Jaipur is famously known to everyone as the “Pink city of Rajasthan”. Being the capital of Rajasthan, Jaipur enjoys a fair share of ancient forts and regal palaces throughout the city. People who choose to visit Jaipur will be treated to its basking glory of rich Architecture and amazing Culture. As one of the major tourist destinations in the country, Jaipur is considered to be the gateway to Rajasthan. In fact, the famous Golden Triangle tourism project of India has Jaipur as one of its vertexes which connects New Delhi, Agra and Jaipur. Check out these top 11 things to do in Jaipur.
When you set foot in Jaipur you would witness the buildings painted in Pink or terracotta colour. The reason for this is interweaved in Jaipur’s history. In the late 18th century, the powerful ruler of Rajasthan, Maharaja Sawai Ram Singh decided to welcome the prince of Wales, Prince Albert. In order to impress the prince, he ordered the construction of a majestic concert hall and named it as Prince Albert Hall Museum. Maharaja Sawai Ram Singh has also taken steps to paint the entire city with pink colour, which symbolises hospitality. This practice later continued to be a remarkable element in Jaipur’s heritage even long after the provinces gained independence. When you are on a visit to Jaipur, have a look at some of the top things to do in Jaipur.
- Enjoy the beauty of Hawa Mahal
Hawa Mahal is one of the most prominent architectural attractions of Jaipur located at the heart of the city. This five-storied palace is constructed in a pyramid shape which resembles the crown of Lord Krishna. The meaning of the word Hawa is wind, and Mahal means palace. Hence this iconic structure made of sandstones is also known as the Palace of winds. Hawa Mahal has a total of 953 small windows termed as Jharokhas, and this helps the wind to seep through the palace interiors which makes them cool enough to occupy.
Maharana Pratap Singh in the year 1799 constructed the palace for the imperial women to get a cosy view of the everyday life of the people and to get a first-hand visual of the festivals from the busy streets downstairs. This allowed them to stay away from the crowd without being noticed by the people. Hawa Mahal is most beautiful at sunrise and on sunsets.
2. Take a look at the luxurious City Palace
Royal City palace by the city centre is a magnificent blend of Mughal and Rajput architecture which takes it to the top of the list of places to be visited in Jaipur. The City palace was built by Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II, who is known as the founder of Jaipur. Even today a portion of the palace is the abode of the Jaipur royal family.
Virendra Pol and Udai Pol are the two entrances towards the palace. This amazing city palace complex is comprised of dazzling courtyards, beautiful royal halls, classic pavilions, impressive gardens, an astounding art gallery and an armoury. One of the museums within the complex contains the royal garments which were used by Maharaja Sawai Madho Singh I and Maharaja Man Sigh II. When you set foot inside the City Palace complex you would feel as if you have been grafted towards the glory years of the Rajput dynasty. This royal architectural monument would surely come under the must-visit category on your itinerary, and hence it’s included as one of the things in our 11 things to do in Jaipur.
3. Sooth your taste buds with the Streetfood of Jaipur
Jaipur, the Pink city apart from its royal palaces and forts, also has its fair share of delectable Rajasthani street food dishes. Some of these are Lalji Kachori Wala, Original Lassiwala, Kalkatta Chaat Bandar, Gulabji Chaiwala and many more. The people of Rajasthan surely have a wide range of tasty dishes which we should try out. Original Lassiwala has been around for generations, the localities as well as the tourists find this a must-try in the hot scorching daylight. This delicious thirst-quenching sweet and salty drink is served in Kulhads or earthen cups which adds to the excitement.
4. Astronomical monuments at Jantar Mantar
A visit to Jantar Mantar is the next thing which comes on our list of 11 things to do in Jaipur. Jantar Mantar comprising 19 fixed astronomical monuments is an intriguing construction made into existence by Maharaja Jai Singh II. He has been so passionate about astronomy that he built five such observatories in Jaipur, New Delhi, Mathura, Ujjain and Varanasi. Out of these five Jantar Mantar, Jaipur and New Delhi were very well preserved.
It gives us an idea about the techniques that prevailed in the past centuries in forecasting the sunrise and sunset, identifying the location of pole stars and other celestial bodies, predicting solar and lunar eclipses and many more. If you are keen on the field of astronomy, Jantar Mantar would prove to be an invaluable place to visit. Nowadays, Jantar Mantar in New Delhi is coming up in the news as it has been used by the people for protesting and fighting for their cause.
5. Catch the amazing view of Jal Mahal
Jal Mahal or Water palace is built in the midst of beautiful Man Sarovar Lake as it appears as if it’s floating above the water. This five-storied archaeological palace is a thing of wonder which came into existence in the 1750s. Even though we could see the top floor of the palace, four stories exist below the lake. It’s been believed that Maharaja Madho Singh I used this mansion only as a getaway in the summer as a hunting lodge for his group.
