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Overview

Jaipur is the capital and the largest city of the Indian state of Rajasthan. Jaipur is also known as the Pink City, due to the dominant colour scheme of its buildings. It is located 268 km (167 miles) from the national capital New Delhi. On 6 July 2019, UNESCO World Heritage Committee inscribed Jaipur the “Pink City of India” among its World Heritage Sites. Jaipur was founded in 1727 by the Kacchawa Rajput ruler Jai Singh II, the ruler of Amer, after whom the city is named. It was one of the earliest planned cities of modern India, designed by Vidyadhar Bhattacharya.

Jaipur (also known as the Pink City), is the capital of Rajasthan in India. Jaipur has been the stronghold of kacchawah rajput rulers and thus lots of historical and architectural development of the city owes to these rulers.

Jaipur is the largest city in Rajasthan and was built in the eighteenth century by Sawai Jai Singh as India’s first planned city. Jaipur is a major tourist attraction amongst Indian as well as international travellers. It belongs to the tourist Golden Triangle of Delhi, Jaipur and Agra. It hosts several attractions like the City Palace, Govind Dev ji Temple, Vidhan Sabha, Birla Temple, several massive Rajput forts and so on. It also serves as a stepping stone for travelers heading to the desert cities of Jodhpur and Jaisalmer.

Now Jaipur is growing fast and various development projects are being undertaken by the government and private enterprises. The town planning and infrastructure development in Jaipur is quite above the mark relative to many other Indian cities.

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Places to Visit:

