PINK CITY OF JAIPUR

A City With History In Every Corner

India is one of the most beautiful countries in the world. Every street, every corner has a story to tell. One of the cities that attracts the most tourists is: Jaipur, also known as The Pink City. Jaipur is the land of history and monuments. It is the capital city of Rajasthan and was founded by Maharaj Jai Singh II in 1727. The city is an architectural beauty. It is said that the Maharaj consulted various books before drawing the layout of the city. The entire city is built on the principles of Vastu Shastra and is a historical landmark. Here is a brief overview of my favorite attractions in and around the city:

AMER FORT: The most magnificent attractions of Jaipur is the Amer Fort. The fort was built by Raja Maan Singh and is situated about 11 kilometres from Jaipur. The fort is divided into four courtyards and each section has its own entry and exit. Each section represents a different and interesting part of history. The fort interior is something to die for. The parts of the fort include:

• First Courtyard or Jaleb Chownk
• Second Courtyard where Deewan-e-Khas and Deewan-e-Aam is built
• Third Courtyard is the site for Jai Mandir ( also known as Sheesh Mahal or the mirror palace) and Sukh Niwas. The two buildings are connected by a garden which are same as the Mughal gardens.
• Fourth Courtyard is the place where the royal ladies and their helpers used to reside. The king built twelve rooms for his twelve queens.

The construction is so alluring and all the details have been well taken care of. Each and every section narrates an incident you would want to hear.

JAL MAHAL: A fort situated in water, how can someone not appreciate such a beauty. Jal mahal was built by Pratap Singh of Jaipur who was the grandson of Maharaj Jai Singh II, the founder of Jaipur. The fort was built in 1799 and is situated in the middle of Man Sagar Lake. It is a gorgeous five story palace made entirely of red stone. The interesting thing is that four floors of the fort are beneath the water and only one of the floor is visible. Tourists are not allowed to enter the fort but can appreciate the scenic from afar.

HAWA MAHAL: Hawa mahal is an example of pure architecture marvel. The structure was also built by Pratap Singh in 1799. The entire structure is made of pink and red stones. It is a five story building with 953 windows called Jharokhas which have been designed with intricate latticework. The structure was built for the ladies to watch special occasions and interestingly no one from the outside can view the interior of the building. Also, there is no main entrance. Tourists have to enter through the City Palace to see the building from the inside. Another fascinating factoid is that the structure has no foundation and is the tallest structure in the world with no foundation.

CITY PALACE: City Palace is another eye candy in the long list of historical monuments. The palace is situated in the heart of the city and has several sections and courtyards like Deewan-e-khas, Deewan-e-aam, etc. Mubarak Mahal and Chandra Mahal located in the courtyard of the place are two beautifully built structures with carving in white marble.

BIRLA MANDIR: Birla Mandir was built by B.M. Birla Foundation in 1988. The entire mandir is made of white marble and is dedicated to Lord Shiva and Goddess Lakshmi. It is one of the fourteen Birla mandirs in India. This temple is particularly famous to the devotees. Apart from the main temple, the Birla Temple complex incorporates a museum that displays the ancestral possessions of the Birla family, and a garden with a shopping complex.

MARKETS OF JAIPUR: Jaipur is the home to some of the best market areas. One of them is Bapu Bazaar. Bapu bazaar has all kinds of stuff from clothes to artificial jewelry to decoration pieces all available within a reasonable price range. If you ever plan on visiting this marvelous city, you must visit the bazaar and grab yourself a souvenir as a memory of the trip.

So, if you are planning a trip you must keep Jaipur in mind. There is so much in the city that you can absorb. The idle time to visit would be during the winter season when the sun rays are a bliss. You visit Jaipur once and you will find yourself craving to visit again and to learn more about its history.