At the time of its construction, Man Sarivar lake was not holding the amount of water we see today. In fact, the dam which came in the 18th century has made the water level stay as it is, keeping the rest of the palace submerged in the lake. Apparently, this red sandstone palace is accessible only by boat and it’s not open to the public. The tourists would gather around the banks of the lake to admire this magnificent palace.
6. Make a visit to Spectacular Amber Fort
Amber fort is undoubtedly one of the main attractions of Jaipur which stands on a small hill. Its mesmerizing architecture combining Rajput and Mughal ways makes it the most alluring fort in Pink city. The fort is built around the city as a form of defence in the 16th century. Amber fort is made using pale yellow and pink sandstones along with white marble. You can see that the fort contains four sections with each having its own courtyard. Jaleb Chowk the main courtyard in Amber fort was used by armies to display their catch in plunders to the people.
One of the fascinating things about this fort is that even attackers don’t want this fort to be destroyed as it was so special. There is an amazing light and sound show everyday evening which makes us know more about the history of the fort. You can even have a unique experience of an elephant ride up the hill to the fort gate. Different sections of the fort include the king’s royal quarters, the Zezana which is a place for women, temples, gardens and many more. Of all the things mentioned in 11 things to do in Jaipur, Amber Fort would surely be at the top of the list.
7. Laal Mans (Laal Maas) from 1135 Ad Restaurant
Jaipur being the land of royal palaces and forts, 1135 AD Restaurant makes us feel like having delicious food in a royal ambience. The name 1135 AD is derived from the fact that the Kachwaha clan give rise to the Rajput dynasty in the year 1135. The very well-renowned restaurant operating within the walls of the Amber Fort lets you enjoy the Rajasthani delicacies with a Royal feel. Laal Maas is a famous Rajasthani dish available across the restaurants of Jaipur and 1135 AD has it available on their menu. We need to have a taste of this delicious preparation without which our visit to Jaipur wouldn’t be complete.
Laal means red and Laal Maas is an indigenous mutton curry from these parts of the world. As the name suggests, this awesome recipe has a red tint with a relatively thick gravy. It has a bit of spicy flavour and the special ingredient which gives this dish the unique flavour is smoky Mathania Chilli, a chilly variety indigenous to Jodhpur.
8. Check out the intriguing Panna Meena ka Kund
Panna Meena Ka Kund is a square-shaped step well situated at Amber near to the Amber Fort. The step wells are not rare in Rajasthan, in fact, the state is famous for preserving these step wells as dry desert soil makes up for nearly half of its lands. It’s been believed that Panna Meena Ka Kund is built before the 16th century as a water source for people around the place. This stepwell was also from where the nearby temples have taken water.
It has been considered a place where travellers find some respite and when you go down the steps, the temperature slightly drops imparting a cooling feeling. The presence of so many steps on all three sides of the well helps more people access the water at the same time. Nowadays, we are not allowed to go down the steps and tourists can take pictures from the top.
9. Swing by the amazing Jaigarh Fort
Jaigarf Fort was built in 1726 by king Jai Singh II with a view of protecting the Amber fort and is located on the Hill of Eagles or Cheel ka Teela from the Arvalli range. Many a time, Jaigarh fort is overlooked by tourists as it’s near the famous Amber fort. It is at a height of 500 feet above sea level and gives a beautiful view of the mountains and lakes surrounding the fort.
Jaigarh the close-by Amber Fort is been regarded as one complex and has underground pathways connecting the two forts. These are believed to be included as escape routes for the royal family in case of war. It is certainly worth a visit especially if you are interested in defences. The fort is also famous for holding the largest cannon on wheels called Jaiban. Jaigarh fort falls among the well-preserved old fortress in the country spread out over three kilometres
10. Experience the shopping spree in Jaipur
Jaipur is blessed with a myriad of shopping choices which makes tourists lose words to describe. Shopaholics would feel as if they are spoiled for choices, such is the long list of shops we could find in Jaipur. Jaipuri quilts (handmade and hand-stitched cloth), Handicrafts, Jewellery (meenakari and Kundan) and Mojaris (handmade leather shoes) are some of the main attractions. We can find an incredible mix of traditional and modern products all across the city. Famous bazaars of Jaipur are located within the walls of the city. Some of these are Sireh Deori Bazaar, Johari Bazaar, Ramganj Bazaar and Tripolia Bazaar.
11. Bask in the glorious sunset at Nahargarh Fort
Nahargarh Fort is located on one of the ridges of the Aravalli range close to Amber Fort. It is the oldest among the three forts built by Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh and its also known as Tiger Fort. Towering Nahargarh Fort forms the backdrop for the magnificent city of Jaipur. Standing firm over the hilly region, the fort remained the powerful protective barrier for Jaipur city against the attack from the enemies.
Nahargarh Fort hosts the summer destination of the royal family and it was known as Madhavendra Bhawan. It consists of 12 similar rooms for the queens, and the construction is in a way such that the Maharaja could visit any of these suits and the others couldn’t acknowledge it. We can have a majestic view of the sunset from the top of Nahargarh Fort and it’s a major attraction of the Fort.
