palace, Jaipur is a royal residence and former administrative headquarters of the rulers of the Jaipur. It was constructed combining elements of Mughal and Rajput architectural styles. The most prominent and most visited structures in the complex are the Chandra Mahal, Mubarak Mahal, Shri Govind Dev Temple, and the City Palace Museum. Sarvato Bhadra (Diwan-e-Khas) in palace has two huge sterling silver vessels with capacity of 4000 litres and weighing 340 kilograms, on display here. They were made from 14,000 melted silver coins without soldering to carry drinking water for king on his trip to England. They hold the Guinness World Record as the world’s largest sterling silver vessels.
Thumps Up
- Easy to reach, adjacent to Hawa Mahal and Jantar Mantar.
- Ample nearby eateries and accommodations
- Good parking options
Thumps Downs
- Pricy tickets
Travel tips
- Be very careful about what is included in your ticket. There are different tickets as per included items. Many visitors feel down after discovering that their ticket does not cover the spots they want to see.
- Do not forget to cover entrances (pols) of the city palace.
Sisodia Rani ka Bagh
Sisodia Rani Garden is a royal garden built in the premises of the Sisodia Palace in Jaipur. The step garden, although not too large in area, is considered to be a tranquil escape in the hot and arid region of Jaipur. The landscaped gardens occupy cascading levels in front of the Sisodia Palace and have a central water fountain with channels running through. It does not take a lot of time to explore this attraction. So, tourists around Lal Dungri or those on their way to Agra can take a pit stop here.
Thumps Up
- Cheap tickets
- Good parking space
Thumps Downs
- Away from city center.
- Nothing much to explore there.
Travel tips
- Some visitors found that only garden was allowed to visit, not the palace. Do check what is allowed and what is not at the time of visit.
- Better to visit in morning or evening during summer day and afternoon during mid winter time.
- Some visitors reported private event being held and partial closure during private event.
Jal Mahal (water Palace)
Jal Mahal (“Water Palace”) is a palace in the middle of the Man Sagar Lake in Jaipur. This is a splendid combination of the Rajput and Mughal styles of architecture. It is a five storey palace, when the lake is full of water its four storey are merged under water, and only the top floor is visible. Historians still wonder that the palace was built as a picnic spot for the sake of royal family as it has no personal chambers. and
Palace has its own glory and significance but due to the fact that visitors are not allowed inside and lake has significant water, only top floor is visible from outside. Mostly visitors take a look from nearby road which is quite far so view is also not very clear.
Thumps Up
- Free of cost
- Located in city center
Thumps Downs
- Not allowed inside.
Travel tips
- Tips for a marvel which is closed for its admirers. There are none.
Temples
Birla Mandir
Birla Mandir is a Hindu temple which is constructed solely of white marble. The temple features intricate carvings and sculptures. It’s built on a raised platform, making it visible from a distance and giving it a modern architectural style. The Birla temple is not just most beautiful temple of Jaipur but some claim it be best of whole Rajasthan. Carvings of various Hindu Gods and Hindutexts from the Geeta and Upanishads are present along the walls. Apart from religious elements, several other philosophers like Buddha, Confucius and Socrates are also engraved along the walls. The marble walls of the temple glow at night under the lights and are a truly majestic site in itself.
Akshardham Mandir
Akshardham Temples are quite known temples in india. There are over 1000 such temples across the world and this temple is another marvelous one. It is about 13 minutes (5.7 km) from Jaipur via Ajmer road. Akshardham temple of Jaipur is one of the recent constructions in Jaipur that are so beautiful.
Digamber Jain Mandir
In the midst of the pulsating streets of Jaipur, Digambar Jain Mandir is a holy place which is a treasury of Jain spirituality and architectural excellence. Among the oldest and most respected Jain temples in the city, this architectural wonder is the destination of choice for both devotees and tourists, with its exquisite craftsmanship, intricately carved stonework, and profoundly peaceful atmosphere. It symbolises the lasting Jainism tradition in the colourful mosaic of Rajasthani culture. Striding into the temple of heaven with its magnificent pink sandstone façade, towering spires, and exquisite embellishments, visitors are spellbound by its architectural splendour and sacred atmosphere.
