International Tourists fascinates Jaipur as Heritage City
Jaipur, the fascinating capital of the marvellous state of Rajasthan, is one of the well-planned cities of its time. Jaipur was established by the then Maharaja, Sawai Jai Singh in the year 1927. Jaipur was planned by Vidhyadhar Bhattacharya, a Bengali architect, in a grid system with wide straight avenues, roads, streets and lanes and uniform rows of shops on either side of the main bazaars, all arranged in nine rectangular city sectors (chokris).
The city itself is an attractive creation worthy of universal admiration. There is a feast in store for tourists. Attractive monuments where one can breathe the fragrance of history. Comfortable and luxurious hotels, once the proud of kings, parks, gardens, and excursions of nearby places of interest, make Jaipur a tourist paradise. The graceful architecture of the City that runs across in pink colour has earned Jaipur the title of “The Pink City“. Jaipur is predominantly known for its musicians, artisans and craftsmen. Today, it is flocked by masses for its fine jewellery, varied textiles and sumptuous cuisine.
The capital of Rajasthan, Jaipur is steeped in history and culture. Here the past comes alive in magnificent forts and palaces, blushed pink, where once lived the Maharajas. The bustling bazaars of Jaipur, famous for Rajasthani jewellery, fabric and shoes, possess a timeless quality and are surely a treasure-trove for the shoppers. This fascinating city with its romantic charm takes you to an epoch of royalty and tradition.
The heritage lover in you will enjoy the City Palace and its museum that houses a cache of priceless art facts. A drive past the pink Hawa Mahal gives you an insight of how protected the court ladies were as the many windows that line the face is from where they peaked at the world without being seen themselves. Standing guard over the city like sentinels are the famed Amber Fort and the Jaigarh Fort – the architecture is striking in the Sheesh Mahal at Amber and the Jaigarh Fort holds the biggest cannon in the world and is definitely a must-see.
Timings and Entry Fee in Heritage city Forts (INR)
Monument & Museums
| Name Of Monument | Contact No. | Duration Of Opening (Hrs) | ENTRY FEE (Indian) | ENTRY FEE (Foreigners) |
| Amber Palace | (+91) 0141-2530293 | 8.00 – 17.30 | 25 | 200 |
| City Palace | (+91) 0141-4088888 | 9.00 – 17.00 | 75 | 300 |
| Jantar Mantar | (+91) 0141-2610494 | 9.00 – 16.30 | 20 | 100 |
| Jaigarh Fort | (+91) 0141-2671848 | 9.00 – 16.30 | 25 | 75 |
| Nahargarh Fort | (+91) 0141-5182957 | 10.00 – 17.30 | 10 | 30 |
| Albert Hall | (+91) 0141-2570099 | 9.00 – 17.00 | 20 | 150 |
| Hawa Mahal | (+91) 0141-2618862 | 9.00 – 16.30 | 10 | 50 |
| Dolls Museum | (+91) 0141-2619359 | 8.00 – 18.00 | 2 | 2 |
| Museum of Indology | (+91) 0141-2607455 | 8.00 – 17.00 | 20 | 40 |
| Sanjay Sharma Museum | (+91) 0141-2323436 | 10.00-17.00 | 100 | 100 |
* Composite Ticket –
Available at all Achaeological Monuments (In one ticket five monument's.
Alber Hall, Hawamahal, Jantar Mantar, Nahargarh, Amber Palace)
| Indian | 50 | Foreigner | 300 |
| Indian Student | 20 | Foreigner Students | 150 |
* Tourists carrying a still/video camera should check whether Photography/Videography is permitted inside the tourist place/places of worship.
