Kerala 'Gods own Country'

Rajasthan 'A Land of Maharajas'

Press Reports

The City Palace :

In the heart of the old city is former royal residence built in a blend of the Rajasthani and Mughal styles. Grey-white marble columns provide ornate support to the carved arches with floral motifs in gold and coloured stones. Two carved elephants in marble guard the entrance. The retainers whose families have served generations rulers serve as guides.The palace houses a museum with a superb collection of Rajasthani costumes and an armory of Mughals and Rajputs including  swords of  different  shapes and  sizes with chasedhandles, some of them inlaid with enamel and em-bellished with jewels and encased in magnificent scabbards.

This is a stone observatory. It is one of the largest of the five remarkable observatories belonging to Maharaja Jai Singh. Its complex instruments, whose setting and shapes are scientifically designed, represent the high points of medieval Indian astronomy. The most striking of these are the Ram Yantras used for gauging altitudes.

Hawa Mahal:

Built in 1799 A.D. the Hawa Mahal or Palace of Winds is a major Rajput landmark. This five storey building along the main street of the old city is in pink splendor with semi octagonal and delicately honey combed sandstone windows.

The monument was originally conceived with the aim of enabling ladies of the royal household to watch the everyday life and royal processions of the city.

Govind Devji Temple :

The most popular spire less temple of Jaipur dedicated to Lord Krishna. It is located in the central pavilion of the Jai Niwas Garden to the north of Chandra Mahal. Raja Sawai Jai Singh II as his family deity reinstalled the image of the patron deity-Govind Devji, originally installed in a temple of Vrindavan.

Swargasuli (Isar Lat) :

This is the highest tower dominating the skyline of the western side of the Tripolia Bazaar. Sawai Ishwari Singh built it in 1749 A.D. to commemorate a grand victory.

Ram Niwas Bagh :

Dolls Museum :

Pretty dolls from various countries are on display in the compound of the school for deaf and dumb children, near the Police Memorial.

BM Birla Planetarium : 

The Planetarium offers unique audio-visual education and entertainment with its modern computerized projection system.

An ancient pilgrimage centre, lying beyond the gardens amidst low hills, temples , pavilions and holy kunds (natural spring and reservoirs) along with lush landscape make it a delightful spot. The small temple of the Sun God, built by Diwan Kriparam on the top of the highest peak is visible from all parts of the city.

The exquisite Jain Temple on the Agra road has some of the most beautiful 19th century paintings in Jaipur style on its walls.
Moti Doongari and Lakshmi Narayan Temple: Moti Doongari is a privately owned hilltop fort built like a Scottish Castle. The Ganesh Temple at the foot of the hill and the marvellous Lakshmi Narayan Temple built in marbles a few years back are also noteworthy.

The full-length exquisitely carved statue of Swai Jai Singh in white marble in the centre of the circle was erected under the newly planned scheme area to pay homage to the founder of Jaipur.

Beautiful memorials to the queens, Maharani-ki-chattri is near the Ramgarh road crossing on the Amber road. The Island Palace, Jal Mahal built by Sawai Jai SinghI, is a fascinating spot at the centre of the Man Sagar Lake.

Complex of fine temples and gardens has been recently renovated to their pristine perfection. To the west of this road is the royal crematorium at Gaitore in a narrow valley with some spectacular cenotaphs of all the Jaipur rulers except Swai Ishwari Singh who was cremated outside the Jai Niwas Garden. Most imposing is the chattria of Sawai Jai Singh II with the intricate carvings and a graceful shape.

Beautifully landscaped gardens, laid out in the 18th and 19th century by king and courtiers dot the narrow gorge in the south eastern corner of the walled city, along the road to Agra. Sisodia Rani Garden has tiered multilevel gardens with fountains, water channel and painted pavilions and suites of living rooms.

Amber Palace and Shila Mata Temple : 

A beautiful complex of palaces, halls, pavilions, gardens and temples built by Raja Man Singh, Mirza Raja Jai Singh and Sawai Jai Singh over a period of about two centuries still stand in magnificent state. The palace complex emerges dramatically from the placid waters of the Maotha Lake and is approachable only through a steep path. Tourists often ride on the elephant back to the Singh pole and the Jaleb Chowk. A spectacular pillared hall Diwan-e-Aam and a double storeyed painted gateway. Ganesh Pole dominates the courtyard.

The well proportioned Mohan Bari or Kesar Kyari in the centre of the Maotha Lake and the Dilaram Bagh at its north end provides a spectacular view of the palaces above.

Once a settlement of noble, craftsmen and common folks, the city of Amer is now in ruins. The remnants of its rich past are the beautifully carved and planned Jagat Shiromani Temple, a Krishna temple associated with Meerabai, an ancient temple of Narsinghji and a magnificent step-well, Panna Mian-ka-Kund.

One of the few military structures of medieval India, retaining its ancient splendour in palaces, gardens , reservoirs, a granary, an armoury, a well planned cannon foundary, several temples, a tall tower and a giant mounted cannon-the Jai Ban, are preserved here. The extensive parkotas (walls), watchtower and gateways of Jaigarh dominate the western skyline.

A sentinerl to the Pink City is Nahargarh Fort, situtated beyond the hills of Jaigarh. Although much of it is in ruins, the ivory building added by Sawai Ram Singh II and Sawai Madho Singh II provides interest to the fort.

Your Shopping list :

Medieval paintings of Rajasthan have their own unique styles - the hills and valleys, deserts, palaces and forts, gardens, court scenes, religious processions and those highlighting scenes from the life of Lord Krishna are the recurrent themes of these paintings done on fabric.

Shopping in Rajasthan is a delightful experience. The land enjoys a rich tradition of handicrafts and handloom fabrics. The  tradition  of  art  and  crafts was  actually  developed and

flourished under the direct patronage of the Maharajas. Different regions of the state specialize in different kinds of handicrafts, which could lead you into a shopping spree in Rajasthan.

Since precious and semi precious stones are available in abundance in Rajasthan, the local artisans craft out exquisite jewellery from them. Textiles and leather are also a favourite medium for handicrafts of Rajasthani craftsmen. The most striking phenomenon with the Rajasthani crafts is the glow of vibrant colours. The artisans also create amazing objects out of clay. Rajasthani paintings also carve a special niche in Indian art and display a lyrical quality through an enchanting combination of tender lines and bright colours.

While shopping in Rajasthan, check out:

There are various options for shopping in Rajasthan. Government Emporiums and Private shops are available throughout the state. Local bazaars would charm you with the variety of colours and lively environment. In the artisans' villages like Sanganer, Bagru you can watch the busy craftsmen creating artifacts which can be bought directly from them.

Rajasthani Cuisine

The finest cooking in India was derived from the Mughals and influenced the royal kitchens of India, as did European cooking. However, the common man's kitchen remained untouched, more so in Rajasthan. Cooking here has its own unique flavour and the most basic of ingredients go into the preparation of most dishes. Gram flour is a major ingredient here.
 

Back