Location

Jaipur, popularly known as the Pink City, is the capital of the state of Rajasthan. It has, long been established, on tourist itineraries as the third corner of India's Golden Triangle, just 300 kilometres southwest of Delhi, and 200 kilometres west of Agra.

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The Pink city!
The old city of Jaipur is partially encircled with seven gates - the major gates are Chandpol, Sanganeri, and Ajmeri. The 'pink city' label, applies specifically, to the old walled quarter of the Rajasthani capital, while in the northeast of the town, glorious palaces and temples, in an assortment of styles, spanning centuries, are scattered throughout the, predominantly, urban area.

Places of Interest

Places of interest are mainly located within the walled city. The City Palace complex is the most important landmark with its numerous outbuildings, courtyards, impressive gateways and temples. Across the road from the palace is the Jantar Mantar, one of the five observatories built by Sawai Jai Singh. A collection of complex astronomical instruments, chisseled out of stone- most of which continue to provide fairly accurate information to this day - is the highlight of this observatory

» Hawa Mahal (Palace of Winds) : adjoins the outside of the palace wall. Built in 1799 by Maharaja Sawai Pratap Singh, the Hawa Mahal is a remarkable structure which overlooks one of the main streets and also provides some excellent views of the city. In the not-too-distant past, ladies of the court found it convenient to watch the activities on the streets below without being observed themselves.

Located just outside the walled city is the sprawling Ram Niwas Garden. The garden houses the majestic Albert Hall Museum. Opened in 1887 AD, this impressive building displays a rich collection of paintings, carpets, ivory, stone and metal sculpture among other objects.

The Historic Forts

These forts, though built at different periods, are so located that they seem to be stringed together.

» Amer : Set in a picturesque location, Amer is a fascinating blend of Hindu and Mughal architecture. Built in the 16th century by Raja Man Singh, it sprawls on the hillside. Click here to see a panoramic view of the formidable Amer with Jaigarh in the background. Built in red sandstone and white marble, the palace complex has some very interesting apartments, the likes of which are not to be found anywhere else in the country. Jai Mandir, Sheesh Mahal, Sukh Niwas and Ganesh Pole are the prominent areas of interest.

The old township of Amer lies at the foothills of the palace and has an old world charm, a character of its own. Jagat Shiromani Temple, Narsingh Temple are some of the places of interest.

» Jaigarh : Jaigarh , or the Fort of Victory, is a rugged fort built in 1726. The world's largest cannon on wheels is to be found here. The fort houses a museum and provides some excellent views of the Amer Palace.

» Nahargarh : It is the first of the three forts. Built in 1734, this fort provides some stunning views of the city down below both during daytime and at night. An open air restaurant-"PADAO" lets you enjoy the panoramic view of the city even as you sip a hot cup of coffee on a pleasant evening !

How to Get There

» By Air : Jaipur is connected to Delhi, Mumbai, Udaipur, Jodhpur, Aurangabad, Calcutta and Varanasi by domestic flights.

» By Bus : Jaipur can be accessed from all the major places in Rajasthan, Gujarat, Delhi and Mumbai by bus.

» By Train : The train service to Jaipur is available from all the major parts of the country. The train services to Jaipur are slower, because of the metre gauge line.

Accommodation in Jaipur