Recreation Centers
| Recreation Centers | Contact No. | Duration Of Opening (Hrs) | ENTRY FEE (Indian) | ENTRY FEE (Foreigners) |
| Jawahar Kala Kendra | (+91) 0141-2706560 | As per show | Free | Free |
| Birla Planetarium | (+91) 0141-2385367 | Show 11 13,15,17,18,19 (Hindi) | 40 | 40 |
| Science Park | (+91) 0141-2304654 | Summer 8.30 – 11.30 & 16.30 – 20.30 Winter 9.00 – 12.30 | 10 | 10 |
| Ravindra Rangmanch | (+91) 0141-2619061 | Winter 6.30 – 10.30 Summer 6.30 – 10.30 | – | – |
Gardens & Parks
| Gardens & Parks | Contact No. | Duration Of Opening (Hrs) | ENTRY FEE (Indian) | ENTRY FEE (Foreigners) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zoo | (+91) 0141-2617319 | 9.00 – 17.00 | 10 | 100 |
| Sisodia Rani Garden & Palace | (+91) 0141-2680494 | 8.00 – 17.00 | 10 | 10 |
| Vidhyadhar Garden | (+91) 0141-2680494 | 8.00 – 19.00 | 5 | 5 |
| Kanak Virndavan | (+91) 0141-2634596 | 9.00 – 19.00 | 8 | 8 |
Temples of Heritage city
Galtaji – an old pilgrim of Jaipur Heritage city
Beyond the gardens amidst the low hills guarding the city lies the old pilgrim centre of Galtaji. Temples, pavilions and holy kunds ( natural springs and reservoirs ) do the serene green landscape. 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.
Govind Dev Ji Temple – 5000 years old temple of Heritage city
Guinness Book includes in its' World Records, for its Marvel Construction – The Satsang Bhawan at temple
In the central pavilion of the sprawling Jai Niwas Garden to the north of the Chandra Mahal is the spireless temple of Lord Krishna. The image in the form of Govind Devji, originally installed in a temple of Vrindavan, was reinstalled here by Sawai Jai Singh-II as his family deity. this is the most famous and popular temple in Pink City attracting devotees from all over the country.
Birla Temple
Popularly known as the Laxmi Narayan Temple, Birla Mandir is an intricately carved white marble temple. The temple is surrounded by beautifully landscaped tiered gardens. In the southern horizon is a privately owned hilltop fort of Moti Doongari shaped like a Scottish castle. At the foot of the hill, Laxmi Narayan Temple is beautifully built.
Moti Doongri Temple
Moti Doongri: A small palace, this is a replica of a Scottish castle, and perches on a hilltop. Once occupied by Maharaja Madho Singh's son who was confined here, it was also for a while home to Maharani Gayatri Devi.
Heritage city Fairs & Festivals
Elephant Festival
On the occasion of Holi in Jaipur, this festival of pachyderms includes several interesting attractions including elephant polo. The caparisoned elephants, their bodies painted with floral decorations by the mahouts, are a sight to behold.
Gangaur Festival
Idols of Issar and Gangaur, manifestations of Shiva and Parvati, are worshipped by women, particularly those unmarried who pray for a consort of the like of Shiva. Celebrated all over Rajasthan, it has women taking out processions through the streets of towns, carrying images of the divine couple. The festival is especially colourful in Jaipur.
Teej Festival
Another festival is dedicated to the worship of Shiva and Parvati, this time it is married women who pray for a long, happy marital life during the monsoon months of July-August. Though celebrations are held all over the state, they are particularly colorful in Jaipur where a procession wends it was through the heart of the old city. Women dress in their finery and spend time in groups at swings that are specially erected for the festival.
Kite Festival In Jaipur
From royal splendour to riotous egalitarianism, 14 January is celebrated in India as Makar Sankranti – heralding the transition of the sun into the Northern hemisphere. In Jaipur kites virtually blot out the sky. Everyone joins in this riotous celebration and shouts of ” Woh Kata Hai !” reverberate from rooftops to the accompaniment of drums as the adversary's kites’ string is cut. And everyone's an adversary! Any kite in the sky is fair game!
