ATTRACTIONS IN JAIPUR

City Palace :
Standing majestically in the heart of Jaipur, the City Place offers a perfect example of Mughal and Rajput architecture. Made by Raja Jai Singh 2, the City Palace Complex occupies about 1/7th of the walled city. The palace has a high wall or the sarahad that surrounds it on all sides. It is a bit confusing to find the main entrance to the palace and can only be arrived at after going through various bazaars (Sireh Deori), past the Town Hall (Vidhan Sabha), passing through the arches of Sireh Deori (boundary gate) also known as the Udai Pol, Naqqar Darwaza (drum gate), the Vijai Pol, Jai Pol, Ganpati Pol and via the Jaleb Chowk. The palace is dotted with several courtyards and gardens providing a relief to the palatial structures like the Mubarak Mahal, Chandra Mahal, Badal Mahal, Sri Govind Dev temple, etc. The Mubarak Mahal also houses a museum named after Maharaja Sawai Man Singh. The museum displays a rich collection of rare manuscripts, weapons, Mughal carpets and costumes, and Mughal and Rajasthani miniatures. The Chandra Mahal is a seven storey building endowed with brilliant frescos and mirror works in Rajput school of art. Many consider the Chandra Mahal meaning the moon palace to be the centre of attraction at the Jaipur City Palace. The Shiva Nivas at the 4th floor is exquisitely decorated with mirror work and gold and mica leaves.

Hawa Mahal :
Another popular tourist attraction in Jaipur is the Hawa Mahal. Built by Maharaja Sawai Pratap Singh in 1799, the purpose of this intricately carved five-storey Mahal was to allow women from royal families to observe the processions passing on the road below. Hawa Mahal or the "Palace of Winds" is the most striking monument in Jaipur. Though its name suggests it to be a palace, in really it's not a palace. Actually, the Hawa Mahal is a sandstone screen with 593 finely screened windows. Placed right in the middle of the bustling Johari Bazaar, near the Badi Chaupad (the big square), this reddish-pink building made of red sandstone is a constant reminder of Jaipur’s colourful history which refuses to just curl up and die.

Jantar Mantar :
Jantar Mantar literally means the ‘instruments for measuring the harmony of the heavens’. A delightfully planned medieval astronomical center, replete with sun dials and massive astronomical instruments, the Jantar Mantar or the royal observatory in Jaipur, Rajasthan, India is a fascinating tourist destination in its own respect. A not to be missed tourist attraction in Jaipur, the Jantar Mantar is a wonderful observatory, built in 1718 by the astronomical king Sawai Jai Singh, the founder of the city. The "Ram Yantra," used for gauging altitudes, is the most remarkable of all the instruments here. In all there are 17 instruments in the Jantar Mantar complex. The function of each instrument is rather complex but serves a particular function where time plays the main theme.

Amber Fort :
Your tour to Jaipur will be incomplete without a visit to the magnificent Amber Fort, situated on the outskirts of city on a sandstone hilltop. The sprawling Amber Fort is a typical example of what the lives of our gallant Rajputs were like – militant, adventurous, temperamental and also self-indulgent. The interiors of the palace tell the story of a bygone era of patronage and expert artistry. The exquisitely carved red sandstone pillars that adorn the palace were later covered in stucco plaster in order not to be subjected to the Mughal Emperor Jahangir's rage as Amber outshone many of the Mughal masterpieces. One can enjoy a beautiful view of surrounding areas from the Fort.

Jaigarh Fort :
The Jaigarh fort is the most spectacular of the three-hilltop forts that overlook Jaipur. In Mughal times, the Jaipur region was a major weapon-producing centre for the Mughal and Rajput rulers, several of which are on display in the fort's museum. It is one of the few military structures of medieval India preserved almost intact, containing palaces, a granary, a well-planned cannon foundry, several temples, a tall tower and giant mounted cannon-the Jai Ban (Jaivan) which is the largest cannon in the world.

Nahargarh Fort :
Nahargarh Fort is one such splendid heritage monuments in Jaipur located atop a picturesque hill and offers some breathtaking views of the city. The Fort was initially built by Sawai Jai Singh in 1734 A.D and later Sawai Madho Singh did some more construction to enlarge it and gave it the present shape in1885 A.D. Maharaja Sawai Madho Singh wanted to transform the palace into a monsoon retreat. Although some of the older sections of the fort have deteriorated, the sections added later, make it a must-see attraction in Jaipur.

Albert Museum :
Also known as Central Museum is located in the heart of the city, in Ram Nivas Garden. The building was designed by Colonel Sir Swinton Jacob in the modern Indo-Saracenic style and was built during the visit of King Edward VII as the Prince of Wales. Albert Hall is a mixture of pillars, arches, and courtyards adorned with murals preserving the huge collection of objects displaying different facets of Rajasthani culture and history. It houses an extensive collection of portraits of the Jaipur Maharajas, an assortment of jewellery, sculpture, handcrafted objects of brass and wood, and paintings from the Udaipur, Jaipur, Bundi, Kota and Kishangarh schools of art.

Jal mahal :
The Jal Mahal Palace, or Water Palace of Jaipur, is noted for its intricate architecture. Set against the rolling Nahargarh hills, Jal Mahal is a pleasure palace built in the 18th century by Sawai Pratap Singh ji, amidst Mansagar Lake. Though Jal Mahal is a five-storey palace, its first four floors are submerged under water. The Mansagar Lake is also a bird watcher's paradise as it attracts a variety of local as well as migratory birds. The palace was once used for regal duck shooting parties. Once in Rajasthan, make sure that a visit to this palace surely features in your itinerary. The most favorable time to visit this palace is from October to March.