Saturday, September 5, 2009

Jaipur Tourism Guide

Jaipur is the first planned city of India, located in the desert lands of Rajasthan. The city that once had been the capital of the royalty, now serves as the capital city of Rajasthan. The very structure of Jaipur resembles the taste of the Rajputs and the Royal family.

Gardens in Jaipur

Jaipur, also known as the Pink City is famous all around the world for its historical monuments, colorful lifestyle and traditions. The city that is relatively new as compared to other cities of Rajasthan depicts a culture that is simply incomparable. People from all over the planet come here to see the hues that the city culture has in its keep. The city founded by Sawai Jai Singh II in the year 1727 was the capital of the Kachchwaha clan of Rajputs since its beginning.

Among the attractions in the city, the gardens in Jaipur are among the prominent ones. If you want to see the wonders of nature amidst barren lands and mountains that comprise the state of Rajasthan, then come to Jaipur. You would simply be amazed to see how well the minds of the people in those times worked and they brought greenery to the barren lands that once gave an impression of the desert itself. The lush green gardens surrounded by barren lands give a feeling of heaven itself.

Although there are a number of big and small gardens in the city of Jaipur but the most famous gardens in Jaipur include :
Ram Niwas Garden
Vidyadhar Garden
Sisodia Rani Ka Bagh
Zoological Garden

Monuments in Jaipur

Jaipur is perhaps the ideal city that you can choose for going on historical tours to Jaipur - Rajasthan, North India. This rustic city has plenty of forts and monuments that remind you of the ancient glamour, glory and charm of Rajput rulers.

Some of the popular historical monuments in Jaipur, India that you can visit on your holiday tours are the Jantar Mantar, Hawa Mahal, Albert Hall etc.

The Jantar Mantar is an astronomical observatory located at Jaipur, India was constructed by Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II in the year 1716.

There are huge masonry instruments of extraordinary precision located inside the Jantar Mantar that can still be used accurately. The astronomical instruments at the Jantar Mantar were meant to determine the exact position of longitudes, the equator and the latitudes. The main astronomical instruments set up at this royal observatory are the Jaiprakash Yantra, Ram Yantra and the Samrat Yantra.

The Hawa Mahal is one of the most popular monuments that you can visit during your tours to Jaipur in Rajasthan, India. This historical monument is a multi-layered palace that has a beehive structure and is an architectural wonder. The Hawa Mahal was constructed for the women of the royal court.

Maharaja Sawai Pratap Singh of Jaipur, Rajasthan, built the Hawa Mahal in the year 1799. This architectural wonder was built with pink and red sandstone and the walls of this monument are decorated with artistic motifs.

The Amber Fort located at a distance of 11 kilometers from Jaipur, Rajasthan, India. The Amber Fort complex is located atop a hill overlooking the tiny Maota Lake and the Jaipur-Delhi highway. This massive and imposing architectural wonder is a must visit during your tours to historical monuments in Jaipur, India. There are quite a few monuments within the fortress such as the Diwan-e-Khas, Sukh Niwas, the Jai Mandir, Sheesh Mahal and the Temple of Victory.

Some of the major monuments in Jaipur are :
Jantar Mantar
Hawa Mahal
Albert Hall

History of Jaipur

Jaipur is Located 262 kilometres from Delhi, Jaipur was the first planned city in northern India and was conceived by Maharaja Jai Singh in 1727. Maharaja Jai Singh’s predecessors had enjoyed good relations with the Mughals and he was careful to preserve this alliance. He laid out the city, with its surrounding walls and rectangular blocks according to principles set out in the Shilpa-Shastra, an ancient Hindu essay on architecture and in 1728 built Jantar Mantar, the remarkable observatory that still stands as one of the city’s main attractions.

Amer Fort Jaipur’s true history though dates back to the 12th century when the Kachchwaha clan of Rajputs arrived at the old fort palace of Amer in the Aravalli hills. The Kachchwaha belonged to the Kshatriya, or the warrior caste of Hindus, but they traced their origins back to the sun, via Kusa who was the twin son of the god Rama.

The ousted Kachchwahas people were the Susawat Minas, who became the hereditary loyal guards of what became one of the largest and most valuable treasuries in India. From this base, the Kachchwaha Rajputs, with their brilliant soldiering and knack for lucrative alliances, amassed a fortune. However it was the special relationship the Amer rulers developed with the Mughals that brought them real power, influence and wealth.

Jaipur Amer Fort
Arriving in Jaipur through the narrow pass in the hills, you are presented with a view of the Amer fort-palace that conforms to every aspect of how a romantic Rajput fort should appear. Rambling over a rugged hill, reflected in Maota Lake below, it is a magnificent sight. A circle of protective hills surrounds it and snaking up them are crenulated walls punctuated by look-out posts.

Maharaja Man Singh II Not long after this the two rulers who built Amer, Man Singh, a leading general under both Akbar and Jahangir, and Jai Singh I, a military and diplomatic genius brought the house of Amer to its highest point in the Mughal court. On the throne Jai Singh I (aged 11) was soon commanding a Mughal force for Jahangir, which went on to fight the Mughal empire for Shah Jahan and finally succeeded. This then led him to became emperor Aurangzeb’s most prized Rajput commander.

AurangzebAll this time, the Kachchwaha coffers were filling with prizes, rewards and booty. Three rulers later, Jai Singh II, another child prodigy, came to the throne. The boy quickly impressed the 71-year-old Aurangzeb who awarded him the title ‘Sawai’, meaning one-and-a-quarter. (Even today, the flag flying above the City Palace in Jaipur has an extra, quarter-sized one next to it.) Jai Singh II, having proved his soldiering ability further enriched his coffers and fulfilled his other passions - the arts and sciences. After ascending the throne, he shifted the capital from Amer, studied the architecture of several European cities and drew up plans for constructing a larger and well-planned city. He consulted his best mathematicians, astronomers and the Silpa Sastra, a traditional Hindu architectural treatise before making the blueprint for the new city.