This Kite Festival is being held for the past five years. Kite makers flaunt kites sized as big as 1.5km of various shapes and designs. Some carrying messages, some depicting social issues, some as caricatures of politicians. It has been the most popular event recently with even tourists taking part in various kite-flying competitions. The colours that flaunt in the blue sky mesmerize the viewers.
Jaipur Heritage City – Places and Monuments
Hawa Mahal
Also known as the ‘Palace of Winds' was built for the royal ladies to watch the processions through the myriad windows of the palace. This five-storied palace was also used to store artefacts by the royal family. The Hawa Mahal is the most strikingly designed monument in Jaipur built by the poet king Sawai Pratap Singh, What is seen from the Sireh Deorhi Bazaar is the multi-niche five-storey high backside of the complex ( see it in photo gallery ). It was conceived to provide adequate vantage position behind delicate stone-carved jali screens to the palace women for watching the royal processions passing through the bazaar below.
Amber Fort, Jaipur
Amber Fort is the earliest capital of the Jaipur state. The Fort is perched high on the rocky terrain of Amer and was the seat of various Maharajas of Jaipur. The palace is adorned with mirror glass work, doors with parquet ivory work, and painted maps of various Hindu pilgrimages. For seven long centuries, before Jaipur was built, Amer served as the capital as Kachhwaha rulers of the old state of Dhundhar. Amer Fort is a complex of palaces, halls, pavilions, gardens and temples, which were built by Raja Man Singh, Mirza Raja Jai Singh and Sawai Jai Singh over a period of about two centuries.
The palace complex rising from the placid waters of the Mootha lake is approached through a steep path, now often traversed by tourists on elephant-back, to Singh palace and Jaleb Chowk. Two flights of stairs rise from one end to the chowk, one leading to the elegant temple of Shila Mata and the other to the palace complex. The image of the Mother Goddess worshipped with reverence by thousands of devotees every day was brought from Jessore in East Bengal ( now in Bangladesh ) by Raja Man Singh and installed here.
The front courtyard of the palace complex is dominated by the spectacular pillared hall of the Diwan-e-Aam and the double-storeyed painted gateway Ganesh Pole. Beyond the corridors and galleries on either side of a small elegant Charbagh style garden is Sukh Niwas to its right and Jas Mandir to its left. The Jas Mandir on the upper floor combines the finest elements of Mughal architecture and interior decoration in a Rajput setting with intricately carved jali screens, delicate mirror and stucco works and painted and carved dadodes. The older and simpler structures at the far end were built by Raja Man Singh in the later year of the 16th century.
The well proportioned Mohan Bari or Kesar Kyari in the centre of the Mootha lake and the Dilaram Bagh at its north end provide a spectacular view from the palaces above.
City Palace
The City Palace is a historic landmark. The City Palace was the residence of the Maharaja of Jaipur in the eighteenth century and part of the magnificent palace is still the residence of royalty. The palace showcases the world's largest silver containers which were carried by the Maharaja for water on his foreign voyage. The carved arches are supported by grey-white marble columns studded with floral motifs in gold and coloured stones. Two elephants carved in marble guard the entrance, where retainers whose families have served generations of rulers are at hand to serve as guides.
The palace interior houses a Museum containing a select collection of various types of Rajasthani dresses, a fascinating armoury of Mughal and Rajput weapons; swords of all shapes and sizes, with chased handles, some of them inlaid, enamelled, encrusted with jewels and encased in bold and magnificent scabbards.
It also has an art gallery with a fine collection of paintings, carpets, royal paraphernalia and rare astronomical works in Arabic, Persian, Latin and Sanskrit, acquired by Sawai Jai Singh-II for his study of planets and their movements.
Nahargarh Fort
The ‘Tiger Fort', is believed to be the palace used by the then royalty on their hunting escapades. The Nahargarh Fort was built by Sawai Raja Jai Singh in 1734. According to a legend, the Fort was named after a prince whose spirit used to haunt the site and would cause mischief so as to delay the construction of the fort. Beyond the hills of Jaigarh stand the fort of Nahargarh like a watchful sentinel guarding Sawai Jai Singh's beautiful city. Much of the original structures are now in ruins, but the lovely building added by Sawai Ram Singh II and Sawai Madho Singh II still survive.
