Indian States
Rajasthan
Cities
In Rajasthan
Jaipur
Jaipur,
the vib
rant
capital of Rajasthan,
is popularly known as the ' Pink City ' because of the pink-coloured
buildings in its old city.Founded in AD 1727 by Sawai Jaisingh
II.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.This
fascinating city with its romantic charm takes you to an epoch
of royalty and tradition.
Jaipur sits on a dry lake bed in a somewhat arid
landscape, surrounded by barren hills surmounted by forts and
crenellated walls. This buzzing metropolis is certainly a place
of wild contrasts and a feast for the eyes. Jaipur
has massive forts, magnificent palaces, exquisite temples and
marvellous gardens. All through, Jaipur has retained
its strong Rajputana flavour tempered by several influences -
the mughal being the most prominent. The region's strong cultural
heritage is distinctly evident even today. The city is a visitor's
delight. From the intricate, delicate looking Hawa Mahal to the
graphic forms of the Jantar Mantar - an open
air observatory of outsized astronomical instruments, the Badi
Chaupar lined with shopsand business establishments on both sides
to the majestic fort-palace at Amber; from the
colorful fountains of life to the sublime Birla Temple;
from the architectural delight of the City Palace to the serene
Jal Mahal. The principal shopping centre in the
old city is Johari Bazaar, The jewellers' market. Unlike most
other shopping centres in narrow alleys in India and elsewhere
in Asia, this one is broad and open. There are three main interconnecting
roads in the new part of town - Mirza Ismail road (MI road), Station
road and Sansar Chandra Marg.
Special
Event : Teej, also known as the festival of Swings (a reference
to the flower-bedecked swings which are erected at this time),
celebrates the onset of the monsoon and is held in honour of the
marriage of Shiva and Parvati. It is celebrated with particular
fervour in Jaipur.
Bookshops
: If you are the hunt for reading material, there is a wide
range of English-language books as well as magazines and maps
at 'Books Corner', MI Rd (near Niro's restaurant). You can pick
up a copy of the informative 'Jaipur Vision' here, which contains
useful information about the city. A good range of titles can
also be found in the bookshops at the Rambagh Palace, Rajputana
Palace Sheraton and at the Bissau Palace hotel.
Ajmer:
131 Km
Agra:
221 km
Delhi:
269 km
Bikaner:
354 Km
Jaisalmer:
638 Km
Udaipur:
406 km
