From Delhi we headed south into the state of Rajasthan and the city of Jaipur. Though still a large metropolis, the main sights are in a relatively compact area and Jaipur was a little bit of a relief after Delhi. There was less traffic, the tuk-tuk drivers were a little less aggressive, and there were sidewalks so we didn’t have to walk in the road (sometimes), though there were still pigs running wild and eating out of garbage dumps.
Jaipur is famous for its lovely old city, with its buildings and walls painted pink and ornate entrance gates. The old city is packed with shops selling beautiful saris, colorful tie-died fabrics, jewelry, and even paper kites, making for great window shopping and fun people watching. Two palaces are located within the old city: the Hawa Mahal, a beautiful pink sandstone palace built in the 18th century, and the sprawling City Palace complex. Also here is the unusual Jantar Mantar, an 18th century observatory filled with enormous instruments used to measure orbits, calculate eclipses, and track celestial paths.
One day we took a tuk-tuk to the nearby town of Amber. Once the capital of the Jaipur region, Amber is home to a beautiful 16th century fort built in the countryside among rolling hills. The fort is extensive, consisting of innumerable elaborately decorated halls and courtyards, including the impressive mirrored ceiling and ivory carved walls of the Hall of Victory. After visiting the fort, we crossed the street and climbed a hill along an old defensive wall, escaping the busy scene around the entrance to the fort. From this serene setting we watched the sunset over the fort and surrounding palaces and structures and could understand why this state was given the name Rajasthan, meaning “land of kings.”
Click on the photo below for our Jaipur album.
Jaipur is famous for its lovely old city, with its buildings and walls painted pink and ornate entrance gates. The old city is packed with shops selling beautiful saris, colorful tie-died fabrics, jewelry, and even paper kites, making for great window shopping and fun people watching. Two palaces are located within the old city: the Hawa Mahal, a beautiful pink sandstone palace built in the 18th century, and the sprawling City Palace complex. Also here is the unusual Jantar Mantar, an 18th century observatory filled with enormous instruments used to measure orbits, calculate eclipses, and track celestial paths.
One day we took a tuk-tuk to the nearby town of Amber. Once the capital of the Jaipur region, Amber is home to a beautiful 16th century fort built in the countryside among rolling hills. The fort is extensive, consisting of innumerable elaborately decorated halls and courtyards, including the impressive mirrored ceiling and ivory carved walls of the Hall of Victory. After visiting the fort, we crossed the street and climbed a hill along an old defensive wall, escaping the busy scene around the entrance to the fort. From this serene setting we watched the sunset over the fort and surrounding palaces and structures and could understand why this state was given the name Rajasthan, meaning “land of kings.”
Click on the photo below for our Jaipur album.
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