Jaigarh Fort
One of the most spectacular forts of India, Jaigarh is rooted on the rocky terrain of Aravallis in Amer. Jaigarh Fort was a centre of artillery production for the Rajputs. The western skyline is dominated by the extensive Parkotas (walls), watch-towers and gateways of Jaigarh. It is one of the few military structures of mediaeval India preserved almost intact containing palaces, gardens, open and covered reservoirs, a granary, an armoury, a well-planned cannon foundry, several temples, a tall tower and a giant mounted cannon-the Jai Ban – the largest in the country.
Sargasuli
Also known as Isar Lat, this tower was erected in the mid-18th century by Maharaja Ishwari Singh to commemorate a battle victory. Ironically, Ishwari Singh was ostracized for his love of a common girl, and he is the only Kachchawaha maharaja who has not been commemorated at Gaitore. The tower dominating the skyline on the western side of Tripolia Bazaar is the highest structure in Jaipur.
Albert Museum
Colonel Sir Swinton Jacob designed it in 1876 to greet King Edward VII as Prince of Wales on his visit to India. It was constructed by Maharaja Sawai Ram Singh in the year 1886 under the drought relief work of Rs 4 Lacs. This museum is the oldest museum in the State. It is situated in the beautiful garden of Jaipur city, Ram Niwas Bagh. This museum has an assortment of rare articles on its display including textiles, carpets, paintings, metal and wood crafts, pottery, arms and weapons, toys, dolls and an Egyptian mummy that belongs to the Ptolemaic Epoch. It is also known for housing the famous carpet, which portrays the scene of a Persian garden carpet with running water streams that were bought at a dear price from Shah Abbas of Persia, by Mirza Raja Jai Singh I.
Ram Niwas Bagh
A garden planned by Maharaja Ram Singh in the 19th century as a famine relief project, this extensive park consists of a zoo, aviary, herbarium museum and sports complex. An added attraction is Albert Hall, designed by Sir Swinton Jacob, a British architect who created palaces for many of the rulers of Rajasthan, and whose experiments with Indo Saracenic architecture combined elements of English and north- Indian architecture. Albert Hall is a museum and houses many curiosities.
Sisodia Rani Ka Bagh
Along the road to Agra through a narrow garge in the southern-eastern corner of the walled city, several landscaped gardens were constructed by the Kings and important courtiers in the 18th and 19th centuries. The largest and the most famous is a garden built by Sawai Jai Singh II for his Sisodia queen-the Sisodia Rani Ka Bagh. It consists of tiered multilevel gardens, fountains, pools, some gorgeous pieces of sculpture and painted pavilions.
Vidyadhar Ka Bagh
Built-in the memory of Vidyadhar, the architect of the Pink City, it is situated in a narrow valley surrounded by high hills. The beautiful garden has been renovated recently. This garden was a vineyard of the former royalty. This is a terraced garden with fountains, a pool and other features of a formal royal resort. The exquisite, tiered garden is laid for the private pleasure of the architect of the city, it has dedicated pavilions bordered by water channels, and a larger pavilion overlooking the whole complex. Located at Ghat Ki Guni, it is now let out for private picnics.
Kanak Vrindavan
The Kanak Vrindavan is not very old but definitely an exquisitely landscaped garden with a beautifully carved temple in beige stone. It is a vast complex with terrace sites all around and intricately carved marble columns and lattices. Located in the foothills of Nahargarh hills on the way towards Amber, this complex is a popular spot for picnic and film shoots. It should be definitely visited on the way to the forts of Jaipur – Nahargarh, Jaigarh and Amber. The greenery after the monsoons transforms this whole place virtually into a paradise with Jal Mahal in the background.