• Amber Fort, (11 km North of central Jaipur). This massive fort-palace complex built in hybrid Hindu-Muslim style dates back to Raja Man Singh and was the royal palace of the Kachwahas from c. 1600-1727. The name has nothing to do with the rather pretty pastel yellow colour; instead, the fort is named after the town of Amber, in turn named after the goddess Amba. The main sights within the fort include the Sheesh Mahal, adorned with thousands on thousands of mirror tiles on the walls and ceiling. The fort/palace grounds are sprawling and the information panels (hindi/english) are somewhat limited, so it might be worth getting an audio guide or a real guide. The real guide will cost about Rs 70-100 and will also take you to the Rajasthan Kala Mandir (a government operated shop) to buy souvenirs. The guide gets a 2% commission on the items you buy. Also see the Amber Light Show It’s a bit of a hike up to the fort from the town, but resist the temptation to take an elephant ride to the top. Elephant rides are cruel to the animals and they are often treated very poorly by their keepers, so it’s best not to encourage the practice.
• Jaigarh Fort, (A 1 km walk uphill from ”’Amber Fort”’, Never conquered in battle, this was considered the strongest of the three forts in the area. It is best known as the site of the world’s largest cannon, the Jaivana, which was test-fired only once — according to legend, despite using only the half the design amount of gunpowder, the cannonball flew 35 km! A better reason to visit the fort, though, are the scenic gardens at the other end and the spectacular views over the Amber Fort and the hills around. The remains of the foundry where the Jaivana (and many more) were cast are also in the fort grounds.
• Nahargarh Fort: The smallest of the three forts, notable primarily for excellent views over Man Sagar lake and the vast sprawl of Jaipur. The fort also houses the (relatively) compact Madhavendra Bhawan palace, although its former splendour is fading fast under a new layer of graffiti and pigeon droppings. Portions of the movie Rang De Basantiwere shot at this fort. To go the area where the “Pathshala” song was shot, take a left turn as soon as you enter the fort. An autorickshaw can be taken from the autorickshaw stand in front of the Amber fort and a round trip can be made.
• City Palace, (Inside the old city, close to New Gate and Hawa Mahal). An imposing blend of traditional Rajput and Mughal architecture. It is a vast palace complex occupying nearly one-seventh of the Pink City. It was originally built by Maharaja Jai Singh II. The complex is divided into a series of courtyards, sprawling gardens and buildings. It is home to several palatial structures like the Chandra Mahal, (home to present Maharajah of Jaipur), Mubarak Mahal(housing a textile museum), Diwan-e-Khas (or Hall of Private audience housing the two largest silver vessels in the world, which are duly mentioned in the Guinness book), the Diwan-e-Aam ( or Hall of Public Audience) and the gateway Ridhi Sidhi Pol (with four small doorways decorated with motifs depicting the four seasons). Foreigner: rs 700; valid for 2 days, includes entrance to Jaigarh Fort and Royal Cenotaphs, does not include entrance to Chandra Mahal.
• Jal Mahal(Water Palace), (On the way to Sisodia Rani Garden). A Rajput style architectured palace sits in the center of the Mansarovar The lake is often dry in the winter, but summer monsoons frequently turn it into a beautiful lake filled with water hyacinths. Free on the 18th of May, as well as the Observatory and wind palace.
• Govind Devji Temple- For Vaishnavites, particularly followers of Lord Krishna, this is the most important temple in the world after Vrindavan. Lord Krishna presiding in the temple were brought to Jaipur from Vrindavan during Mughal rein. According to popular legend, Lord Krishna’s idol in the temple looks exactly like Krishna’s form while his incarnation of Earth. It is located at Jainiwas Gardens, Jalebi Chowk, in the same campus as City Palace.
• Moti Doongritemple is located in the center of Jaipur city. This Temple is the main center of religion for Jaipur people. Moti Dungri is basically a small hill, which means Pearl Hill. There is a Temple and a Palace on this hill. Moti Dungri temple is dedicated to Lord Ganesha and it is said that at the time of building this city, this temple was constructed first to protect the city.
• Lakshmi Narayan Temple (aka The Marble Temple)(Birla Temple), (below the well known Moti Dungri fort). Is a relatively new temple made of white marble with beautiful carvings. It covers a vast area in Jaipur city and is built in a contemporary manner. Birla Temple is completely constructed with finest high quality white marbles.
• Akshardham Temple (at Vaishali Nagar)
• Jain Mandir(Shivdas Pura) 15-16 km from Jaipur, is a Jain temple in Shivdaspura and is well known as “Bara Padampura”. This temple comes under district Jaipur. Temple is a unique place of miracles and is famous in north India for its very beautiful statue of God Padamprabhu (The 6th Teerthankar for Jain’s). God is sitting in a crossed leg seating posture. Height of the statue is 2 ft 4″ and statue is made of pure white stone. Statue was appeared while digging for foundation of a house.
• Galtajiis an ancient Hindu pilgrimage site situated 10 km from Jaipur on Jaipur-Agra highway near Sisodia Rani Garden. The main temple here is temple of Galtaji in constructed in pink stone. The temple has a number of pavilions with rounded roofs, exquisitely carved pillars and painted walls. The temple is surrounded by natural springs and reservoirs that are considered holy .There are also seven tanks or kunds
• Galwh Bagh (aka The Monkey Temple) and Suriya Mandir (aka The Sun Temple)are located on the Eastern edge of the city. Both locals and tourists come here to feed the surprisingly tame monkeys, use the temples, and enjoy the views. You can climb to the top of the hill and then down into the valley to see the Monkey Temple, all the while enjoying the company of countless monkeys, goats, and other animals. At the top of the hill, you turn right to reach the Sun Temple for one of the best views of the city, especially at sunset. Monkey food is available for purchase at the bottom of the hill. The Temples are free, but local religious people may ask for donations (optional) and there is a Rs 50 charge for using a camera.
• Jantar Mantar, (very close to the City Palace.) This UNESCO world heritage site is the largest of five astronomical observatories build by Maharaja Jai Singh during the period 1727-1734 in north India. The observatory consists of fourteen major geometric devices (or yantrasin Hindi) for measuring time, predicting eclipses, tracking stars in their orbits, ascertaining the declinations of planets and determining the celestial altitudes etc. There is signage providing elaborate explanations for the use of each device, and guides can be hired to provide much the same information in a more digestible format. The audio guide at the observatory isn’t great and doesn’t tell you very much more information than the already existent signage. The observatory, the water and the wind palace are free on the 18th of May.
• Hawa Mahal(Palace of Breeze). Built in 1799 by Maharaja Sawai Singh as part of City Palace. It was an extension of the Zenana (women) chamber. It’s purpose was to allow royal ladies to observe everyday life in the street below without being seen. It is a five storey high red sandstone structure complete with over 950 windows. The breeze (or hawa in Hindi) circulates through these windows giving the palace its name. Free on May 18th. Camera free.
• Gaitore(Gatore), (In the walled city area named Brahmpuri, the foothills of Nahargarh Fort). This is a royal cremation site of the royal rulers of jaipur.
• Iswari Minar Swarga Sal, Chandpol Bazaar near City Palace(Look for the big tall tower near Tripolia Gate. The entrance is not from the main street, but is around the back of the shops. You can get there from the alley that’s 50m west of the minaret along Chandpol Bazaar, there’s also an entrance near the City Palace, which is 50m west of Tripolia Gate and 200m east of the minaret.). There is an alternative to the minor that’s open 24/7. Just across the other side of the road (Chandpol Bazaar) from the minaret is a shopping complex with stairs up to a rooftop area where you can get basically the same view as from the minar. To get there, go through the arched gateway almost opposite the minar, then as soon as you get to the courtyard, look to the left for a metal spiral staircase and keep climbing until you reach the roof, walk around the corder to the next set of stair and go up another floor until you know you can’t go any higher.
• Anokhi Museum of Hand Printing, (Kheri Gate, Amber), A beautiful clean museum dedicated to the traditional art of hand block printing textiles, this museum is housed in a recently restored heritage haveli tucked into the back streets of old Amber. Small cafe, clean toilets, small shop, friendly staff & a printer & block carver demonstrating their crafts every day.
• Central Museum(Albert Hall). Included in the 5-monument ”Composite Ticket”.

