The main monuments of Jaipur
It is the capital and largest city of Rajasthan. It was founded by Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II, ruler of Amber who reigned from 1688 to 1743. As his capital, Amber, was becoming too small and without space to expand, he felt the need to move to Jaipur.
Construction of the city began in 1727 and took about seven years to complete. The city was divided into nine blocks following the principles of Shilpa Shastra, the science of Indian architecture.
It was in 1876, during the reign of Sawai Ram Singh, that the whole city was painted in pink to welcome Edward, Prince of Wales, the future Edward VII. This tradition continues today and gives Jaipur its distinct appearance from the other cities; it is now nicknamed “the pink city”.
Today, Jaipur is the tenth most populous city in the country and entered the Unesco World Heritage list in July 2019. Among the main sites and monuments of Jaipur are the Hawa Mahal (“Palace of Winds”), the City Palace, the Amber Fort, Jantar Mantar (“the observatory”), and the forts of Nahargarh and Jaigarh which overlook the city.
HAWA MAHAL, PALACE OF WINDS
Built in 1799 by Pratap Singh, it is the icon of the city and the most famous façade of the capital of Rajasthan.
Hawa (wind) Mahal (palace) is a vast five-storey pyramid with more or less protruding loggias, wisely aligned under rows of half-domes, and pierced by 953 small openings.
But it is nothing more than a vast theatrical set intended to shelter women of "quality" who wanted to watch processions in the street below without being seen. It is said that the male population gives an additional meaning to the palace's nickname, associating the "winds" with the futile and incessant chatter of the women...
AMBER FORT
Located 11 km north of Jaipur, Amber was for seven centuries the capital of the kingdom. Controlling a narrow gorge on the road from Delhi to Rajasthan, Amber had great strategic value.
Very elongated in shape to marry the hill on which it was built, it is surrounded by sober-looking crenellated ramparts, which contrast with the finesse of some of the interior decorations. The main buildings were constructed at the end of the 16th century by Man Singh I, adviser to the Mughal emperor Akbar and general-in-chief of his armies.
Amber Fort has been listed as a Unesco World Heritage Site since 2013.
JANTAR MANTAR, THE OBSERVATORY
Jantar Mantar is an astronomical observation site built in the early 18th century by Maharaja Jai Singh II. An astronomer, scholar and brilliant politician, he became the most influential man in the Mughal court and the most powerful prince of Rajasthan.
He built five observatories in the country, that of Jaipur being the largest and most accomplished. This outstanding achievement brought real progress and its reputation attracted astronomers from all over the world.
Jantar Mantar has been a Unesco World Heritage Site since 2010.
CITY PALACE, THE ROYAL RESIDENCE
While planning the city, Jai Singh II had reserved two districts, out of nine, to build himself a vast palace surrounded by gardens, pavilions, temples and courtyards, connected by a series of monumental gates.
Of this immense City Palace, we only visit a few rooms converted into a museum, such as the “Diwan-I-Am” or the public hall of audiences, which houses the private collections of the Maharajas: Bohemian crystal chandeliers, palanquins, huge 17th century Persian carpets from Lahore and Herat, Mughal and Rajasthan miniatures.
GALTA JI TEMPLES
On the road to Agra, Galta, a Hindu place of worship, was established in a rocky gorge in memory of holy ascetics who meditated here. Hindus come to perform their ablutions in the sacred pools where a beneficial spring flows.
Climbing along the pools in the monkey-populated gorge, one reaches the top of the hill where the sun temple stands with a magnificent view over Jaipur.