Amar Jawan Jyoti
Burning as a shrine and a mark of respect to the warriors of Rajasthan is the Amar Jawan Jyoti on Rajpath. This tomb is a tribute to the martyrs who have sacrificed their lives for the honour of the country.
B.M. Birla Science And Technology Centre
The planetarium offers unique audio-visual education of stars and galaxies on a computerized projection system. A Science Museum is also a part of one of the most modern planetariums in India.
Jantar Mantar
This is the largest of the five observatories founded by Sawai Jai Singh-II in various parts of the country and built around 1727 and 1734. It has been listed in UNESCO world heritage sites. Jantar Mantar is a collection of architectural astronomical instruments that were used in the early days to study the movement of the sun, moon and planets to determine time. It is constructed with stone and marbles its complex instruments whose settings and shapes are precisely and scientifically designed represent the high points of Medieval Indian astronomy. The Ram Yantras used for gauging altitudes are unique in their isolation. Major Yantras or instruments that you can watch moving clockwise are Small ‘Samrat', ‘Dhruva', ‘Narivalya', The Observer's Seat, Small ‘Kranti', ‘Raj' ‘Unnathamsa', ‘Disha', ‘Dakshina', Large ‘Samrat', ‘Rashivalayas', ‘Jai Prakash', Small ‘Ram', Large ‘Ram Yantra', ‘Diganta', Large ‘Kranti'
Vrihat Samrat Yantra (Equinoctial Sundial)
- This is a Sun Dial that can give the time to an accuracy of 2 seconds.
- Planned around 1732, completed around 1735.
- Repaired in 1901–1902 with plaster scales of quadrants redrawn and gnomon edges engraved in red stone.
- Scales surfaced with marble in 1945.
- Red sandstone lining replaced the earlier masonry plaster surface after 1969 (Volwahsen, 2001)
- Lime plastered in 2007 and storm water collection was channelised.
Sasthamsa Yantra (60 deg. Meridian Chamber)
- It is used for measuring the declination and zenith distance of Sun
- Constructed with the Vrihat Samrat Yantra
- Initially, scales inscribed on smooth lime plaster surface, as also followed in 1901-1902 restoration. Marble scale introduced later
- Pointed arches on surface of the eastern Sasthamsa filled up and affixed with doors. This infill removed in 2007 restoration to reveal the original arches
Jai Prakash Yantra (Hemispherical Inst.)
- These are twin hemispherical bowl instruments, each one is a reflection of sky above
- Constructed under the supervision of Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II (before 1743)
- During later restorations, ten staircases leading to the underground rooms and corridors were walled up
- Scales of plaster replaced with marble ones, after 1945 or in 1901-1902
- Plinth protection in stone re-laid during 2007 restoration
Nadivalaya Yantra (Equinoctial Dial)
- Helps in determining the time
- Only northern part (Uttari Gola) built originally, southern part and the storage chamber added before the reign of Maharaja Pratap Singh, when the whole building was rebuilt (1771)
- Inscription on plaque on southern plate mentions date of second restoration to be January 25, 1771. First restoration possibly under the supervision of Sawai Madho Singh
- In 2007, damaged calibrations were refilled with lead and the structure was plastered with lime. The access door was replaced
Horizontal Sun Dial atop Nadivalaya (Palabha)”
- Determines the time on the day of Equinox
- Possibly constructed with the second restoration in 1771, when the southern face and chamber were added to the Nadivalaya Yantra
- A cage added on top to protect it, though that prevents its use for observational purposes. The cage was removed during the 2007-2008 restoration work to reveal the instrument
Krantivritta Yantra
- Measurement of celestial latitudes and longitudes
- Said to have been built according to instruction of Pandit Jagannath (under Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II, before 1743) and never have been completed, with superstructure missing
- Superstructure not built during 1901-1902 restoration either, as it was assumed to have been too heavy for the support
- No work carried out in 2007 as it was in good condition
Krantivritta II (Measures Celestial Latitude & Longitude)
- Measurement of celestial latitudes and longitudes
- Built in 1901-1902 by Garrett, to demonstrate the function of the Krantivritta Yantra as the original Yantra was left incomplete
- No work carried out in 2007 as it was in good condition
Dakshinottara Bhitti Yantra (Meridian Dial)
- Measures the altitude or the angular height of celestial bodies when the cross the local meridian
- Demolished from original location & rebuilt stone-by-stone at present site. Present instrument built in 1876 with marble scales and lead filled engravings, as a replacement for the dilapidated one built by Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II in 1728 to the north of the small Samrat Yantra
- Originally, internal rooms were stuccoed with a thin layer of white plaster and red layers were applied later
- In 2007, the damaged lime plaster was replaced and it was finished with lime wash. A damaged wooden door was replaced and the plinth protection was re-laid in lime
“Yantra Raj (Astrolabe)
- Used for measuring ascendant altitude, time, position of the sun and that some other celestial objects.