Other Temples
There are several other mandirs as well like Galta ji mata mandir, Hanuman mandir which are suitable for local religious visitors. Unlike big private Temples like Birla temple, most of religious temples are not maintained and remain in poor conditions (sad reality but true).
Travel tips
- Jaipur is not for such temples but its a contrast and gives your mind bit peace (if they are not crowded). If you are not local, prefer private mandirs only which are maintained by big organizations. Do note the timings of temple you plan to visit.
Others
Jantar Mantar
The Jantar Mantar is a collection of 20 astronomical instruments built by Sawai Jai Singh, the founder of Jaipur, Rajasthan. The monument was completed in 1734. It features the world’s largest stone sundial, and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is near City Palace and Hawa Mahal.
The Jantar Mantar, in Jaipur, is an astronomical observation site built in the early 18th century. Its 20 main fixed instruments are monumental examples in masonry of known instruments but which in many cases have specific characteristics of their own. Designed for the observation of astronomical positions with the naked eye, they embody several architectural and instrumental innovations. This is the most significant, most comprehensive, and the best preserved of India’s historic observatories.
Thumps Up
- Entry fee (Indians: Rs. 50; Foreigners: Rs. 550)
- Usually not crowded
- Close to City palace and Hawa Mahal
Thumps Downs
- For average person, its not very intuitive to understand. A guide a practically a must to really understand it.
Travel tips
- Pretty much open space with open sky. For hot weather, do carry umbrella.
Panna Meena Ka Kund (Stepwell)
Panna Meena Ka Kund (step-well) was built in 16th century. It is a magnificent architectural structure with around 1800 crisscross steps on three sides of the well. It is around 200 feet deep. During its prime period, the Panna Meena Ka Kund was more than just a freshwater resource. It was a gathering place for the ladies, where they could chit-chat and catch up on one other’s lives. As a result, it is more than just a piece of architecture; it is a vital aspect of our culture and history.
Thumps Up
- No entry fee
- Usually not crowded
Thumps Downs
- Away from city center. Practically can be covered along with Amer Fort.
- Crowded tourist attractions
- No proper infra for wheelchair/specially abled visitors
Travel tips
- 1. Be cautious of fraudulent guides who may attempt to charge entrance fees, despite there being no official charges.
- You can easily reach Panna Meena ka Kund from the Amer Fort by walking. Take a short walk to the stepwell, which is approximately one kilometer away and takes about 11 minutes.
Albert Hall Museum
The Albert Hall Museum in Jaipur is the oldest museum of the state and functions as the state museum of Rajasthan. The building is a fine example of Indo-Saracenic architecture. It was considered one of the most advanced museums in India and one of the best 19th century museums for the variety of its collections.
The museum has a rich collection of artifacts including paintings, jewelry, carpets, ivory, stone, metal sculptures, and works in crystal. The collection includes coins from the Gupta, Kushan, Delhi Sultanate, Mughal and British periods. A repository of 19,000 objects was collected, including arms and armour, sculpture, international art from Japan, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Hungary, Germany, Austria etc., pottery, carpets, jewellery, musical instruments, ivory, woodwork, and stone work. The Egyptian collection houses many objects. An Egyptian mummy is the main attraction of this museum. The 17th century Persian garden carpet and many ancient sculptures are coveted treasures of the museum.
Thumps Up
- Entry fee (Indians: Rs. 40; Foreigners: Rs. 300)
- Usually not crowded
Thumps Downs
- No as such
Travel tips
It requires good time to really feel and appreciate the collection.
Patrika Gate
Patrika Gate stands out as a relatively new yet instantly iconic addition to Jaipur’s tourism portfolio. The Patrika Gate was inaugurated in 2016 and was conceived as a fitting tribute to the cultural heritage of Rajasthan.The gate is a testament to the traditional Vastu principles and the architectural styles of the region. It stands as a celebration of the artisans and craftsmen of Rajasthan, showcasing intricately painted motifs, detailing various aspects of the Rajasthani culture. he gate’s nine pavilions, each representing a different division of Rajasthan, are adorned with beautiful frescoes and unique motifs, making it a great spot for photography enthusiasts and culture lovers.
Thumps Up
- No entry fee
Thumps Downs
- No as such
Travel tips
It is part of Jawahar circle which is known for its musical fountains, jogging tracks, and rose gardens.