Jaipur - The Pink City

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Jaipur is named after its founder, Jai Singh II ( a warrior/scientist). It was Northern India's first planned city. The old city was painted pink (colour of hospitality) by Maharaja Ram Singh in 1876 to welcome the Prince of Wales (later Edward VII). Our tour today started with a trip or the magnificent Amber Fort which dominates the city. Residents of the old city are compelled by law to maintain the pink colour for all buildings. In Jaipur you see not only cows and dogs roaming the streets but also camels!!!

The wall of the fort is 18 kms long. We took an elephant ride to the top accompanied by hawkers who follow you the whole way from the bottom to the top. There are many palaces within the fort with interiors of paintings and carvings.

Our first stop was the City Palace complex which houses many different buildings, courtyards and gardens. There are many buildings from different eras as the palace was enlarged and adapted over the centuries but the architecture is always a blend of Rajasthani and Mughal. Mubarak Mahal (Welcome Palace) has a display of historical maharaja costumes, pashminas and other clothing including that of one Maharaja who was 2m tall, 1.2m wide and weighed 250kg. He died at aged 40. The Maharani's palace houses an Armoury of swords and other weapons of war - some gruesome, some very gruesome.

Nearby was the Jantar Mantar an 18th century observatory still in use today. It consists of giant sculptures built for measuring the heavens. Jai Singh liked astronomy and he sent scholars abroad to study foreign objects.

The Hawa Mahal (Palace of the Winds) is a beautiful building with honeycombed sandstone windows where the ladies of the royal household could watch everyday life without being seen. As ever women in the background as a possession. There is a theme running through these palaces.

During our visit to Jaipur we were lucky to witness the many kites being flown everywhere for the annual festival.

The evening produced a surprise with a visit to Sabu, our tour coordinator’s house. It was a very genuine and pleasant evening where we shared a traditional meal and the ladies were gifted scarves as a momento. A lovely surprise and well appreciated.

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