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Jaipur is the capital of Rajasthan, the desert
state in India, which is famous for its majestic
forts, opulent havelis, beautiful lakes and sand
dunes. The history of Jaipur takes us about 300
years back in time, when the Mughal empire in
India was on the decline. At this time Maharaja
Sawai Jai Singh II in Rajasthan was looking for
a safe place to shift the increasing population
of Amber and found Jaipur to build the city. He
commissioned Vidyadhar Bhattacharya, a fine architect
from Bengal the responsibility of building the
city. Jaipur was designed strictly according to
Shilpa Shastra, which is the ancient treatise
on architecture. Thus Jaipur is considered as
the planned city in India. The city has been divided
into nine blocks and is encircled by a wall that
has seven gates.
Jaipur is also known as the Pink City. Jaipur's
date with the pink color goes back to 1905-06,
when Jaipur city was getting ready to welcome
the Prince of Wales and needed a fresh coat of
paint. But the contractor's inability to provide
any other color except the pink saw Jaipur washed
in pink hue. Since then Jaipur is known as the
Pink City.
Today Jaipur is a thriving tourist destination,
which attracts a number of tourists every year.
Forts and palaces are what attract most tourists
to Jaipur. There are a number of forts and palaces
in and around Jaipur that tell the tales of Jaipur's
rich and vibrant heritage. Some of the important
landmarks in and around Jaipur include the Amber
Fort, Hawa Mahal, Jantar Mantar observatory, Jaigarh
Fort, Gaitore, and Nahargarh Fort.
City Palace is another beautiful tourist attraction,
which is a classic example of Rajasthani and Mughal
architecture. Besides the architectural wonders
that dot Jaipur, shopping in the colourful bazaars
of Jaipur is another exciting idea of holidaying
in Jaipur, Rajasthan.
Art and craft is yet another fascinating aspect
of tour to Rajasthan. Handicraft items of Jaipur,
Rajasthan make perfect souvenirs. Jaipur is popular
for semi-precious stones, miniature paintings,
silver jeweller and lac items.
If you want to add zing to your tour to Jaipur,
coincide your visit to Jaipur during festivals.
The city looks vibrant and colorful during fairs
and festivals. Some of the festivals celebrated
in Jaipur include Elephant Festival (March), Gangur
(March-April) and Teej (July-August)
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