Jaipur Wax Museum, (Standing on the edge of the Aravalli Hills, overlooking the pink city of Jaipur). To be opened soon. Wax & Silicon figures of famous Indian & World personalities, which are being sculpted, by India’s maiden & senior most wax sculptor artist Mr. Susanta Ray, would be displayed in Shastragar & Vishramghar areas of the fort. Jaipur Wax museum would be providing a great opportunity to the patrons visiting the museum, to have a closer look of their favorite stars from the fields of Bollywood, Hollywood, Sports, History, Music, Literature, World Leaders, Pop stars, Cultural figures and famous persons from History, Politics and Contemporary fields. An unique attraction of Jaipur Wax Museum would be a Royal Statue section, which would showcase real life size wax & silicon figures of ‘The Maharaja’s & The Maharani’s’ of Jaipur & Rajasthan, thereby giving a first of its kind opportunity to the world to have a glimpse of the majestic figures. The statues will have a unique background & surroundings, complimenting each figure & would enhance the look of it. An interactive area is proposed to be landscaped outside the venue, surrounding the museum.

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When to Reach
November to March is the best time to visit Jaipur and other parts of Rajasthan as the weather ranges between 8-degree Celcius during nights to 32-degree Celcius in the day. Summers are extremely hot, and sightseeing isn’t a very joyful experience. Monsoons, on the other hand, are quite hot and humid which isn’t an ideal time to visit too. January is an excellent time to visit Jaipur because of the Kite Festival and also the Jaipur Literature Festival that’s held around this time. Sometime in the month of March, Jaipur witnesses the Elephant festival, just a day before Holi.

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Why should I go?

Also called the Pink City, Jaipur is the capital of the royal state of Rajasthan. Along with Delhi and Agra, Jaipur forms the Golden Triangle and hails as one of the most famous tourist circuits in the country.

Rajputs ruled Jaipur for many centuries and developed as a planned city in the 17th century AD. With the old city surrounded by walls and gates decorated with drawings on the backdrop of a beautiful pink hue, Jaipur, the pink city, successfully retains its old-world charm. Home to a few UNESCO World Heritage sites, including Amer Fort and Jantar Mantar, Jaipur holds many magnificent forts, palaces, temples and museums and brims with bustling local bazaars where you can shop to your heart’s content. The city is also very well known for its local food, and the most famous dishes include the Ghewar, Pyaaz Kachori and Dal Baati Churma. The city also hosts the Jaipur Literary Festival, which is Asia’s biggest festival of its kind.