- No record, though Tieffenthaler (1750’s) mentions two large metal astrolabes suspended on iron rings
- In 2007, the masonry was repaired and damaged timber beams were replaced with matching timber
Chakra Yantra (Measures Declination of a Celestial Body)
- Measures declination distance from North or South of the celestial equator
- No records of construction date
- In 2007, the plinth protection was re-laid in lime and lead was refilled in the calibrations.
Digamsa Yantra (Azimuth Circle)
- Determines the azimuth of a celestial object
- Constructed under the supervision of Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II (before 1743)
- The marble was a part of later additions
- Only damaged lime plaster was replaced in 2007.
Unnathamsa Yantra
- Measures altitude or angular height of a celestial object
- Constructed under the supervision of Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II (before 1743)
- In 2007, the timber beam was consolidated, lime plaster redone and decorative elephant brackets revealed.
Rasivalaya Yantra (Ecliptic Dial)
- Measures the celestial latitude and longitude of zodiacs
- Constructed before 1750’s (Tieffenthaler’s visit), though not a part of initial lists from Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh’s time. Repaired in 1870’s under the supervision of Maharaja Ram Singh. Angles altered by Garrett during 1901-1902 restorations – maximum alteration: 0o 29’ in Azimuth and 2o 28’ in Altitude
- In 2008, the damaged plinth stone on edges was replaced and broken edges of instruments were repaired with lime mortar.
Kapala Yantra (Hemispherical Dial)
- Used for measuring the ascendant and zodiacs
- Constructed under the supervision of Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II (before 1743)
- Surfacing with stone done in 20th century In 2007, the plinth protection was relaid in lime and lead was refilled in the calibrations.
Laghu (Small) Samrat Yantra (Equinoctial Sundial)
- Measures time
- Possibly constructed under the supervision of Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II (before 1743)
- Clad in red and white quartzite under the supervision of Maharaja Ram Singh in 1876
- Now fully restored
Great Ram Yantra (Cylindrical Inst.)
- This measures the local co-ordinates of altitude and azimuth of celestial objects
- The original structure in plaster from the period of Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II (before 1743), was restored in stone in 1891 under the supervision of Sawai Madho Singh II
- No intervention in 2007 except pointing of joints with lime mortar
Small Ram Yantras (Cylindrical Inst.)
- Constructed as models for the rebuilding of the Great Ram Yantras in 1891
- Date not known, could have been from Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II’s time
- No work carried out in 2007
Dhruva Darshaka Yantra (North Star Indicator)
- Determines the position of Pole Star • Mentioned in 1902 account by visitor from Varanasi (Tillotson, 2006, pp. 170, 176)
Disha Yantra/ Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh’s Seat
- Indicates direction •Present in 1750’s when Tieffenthaler visited Jaipur. Circular engraving possibly from 1870’s •Recent attempt at repairing the damaged plinth in 2008 has revealed concentric masonry rings below the plinth and experts are trying to decipher the purpose of these rings (possibly to level ground by filling water)