JAIPUR: THE PINK CITY OF INDIA

AN
Jan 31, 2021
4 min read

Recently, my family and I had a quick weekend getaway to the most picturesque location of India none other than Jaipur, which is also known as "The Pink City of India". The reason behind being called as the pink city is that the color pink is imbibed in the heritage of the city within the walls of the historic centers painted in terracotta pink. To experience the most out of the Indian tradition and culture, this is the place to visit for sure.

It was my first time in Jaipur, and I was beyond excited to visit this place. We had our stay at this amazing property of Club Mahindra for a period of four days. To make the most out of our trip, my family decided to visit all the major tourist spots in the first three days and kept the last day, to enjoy our stay at the resort. I was impressed by the necessary precautions and arrangements made by the resort staff for our comfortable stay and experience.

So, here is a snapshot of what I did in these four days. Feast your eyes on!!

DAY 1 at Jaipur:

Albert Hall Museum- The Albert Hall Museum in Jaipur is the oldest museum of the state and functions as the state museum of Rajasthan, India. The building is situated in Ram Niwas garden outside the city wall opposite the New gate and is a fine example of Indo-Saracenic architecture. It is also called the Government Central Museum.

Amber/Amer Fort- This magnificent fort is about 11 Km from Jaipur. Amer Fort is known for its artistic style elements. With its large ramparts and series of gates and cobbled paths, the fort overlooks Maota Lake, which is the main source of water for the Amer Palace. Mughal architecture greatly influenced the architectural style of several buildings of the fort.

City Palace- The City Palace is a landmark in Jaipur and is also a very popular tourist hotspot. Apart from the regal architecture, the palace offers a stunning view of the Pink City and also an insight into the rich heritage of a bygone era. The City Palace is a must-see while sightseeing in Jaipur.

DAY 2 at Jaipur:

Jaigarh Fort- Renowned for housing Jaiban, the world's largest cannon, the Jaigarh Fort, constructed by Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II, is located about 15 km from the city of Jaipur. Constructed in the early 18th century, the formidable fort, built to protect Amber Fort from enemy invasion, sits majestically atop a craggy hill. Though built as a military structure, there are well-planned gardens within its premises, along with a residential area for the royals and temples. The fort is well-preserved and stands in all its grandeur. It is connected to the famous Amber Fort with subterranean passages and its architecture is very similar to the Amber Fort. The fort also boasts an assembly hall of warriors called Shubhat Niwas, a museum, and an armory. Many believe that the fort has a huge treasure buried under it. The history of the fort is quite interesting and it is said that during the Mughal era, it became the empire's main foundry of cannon and was also used to store ammunition and other metal requirements of war.

Nahargarh Fort- This peculiar fort is situated on the world’s oldest mountain ranges, The Aravalli Ranges. This fort also serves as a perfect example of the amalgamation of the Indian and European Styles. This fort has the most amazing view of the sunset.

Jal Mahal- This palace is situated in the middle of the Man Sagar Lake in Jaipur. Visitors are not allowed to enter the Palace. Also, due to necessary steps taken to stop water pollution, boating is prohibited now to view the palace closely. But you can enjoy the view of the palace from the viewpoint nearby.

DAY 3 at Jaipur:

Galta Ji- Galtaji is an ancient Hindu pilgrimage about 10 km away from Jaipur, in the Indian state of Rajasthan. The site consists of a series of temples built into a narrow crevice in the ring of hills that surrounds Jaipur. A natural spring emerges high on the hill and flows downward, filling a series of sacred kunds (water tanks) in which pilgrims bathe. Visitors and pilgrims can ascend the crevasse, continuing past the highest water pool to a hilltop temple from there are views of Jaipur and its fortifications spread out across the valley floor. It is believed that a Saint named Galav lived here, practiced meditation, and did penance (tapasya).

Jantar Mantar- The Jantar Mantar comprises a collection of nineteen architectural astronomical instruments built by the Rajput king Sawai Jai Singh II, the founder of Jaipur, Rajasthan. The monument was completed in 1734. It features the world's largest stone sundial and is a UNESCO World Heritage site. It is located near City Palace and Hawa Mahal. The instruments allow the observation of astronomical positions with the naked eye. The observatory is an example of the Ptolemaic positional astronomy which was shared by many civilizations.

Hawa Mahal- Hawa Mahal or the Wind palace has 953 small windows (Jharokhas), which were built to keep the wind blowing inside the palace. Hawa Mahal is one of the major attractions in Jaipur.

Sisodia Rani Bagh- This is a grand palace garden that consists of tiered multi-levels with fountains, watercourses, and painted pavilions. The garden has an awesome view.

DAY 4 at Jaipur:

This was a laid back day since we spent our time relaxing at the resort and trying different dishes from the resort food menu.

The swimming pool and gym were closed due to COVID but the birdies managed to have their fun.

Apart from the tourist places, we enjoyed eating at Lakshmi Misthan Bhandar, popularly known as just LMB, which is a well-known hotel, restaurant, and sweet shop in Jaipur, and did some shopping at Johri Bazaar and Baapu Bazaar at nominal rates with a lot to bargain on. We enjoyed the most popular dishes such as Rajashani Thali which includes daal baati churma, and other side dishes; Malai ghewar (sweet dish); Kachori with potato and onion filling and Chole Bhature. Don't forget to try these when in Jaipur.

The trip to Jaipur felt surprisingly like your home away from home but also entirely in the lap of luxury. What a start to a year!! I hope you enjoyed the post.

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