After building close bonds with the Mughals and sure that there could be no danger to his throne, Sawai Jai Singh, envisioned his dream project, the building of Jaipur. The foundation stone was laid by him in 1727 and an eminent architect, Vidyadhar Bhattacharaya, was asked to design the ‘Pink City. ’It was a two-in-one compliment as ‘Jai’ means victory and was also the ruler’s first name. That it was later chosen as the capital of Rajasthan formed from the amalgamation of various kingdoms, a tribute to both Jai Singh and Bhattaccharya.

Jaipur Gate, The city is planned in a grid system of seven blocks of buildings with wide straight avenues lined with trees, with the palace set on the north side. Surrounding it are high walls pieced with ten gates. The site of the shops, were chosen after careful planning and they are arranged in nine rectangular city sectors (chokris). Jaipur was the first sizable city in north India to be built from scratch, though the famous pink colour symbolising ‘welcome’, came later when Ram Singh II received the Prince of Wales in 1876. The colour was chosen after several experiments to cut down the intense glare from the reflection of the blazing rays of the sun. To this day, the buildings are uniformly rose pink. After Jai Singh died in 1773, a battle for succession followed and the Marathas and Jats who were making advances in various parts of the country also decided to try their luck and Jaipur lost large chunks of territory with the ruler playing second fiddle to the fast-growing East India Company.

Maharaja Jagat SinghIn 1818, several maharajas of the north-west princely states and Maharaja Jagat Singh of Jaipur, signed a treaty with the British under which they could continue to have control of their states, but would be collectively supervised by the British under a new name, Rajputana.

Palace on Wheels Luxury Train Tour

Palace on Wheels is a legendary palace on wheels providing, a weeklong cruise recreating the ambience of the glorious past through the heart of Rajasthan.

The train departs on every Wednesday from New Delhi. There are four coupes in each coach, with wall to carpeting, a lounge car with a well stocked bar and two restaurant cars, the Maharaja and Maharani serving Continental, Indian and Rajasthani cuisine.


Itinerary

Day 1 : Departure from Delhi Dinner on board

Day 2 : Welcome to Pink City by Caparisoned elephants and strains of shehnai. Lunch at Hotel Rambagh Palace, City tour of Jaipur. Dinner on board and departure.

Day 3 : Arrive and visit Chittorgarh and proceed to Udaipur. Dinner on board and departure.

Day 4 : Arrive at Sawai Madhopur and Visit Ranthambore National Park.

Day 5 : Arrive at Jaisalmer and Visit Havelis and Palaces. Dinner under the stars with rhythm of Rajasthani music drifts into the night.

Day 6 : Arrive at Jodhpur and city tour of Jodhpur. Lunch at Umaid Bhawan palace. 1545 Departure and overnight on board.

Day 7 : Arrive at Bharatpur and visit Ghana National Park, proceed to Agra for lunch at Taj View. After lunch visit the Taj Mahal and city tour of Agra. 2000 Departure and overnight on board.

Day 8 : Arrive at Delhi. End of the Journey.

Hotels in Jaipur

Hotels in Jaipur are natural outcomes of the ever-flourishing tourism industry in this royal land. People from all over the world come to see and feel the regal appeal that shrouds this warrior world of the brave and the mighty.

Every hotel competes with the other in being able to offer the best in the hospitality realm and thus you are likely to receive warm welcomes and splendid services at all the hotels in Jaipur, Rajasthan.

Hotels in Jaipur is a vibrant bouquet of all varieties and categories of hotels that offer excellent accommodation, dining and tour facilities. You have the choice to stay at luxurious five star deluxe hotels and be pampered with world-class facilities and regal service or you may choose to stay at the Jaipur heritage hotels that are no less than royal retreats.

There are a variety of other hotels that cater to your holiday whims most effectively. Four star hotels, guesthouses, three star hotels and several other hotels offer you a taste of royal Jaipur in their own characteristic manner.

Hotels in Jaipur
adhere to the dictum of offering homely warmth, incomparable hospitality and services of the highest quality. Enjoy Jaipur in all its regalia as you stay at the hotels in Jaipur with Indian Horizons.

Jaipur Travel Guide

One of the major tourist destinations of India, Jaipur in India is given a world wild title, as the Pink City due to the pink wash applied to its buildings. Travel to Jaipur - the capital city of Rajasthan, it is an abode of extensive boulevard and beautiful Gardens.

Travel to Jaipur, one of the most treasured destination of Rajasthan. Your Jaipur travel will enable you to explore the forts and palaces of the city. Jaipur travel will involve sightseeing tour to City Palace, Amber Fort and Hawa Mahal. The city of Jaipur is multifaceted and offers innumerable attractions to people coming from all across the world. It is a pristine jewel in the sands of Rajasthan, the city is wll known for its marvellous architecture and town planning. The city offers a perfect mix of culture which needs to experienced on your Rajasthan tour.

Major places of visit in Jaipur :
Statue Circle
Jal Mahal
B.M. Birla Auditorium
Ramgarh Lake
Jawahar Kala Kendra
Albert Hall Museum
City Palace Museum
Dolls Museum
Jantar Mantar
Hawa Mahal
Ram Niwas Garden
Vidyadhar Garden
Sisodia Rani Ka Bagh
Zoological Garden