In 1876 Jaipur dressed itself in pink to welcome Prince Albert, consort of queen Victoria, and earned the epitaph ‘Pink City'. The excellent handicrafts of Jaipur are exquisite gold jewellery enameled or inlaid with precious stones, blue pottery, carving on wood, stone & ivory, block print & tie & dye textiles, handmade paper etc.
The Old City (Known as the Pink City) is a great place to wander around . The whole city was painted in Pink colour by Maharaja Man Singh II when Prince of Wales, later Edward VII, visited Jaipur in 1876. Today, every home with in the city is obliged by law to maintain his facade.
The City is laid out in a grid pattern. It is a very well planned city and was designed by a Young Bengali , an engineer and scholar by the name "Vidyadhar Bhattacharya". Jaipur was and remains the only city in the world symbolising the nine divisions of the universe, through nine rectangular sectors subsiding to, Jaipur is a royal city, & this is its most noticeable aspect, small Buildings & festivals testify to it. Jaipur & its surroundings are rather like an endless museum. The city also offers an endless variety of crafts. Jewellers here still fashion the beautiful enamel-on-gold pendants, studded on the reverse with precious stones or pearls & turquoise that one sees in miniature paintings. Jaipur's lacquer bangles are famous all over the world. This is a city to be visited.
Monuments in Jaipur
- Hawa Mahal
One of the most popular landmarks in Jaipur, Hawa Mahal is also known as the Palace of the Wind, Hawa Mahal is the most photographed monument in Jaipur. Maharaja Sawai Pratap Singh built the Hawa Mahal in 1799. Built in red and pink stone, the Hawa Mahal is the masterpiece of Rajput architecture. The five-story structure-Hawa Mahal-was designed by Lal Chand Usta. The Hawa Mahal was built to enable women of the royal household to watch the everyday activity of the Pink City without being noticed by others. - Jantar Mantar
One of the most famous of five observatories, Jantar Mantar, in Jaipur, is built by Sawai Jai Singh. The Jantar mantar is a mis-prounounciation of Sanskrit word Yantra Mantra. It was built to check the astronomical observation at Jaipur. - Sawai Man Singh Museum
Located within the city palace complex and nestled amidst old buildings, temples and the palace quarters, this museum was founded in 1959 by Maharaja Swai Man Singh II. - Ram Niwas Garden
Was built in 1868 by Swai Ram Singh. It is located in the center of modern Jaipur, it spreads over 33 acres of land. It houses the Albert Hall Museum, the state Zoo, Ravindra Manch Theatre and several cafes and picnic spots in its premises. Timings : 1000 - 1630 hrs. - Jal Mahal
The Jal Mahal Palace, or Water Palace of Jaipur, is noted for its intricate architecture. Built in the mid 18-th century by Madho Singh I, Jal Mahal was developed as a pleasure spot, and was based on the Lake Palace of Udaipur, where the king spent his childhood.
- City Palace
The City Palace is located in Pink City, Jaipur and has an imposing blend of traditional Rajasthan and Mughal architecture. The vast palace complex occupies one seventh of the walled city of Jaipur. The City Palace was originally built by Maharaja Jai Singh II of the Kachhwaha clan of Rajputs. Later several additions were made to the palace complex by many of his successors. The City Palace is the core of the royal residences in Jaipur. - Amer Fort
Located up on the hills that surround Jaipur, the Amber Fort in Rajasthan built in 1592 by Raja Man Singh, is one of the finest examples of Rajput architecture. Perched high on a barren ridge, it commands extensive views over a deep narrow valley and the wider plains beyond. - Jaigarh Fort
The Jaigarh fort is the most spectacular of the three-hilltop forts that overlook Jaipur. In Mughal times, the Jaipur region was a major weapon-producing centre for the Mughal and Rajput rulers, several of which are on display in the fort's museum. - Nahargarh Fort
It is 15 kilometres from Jaipur beyond the hills of Jaigarh and is like a watchful sentinel guarding Sawai Jai Singh’s beautiful capital. Much of the original structures are in ruins. From atop a hill, the fort offers a scenic view of the city below.