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Welcome to Hipfig's Video Guide Series on Jaipur located near New Delhi.
Jaipur is part of the Golden Triangle a popular
tourist route which includes Delhi and Agra. There are various ways to get to
Jaipur, the fastest way is to take a domestic flight from Delhi to Jaipur. You
can also take the train from New Delhi to Jaipur through Indian Railway. You can
get the link to Indian Railways on hipfig.com. Once you arrive by plane or by
the train. You can hire a taxi or chauffeur driven rental car to take you
around to all the attractions in Jaipur. We took a chauffeur driven rental car
from New Delhi to Jaipur. The car was clean, well maintained,
air-conditioned, and the driver who is also a guide knows how to get to all the
attractions and is available to you and at all times. He will remain with you and
guide you through your itinerary and make stops along your road trip.
For instance on our road trip to Jaipur from Delhi we were able to stop and see a Nilagai
or the blue bull also called the Asian antelope, and a colony of prairie
dogs, eat at local restaurants, viewed the beautiful countryside, and when we needed
it he made stops for our personal needs. Look below in the description for the
links for these private car rentals for this tour. On our way toJaipur from
Delhi, our first stop was at Amer Fort which
is located in Amer city, 11 kilometers from Jaipur. Amer was the capital of
the state of Rajasthan before Jaipur and is a UNESCO World Heritage site as part
of the groups of Hill Forts of Rajasthan. Built in 1592 by Raja Man Singh,
it is also known as Amer Palace. It uses both Hindu and Muslim styles of
architecture. The city of Amer is a quaint little city founded by the Meena, a
tribe found mainly in Rajasthan. Once in the city of Amer, to get to the fort
take a taxi or rickshaw to the entrance. You may have to walk up the winding
roads and hill to get to the fort depending on where you get dropped off
so we're good walking shoes. Also instead of walking you can take the elephant
ride up for additional fee. The Amer fort was built atop the Cheel ka Teela or
hill of eagles in the Aravalli range of hills from red sandstone and marble
which overlooks Maotha Lake. The fort is open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily. If
you are not an Indian citizen or a visitor of a SAARC or BIMSTEC country
you will have to pay the foreigner entrance fee. Personal guides are available
for an additional fee. Guides may be helpful in maneuvering through
relatively quickly. You can purchase tickets in the Jalebi Chowk courtyard
area on the right near the restrooms. The fort has four sections or levels with
each with a separate entrance. The first area you'll encounter as you
enter the fort is Jalebi Chowk. In this courtyard you will see the Sila Devi
temple on the right where the Rajput Maharajas worshipped Kali or Durga
You'll also see the door that's embossed in silver leaf with the raised images
once inside look for the statue of Ganesha carved from one piece of coral
also in this courtyard you'll see the Ganesh Pol or the Ganesh gate named
after the Hindu god Lord Ganesh. It leads into the private palaces of the
Maharajahs. The gate is a three level structure with frescoes built in 1621 to
1627. Above the gate is the to Suhag Mandir where the ladies of the
royal family used to watch events at the Diwan I Am -- through latticed windows. Be
aware of the monkeys, do not feed them or have food around them. They can be
aggressive if they feel harassed. After you pass the Ganesh gate, you'll see the
second courtyard up the main stairway of the first level. In this second courtyard
you will find the Diwan I Am or the public audience hall. It was built on a raised
platform and it has 27 colonnades each mounted with an elephant shape capital
with carvings around it. As you continue through the second courtyard you will
enter into the third courtyard which was used for the private quarters of the
Maharaja and the royal court. This third courtyard has two buildings
separated by Mughal Gardens. The building on the Left called the Sheesh Mahal or
the mirror palace is decorated with inlaid coloured glass panels and ceilings. The
walls around the palace have carved marble relief panels. Of particular
interest is the magic flower, it's a carved marble panel at the base
of one of the pillars. It depicts two hovering butterflies that when viewed
properly make seven images: a fishtail, Lotus, hooded Cobra, elephant trunk, lion's
tail, cob of corn, and a scorpion. The other building is the Sukh Niwas or Sukh
Mahal, hall of pleasure. This Hall has a sandalwood door with inlay marble
designs. What's unique in this building is the medieval air-conditioning system
which was created by the winds that blew over a water cascade within the palace
South of the palace lies the palace of Man Singh the first, the oldest part of
the palace fort. In the center of his palace is the pillared pavilion which
was curtained for privacy and used as a hangout place for the Queen and
concubines. This fourth courtyard was living quarters for the Maharajah's
harem. It had many living spaces for all his concubines and his queen. The Amer
Fort also has a light show in the evening for an additional fee. The fort will
take you about an hour more depending on your interest
Combined with Jaigarh Fort, Jal Mahal, Aravalli Hills, and Vijay Garh if you
have time. After our tour of the Amer Fort, we continued our road trip to Jal Mahal.
Jal Mahal Palace also known as the water palace is built in the Rajasthan style
of architecture and is surrounded by the Man Sagar Lake
The palace built in red sandstone is a five-story
building. During the rainy season four floors remain underwater. Unfortunately
you can only see this palace from far away. There are no public visits allowed
to the palace due to its current condition. Along the promenade you'll see
many stalls selling trinkets of all kinds, snacks, and pictures.
