In the midst of the buzzing streets and the day to day activities of the local residents lie the splendorous of Jaipur’s majestic past that are islands of relative calm evoking a different pace and another world. Dazzling the eyes of tourists with its several architectural landmarks, stylish monuments, palaces, museums, wide avenues and colorful bazaars, Jaipur is quite the charmer. We bring to you, 7 images that will make you want to visit the city now.
One of the best kept secrets of the city of Amer is a 17th century lake ‘Sagar’, which was the primary source of water for the adjoining forts of Amer and Jaigarh. Tucked away beyond Kheri Gate the lake can be reached by car and then one can walk around its boundary. Built during the reign of Raja Man Singh, the lake which is divided into two parts- the Upper Sagar and the Lower Sagar, kept a check on the water table of the region. It was designed in a manner that it was connected with various step wells in the region, which automatically filled up once the ‘Sagar’ had reached its capacity.
The sleepy little village of Abhaneri, just outside of Jaipur, is known for its marvelous baoris, better known as step wells, which were built in the 8th Century, almost a thousand years ago, to be able to harvest whatever little water the rains brought to these dry lands. Jaipur is set in a desert and these tanks were used as cool places of retreat and as water reservoirs during parched times of the year, however, it is little known that these step wells were also dug up for the luxurious usage of water by the wealthy!
Perched on a hill the historic fort of Amer, the ancestral capital of the city, is set in a picturesque background. The splendid Amer Fort was built in 1600 by Raja Man Singh, commander-in-chief of the Mughal army during Akbar's reign and certainly one the greatest general of medieval India.
There is no better way to take in the magnificence and the beauty of the Amber Fort other than from the mountains that hold it. Walk around the fort, not towards it, a unique way of soaking in the magnificence of the Amer fort and its surroundings. Go off the beaten track on a journey through the Aravalli’s, only to find that it is from this view point that one can see the entire Amber town and the fort right in the center while the fort wall adorns the entire hill like a beautiful necklace.
The honeycomb Hawa Mahal is arguably Jaipur's most acclaimed landmark. The tapering Hawa Mahal, literally meaning the Palace of Winds, was built in 1799 to enable the ladies of the royal household to watch the street processions while remaining in a strict state of pardha. A five-storey facade, is decked with no less than 593 finely screened windows and balconies. Though the primary source of its appeal is undoubtedly the front, visitors can go inside to see exactly where the women sat, and take a close look at the detailed stonework.
Literally meaning the water palace, it was built in 1799 by Maharaja Madho Singh as a summer resort for the royal family. The Jal Mahal palace is considered an architectural beauty built in the Rajput and Mughal styles of architecture providing a picturesque view of the lake and the hills that surround it.
Undeniable a must visit while in Jaipur is the Jaigarh Fort, a majestic stronghold built by Sawai Jai Singh II. This almost intact fort is surrounded by huge battlements and is connected to the Amber Fort with subterranean passages. Originally built to protect the Amber Fort and the palace within the complex, the Jaigarh fort is architecturally similar to the Amber Fort and offers a panoramic view of the city of Jaipur. In the picture, standing deserted but not devastated, the Jaigarh Fort.