One of the largest cities in India, Jaipur is also home to all the modern amenities with some of the most exotic hotels and resorts in the world. The city boasts an international airport and is also very well connected by rail and road.

Jaipur is often called the Pink City in reference to its distinctly colored buildings, which were originally painted this color to imitate the red sandstone architecture of Maugham cities. The present earthy red color originates from repainting of the buildings undertaken for a visit by the Prince of Wales in 1876.

Just remember that nothing comes ‘fixed price’ in Jaipur, even in the self-advertised Government (RTDC) approved shops & emporiums. There are a few that claim that the higher prices are for better quality but this is not actually true. They just keep much higher margins and also they have linked up connections with the guides of Amber Fort, such that the guide will take you to that shop telling you it is government authenticated and will then take commission. A brilliant colorful explosion of flowers, elephants, ox carts, and wares. The traveler will smell the deep aroma of spices in canvas bags, the fetid smell of animals and open sewers, the sweet waft of tea, and the crusty acrid burn of dust and exhaust. The noise is chaotic, the people constantly will stare if you are a Westerner and anybody who has something to sell will try to sell it to you, repeatedly. Watch cobras dance out of their wicker baskets, and don’t be too surprised if the snake charmer slaps his cobra for having a wayward eye. A food walk in Jaipur is a great way to explore the local cuisine and sights. These food walks include food from some of the oldest and most reputed food places in Jaipur city. You can also ask for a cooking class, photo tour or a heritage walk in Jaipur.

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Getting Around:

The metro, local buses, shared tuk-tuks, auto-rickshaws and taxi aggregator apps, including Uber and Ola, solve the commute problem in the city quite comfortably.

The best and cheaper way to visit the Jaipur Local Sights by RTDC (Rajasthan Tourism Dept. Corp.) There will be one guide with each bus to give you brief info about all sights although the limited time means the tours to individual sights may seem rushed.

By and large, autorickshaw is the best way around the city. Hiring an autorickshaw for a whole day with a trip to Amber Fort should cost around Rs 350.

Prepaid autos are available at the Jaipur railway station and the Sindhi Camp bus stand, although prices are a little inflated and often the same as you get with minimal bargaining.

The taxis in Jaipur are very convenient and comfortable. Most of the vehicles are Maruti Omni Vans or Tata Indica cars, which are much safer than Auto rickshaws, and the drivers are polite. If you are alone or going to an unknown destination, you are strongly advised to choose this option, even though the rates will be double that of an autorickshaw. You must call for a taxi, as it is nearly impossible to hail one unless you are at a major point like the airport. When you call, you should negotiate a fare (or agree on using the meter) and get the taxi’s ‘number’. The taxi will come pick you up, and call you when they are close. Taxis generally have yellow license plates with black letters. Some taxis are painted with yellow & black color scheme on their body which helps to uniquely identify from the private cars

In Jaipur you can rent motorcycles and scooters to get around city and outstation trips.

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Weather:

Jaipur has a monsoon-influenced hot semi-arid climate (Köppen climate classification BSh) with long, extremely hot summers and short, mild to warm winters. Annual precipitation is over 63 cm, falling mostly in July and August due to monsoon, causing the average temperatures in these two months to be lower compared to drier May and June. During the monsoon, there are frequent, heavy rains and thunderstorms, but flooding is not common. The highest temperature ever recorded was 48.5 °C (119.3 °F), in May. The city’s average temperature remains below 20 °C or 68 °F between December and February. These months are mild, dry, and pleasant, sometimes chilly. The lowest temperature ever recorded was −2.2 °C (28.0 °F). Jaipur, like many other major cities of the world, is a significant urban heat island zone with surrounding rural temperatures occasionally falling below freezing in winters.

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