There are also street performers. You can even take a camel ride here. This was a
good place for us to visit after our visit at the Amer fort and a good way to
end the evening. It will take you no more than 30 minutes or more depending on
your interest. After the Jal Mahal we went into Jaipur city and had a great
meal in the evening. Jaipur is known as the pink city and is the capital of the
state of Rajasthan. In 1876 the Prince of Wales and Queen Victoria visited india
and since pink denotes the color of hospitality in india, the Maharaja Rama
Singh of Jaipur, painted the whole city pink in order to welcome his guests. It
was then that Lord Albert exclaimed that Jaipur is the pink city and hence the
name. Since then all the buildings in the city center have been colored pink
After a good night's rest in our hotel we woke up early to visit the Hawa
Mahal. The Hawa Mahal or palace of winds is a five storey palace with 953 high
screen walls and windows. It was originally built in 1799 by Maharaja
Sawai Pratap Singh so the women of his royal household could observe the
outside but not be seen. To get to the palace, the easiest way is
to take a taxi or rickshaw directly from your hotel if you don't have a car
Jaipur also has a new metro system but only the pink line is running
currently. It consists of nine metro stations from Mansarovar in the West to
Chandpole in East. The closest metro station to the palace is Chandpole. This
iconic structure of Jaipur is made of red and pink sandstone. The palace is
part of the outskirts of the City palace complex and is open from 9 a.m. to 4:30
p.m.. It was designed in the form of the crown of Krishna the Hindu God and a mix
of Mughal and Rajput architectural styles. If you are not an Indian citizen
or a visitor from a SAARC or BIMSTEC country, you'll have to pay the foreigner
entrance fee. In addition there will be a camera fee. The street side of this Mahal
is actually the back side of the structure. To get to the entrance go to
the front side of the Mahal by turning left as you face the Mahal then turn
right and then take the first right again through an archway. If you get lost
ask! Once you enter the Hawa Mahal you will see a series of rooms and some with
colored glass windows. It's best to come in the morning as the Sun shines through
its windows and to avoid the crowds as there are many narrow corridors and
stairs. If you climb up to the top you will be treated with a sweeping view of
central Jaipur. A few blocks away from the Hawa Mahal is the City Palace. The
City palace is a complex of several palaces, pavilions, gardens, and temples. It
was the seat of the Maharaja of Jaipur and part of the royal family still lives
on the premises.
The structures were built between 1729 and 1732 and used a fusion of Indian and
European architecture. It is located in the middle of the old city wall of
Jaipur. The City palace is open from 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. with the last entry at
5:00 p.m.. If you are not an Indian citizen or a visitor of a SAARC or BIMSTEC
country you will have to pay the foreigner entrance fees in addition
there may be a camera fee. If you plan on visiting , JAIGARH and ROYAL CENOTAPHS
with City palace, you can buy a composite ticket for a discount. You can
purchase the composite tickets at the Maharaja Sawai Man Singh II Museum. Audio
and personal guides are available for an additional fee. One of the first places
you'll see when you enter the complex is the Bhaggi Khana Museum. It has a
collection of old carriages, palanquins, and European cabs. Once inside the
complex you'll see the Mubarak Mahal the auspicious Palace built by Maharaja Madho Singh II
Maharaja Madho Singh II - as a reception center. It is a museum filled with the Royal formal
costumes and block prints. A point of interest are the clothes worn by Sawai Madho Singh the Ist
Sawai Madho Singh the first who weighed 250 kilograms and had 108 wifes. In the
center of a courtyard you'll see the Diwan I Am, the Hall of public audience
In This marble floor building you'll see crystal chandeliers and two huge
sterling silver vessels. Each of these silver water urns is 1.6 meters tall
They hold the Guinness Book of World Records as the world's largest sterling
silver vessels The Chandra Mahal is a seven story
building. Each story has its own name. It contains many unique paintings, mirror
work on the walls, and floor decorations which is typical of Rajasthani decor.
Most of this palace is preserved for members of the royal family of Jaipur
Visitors only have access to the first floor. Make sure to look up at the
peacock gate at the entry to the Mahal and the 1 and 1/4 flag. At the entry
gateway to the Hall, two large elephants each made out of a single marble rock
are on display
Another structure of note is the Maharani's palace. This residence of the
royal queen has been converted into a museum. The focal point are the weapons
used by the royalty during war campaigns Look for a scissor action dagger which
was used to disembowel its victims. Other artifacts include swords, pistols, and
even a small cannon. The city palace should take an hour or more depending on
your interest. A block away is the Jantar Mantar. The Jantar Mantar is a
collection of architectural astronomical instruments built by the Rajput King
Sawai Jai Singh II in the 18th century If you are not an Indian citizen or a
visitor of a SAARC or BIMSTEC country You will have to pay the foreigner
entrance fee. In addition there might be a camera fee. For a discount you can also
buy a composite ticket. This combines attractions like the Amber palace, Jantar
Mantar, Hawa Mahal, Nahargarh , and Albert Hall.
The Jantar Mantar is a UNESCO World Heritage site. All of the astronomical
instruments were built using stone and brass based on astronomy and instrument
design principles of ancient Hindu Sanskrit texts.
The instruments allow observation of astronomical positions with the naked
eye. The monument features instruments operate in each of the three main
classical celestial coordinate systems
This attraction will take 30 minutes or more depending on your interest and as a
must-do for those interested in astronomy. We are able to visit the Hawa
Mahal, City palace, Jantar Mantar, and visit the Johari bazaar all in one day as
they're in close proximity to one another. Jaipur is a welcoming and
beautiful city, make it part of your India tour.
Happy Travels
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