Thursday, July 7, 2011

JAPUR

The Jaipur city is believed to be one of the first planned cities in India of the medieval era. The characteristic rose colored sandstone architecture has earned the capital of Rajasthan the name of Pink city. The heritage city of India is nearly 260 km away from Delhi the capital of India. Jaipur literally means the city of victory and was constructed by Raja Sawai Jai Singh II in 1727. The city of Jaipur was built by Shaspati (Hindu priest architect) Vidyadhar Bhattacharya of Bengal. The increasing population of Amber and water scarcity motivated Raja Sawai Jai Singh II to plan a new capital of Jaipur in the plains. The walled city is built by Guru Vidyadhar in a grid system. Nine rectangle shaped city spheres, laid out in broad, spruced up roads comprises the avant-garde architectural framework of Jaipur.

Jaipur city today is one of the most sought for tourists' destination of India and is visited by lakhs of visitors from across the globe. Present day Jaipur has all necessary requisites of a modern day city and is a major business centre along with being a modern Industrial city. The structures in the city are reminiscence of the bygone Rajput royal era which tell the story of chivalry and romance of the Rajput rulers. The Amber forts, Jaigarh fort, Nahargarh fort, City palace, Hawa Mahal are all remarkable pieces of architecture which leave the spectator bewitched with their superb architectural craftsmanship. The Jaipur city with its beautiful bazaars offering beautiful fabrics, handicrafts, exquisite furniture and gemstones is a major draw for the tourists.

The Jaipur city has three major water bodies which fulfill the water requirement of the city as well as provide it with added natural beauty; the Ban Ganga, Banas and the salty Sambhar Lake. On three sides the city is surrounded by rugged hills. The numerous festivals like the teej festival, kite festival, elephant festival etc keep the ethnicity and culture of the region alive. If not for anything, visit to Jaipur is worth making to experience the hospitality of the people of the Pink city.

Amber Fort
Constructed by Raja Man Singh I in 1592 and completed by Raja Sawai Jai Singh I the fort is a fantastic blend of Mughal and Rajput architecture at its best. Made in red sandstone and white marble the fort provides the spectator a magnificent sight. The fort of Amber was the citadel of the Kacchwaha clan the house with which the great Mughal Emperor Akbar forged a marriage alliance.

City Palace
Situated amidst the heart of the walled city, City palace Jaipur was built by Raja Sawai Jai Singh and later the following rulers made extensions to it. A section of the City palace still serves as the residence of the royal family of Jaipur; however the ground floor and other sections of the Palace are open for public viewing and are currently acting as museums.

Hawa Mahal
The Palace of Winds is centrally located in the city of Jaipur and is an unusual structure with 953 small windows at the large wall facing the street today. The numerous latticed windows were constructed to allow breeze to enter in the hot months of summers. It was built by the poet king Sawai Pratap Singh in 1799 for the women of the royal family, to view the royal processions and other activities in the street below from the palace without being visible themselves.

Jaigarh Fort
Jaigarh fort also known as the fort of victory is one of the three hilltop fort that overlooks Jaipur. Situated approximately 15 km away from Jaipur the fort was constructed between 15th to 18th centuries. The fort is clearly a military structure as can be comprehended by its citadel kind of architectural style. The entrance of the fort is from the Dungar Darwaza leading towards a steep road entry into the Fort.

Jantar Mantar
Constructed wholly with stone and marble Jantar Mantar houses fourteen architectural astronomical instruments and is one of the famous five astronomical observatories built by Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II. The name Jantar Mantar is derived from the Sanskrit term Yantra Mantra meaning a device and formulae.

Diwali Gifts Jaipur

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