The Royal Route....Jaipur!

It was an international seminar in Maharishi Arvind University Jaipur of my travel buddy. This was a chance for nomads like us to convert the seminar into a small weekend break in Jaipur. Weekend trip is not appropriate for Jaipur as it has a lot of places to offer. It was a hobson’s choice for us as we have the weekend only. So without worrying too much we started our expedition as much as possible.

Jaipur, known as the Pink City, represents the vibrant lifestyle and traditions of Rajasthan. This city is a splendid fusion of ancient history with all the advantages of a metropolis.

We stayed in hotel Raya Inn. It was a very good hotel with complimentary breakfast and very near to Jaipur station. The first day was the seminar, so we had to spare that day.The best option we were left with was shopping. So we had our lunch, took some rest and went shopping.

Johari bazar, the best place for shopping in the Pink City. You’ll be spoiled by the choices of traditional dresses, jewelleries. It’s a shopper’s paradise and a must visit place in jaipur.

The next day we invested our whole time in visiting Jaipur’s glorious historical monuments and forts.

Our first destination was City Palace constructed by Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II. Located in the middle of the old city wall of Jaipur, this palace reflects the fusion of Mughal and Rajput architecture. The temple, courtyard, gardens and the structure resembles the magnificent royal grace. It took us approximately 2hrs to visit the whole city palace. Tourists can take guides or audio guides who can explain the history of the palace in detail.

From there, we had a visit to Hawa Mahal, the place of breeze. This red and pink sandstone monument attracts travellers because of its architecture that comprises 953 windows. In our ancient history, Royal Rajput women weren’t allowed to show their face or even appear in public. This was their place to get a glimpse of the day-to-day activities and festivities happening on the street below.

Our next stop was Jantar Mantar. Built in the 18th century, this was an astronomical observation site used to measure the distances and positions of celestial objects. This building also features the largest stone sundial, among the five sundials in India.

Now comes Nahargarh fort. Obviously, famous for its history and medieval architecture. This fort is situated in the Aravalli mountain ranges in Jaipur. Nahargarh means ‘abode of tigers’ and was named so as it was believed that tigers used to roam around the hills. This was built for the defence purpose from the enemies.

Our lunch time was approaching. So we had our lunch at a restaurant in front of Jal Mahal(Water Palace). Amidst the chaos of Jaipur, this is the most serene place, floating in the centre of Sagar Lake. This place was built for the Maharaja’s specially for their duck hunting parties.

Our last destination was Amer fort. This fort is the best attraction of Jaipur and combines immense beauty and charm. The fort is cradled on the top of the Aravali Hill and is situated next to the Maota lake. The best part of visiting this fort was the 50mins majestic light and sound show combining the folk music. The motive of this show is to revive the history behind this fort and folklore. Our show timing was 6.30 PM (English Show). There are different show timings. Tourists can choose as per their availability.

Most of the places in Jaipur have entry fees which varies from INR 50 to INR 200 per person for Indians and for foreigners it varies from INR 200 to INR 500 per person. These places are open from 9am to 5pm IST.

As the day ended, our trip came to an end. This was the time to bid adieu to Jaipur. In a nutshell, it was an amazing experience to take a break from our daily life and revisit ancient history.