The history of Jaipur is immersed in the quest of making it the most protected and powerful capital of its time. The city itself is named after the king who founded it in 1727, Maharaja Jai Singh II; he decided to shift his state’s capital city from Amber to present-day Jaipur due to scarce basic amenities and consistently growing population. He wanted his new capital to be so scientifically, culturally, and architecturally accurate that the science and mathematics aficionado took help from a Bengali Brahmin scholar Vidyadhar Bhattacharya to construct a Vastu Shastra compliant city over the course of four years. The most advanced and fortified layout of the city was made, with two out of the nine blocks reserved for palaces and administrative buildings and the rest for the public. The reason behind Jaipur being called “The Pink City” is also an interesting one: The whole city was quite literally dipped in pink paint to welcome the Prince of Wales in 1856 and to continue its otherworldly magical charm, the pink colour is still maintained to this day. Jaipur is, in fact, India’s first-ever planned city, and is therefore rightly translated as the “City of Victory”.
Suggested Itinirary
Visit Amer Fort (with the exquisite Sheesh Mahal), Jaigarh Fort and Nahargarh Fort. If you still have time to travel for two hours and see the supposedly haunted Bhangarh Fort, then, by all means, do it, else spend a serene evening near the beautiful Jal Mahal, after having a sumptuous meal at 1135 A.D. Restaurant located inside Amer Fort.
Start your day by having delectable kachoris and flavoured milk from Rawat Mishthan Bhandar at Sindhi Camp. Then head out to see the City Palace, and visit Hawa Mahal and Jantar Mantar, just moments away from it. By noon, you shall be done with these three hot spots and can venture out to fulfil your shopping quotient from Bapu Bazaar and Johari Bazaar for jewellery, rare antiquities, and genuine silk/pashmina clothing, and then have a filling lunch at the famous Laxmi Mishthan Bhandar. If you need a breather from the historical ride, then head to the Museum of Gems and Jewellery, Albert Hall Museum or the Jaipur Zoo
Strolling leisurely through Sisodia Rani ka Bagh is a great beginning to your last day in Jaipur. Visit the Birla Temple, also known as Lakshmi Narayan Mandir, famous for its grand architecture. Have your tummies filled with the tasty food at Anokhi Cafe, along with its soothing ambience and old-time charm. Then head over to spend your lovely evening at Chokhi Dhaani, one of the many cultural villages in Jaipur. Visiting Chokhi Dhaani will take up to 4 hours, but with its cultural festivities and scrumptious thalis, it is definitely worth going for.
