Jaipur Trip

Hawa Mahal

Pink City

Lal Chand Usta was the architect. Built-in red and pink coloured sandstone, in keeping with the décor of the other monuments in the city, its colour is a full testimony to the epithet of "Pink City" given to Jaipur.

Its façade with 953 niches with intricately carved jharokhas (some are made of wood) is a stark contrast to the plain-looking rear side of the structure. Its cultural and architectural heritage is a reflection of a fusion of Hindu Rajput architecture and Islamic Mughal architecture.

 The Rajput style is seen in the form of domed canopies, fluted pillars, lotus, and floral patterns, and the Islamic style as evident in its stone inlay filigree work and arches (as distinguished from its similarity with the Panch Mahal at Fatehpur Sikri.

Jantar  Mantar

 The Earth orbits around the Sun, ascertaining the declinations of planets, and determining the celestial altitudes and related ephemerides. The instruments are (alphabetical) 

Chakra Yantra (four semicircular arcs on which a gnomon casts a shadow, thereby giving the declination of the Sun at four specified times of the day. 

Dakshin Bhitti Yantra (measures meridian, altitude and zenith distances of celestial bodies)

1. Disha Yantra (used to detect the direction)

Dhruva Darshak Pattika (observe and find the location of pole starwith respect to other celestial bodies) 

1. Rama Yantra (an upright building used to find the altitude and the azimuth of the Sun)

2. Rashi Valaya Yantra (12 gnomon dials that measure ecliptic coordinates of stars, planets and all 12 constellation systems)

3. Unnatamsa Yantra (a metal ring divided into four segments by horizontal and vertical lines, with a hole in the middle; the position and orientation of the instrument allows measurement of the altitude of celestial bodies)

4. Vrihat Samrat Yantra (world's largest gnomon sundial, measures time in intervals of 2 seconds using shadow cast from the sunlight)

5. Yantra Raj Yantra (a 2.43-metre bronze astrolabe, one of the largest in the world, used only once a year, calculates the Hindu calendar)

City Palace

The City Palace

 Jaipur is a royal residence and former administrative headquarters of the rulers of the Jaipur State in Jaipur, Rajasthan.Construction started soon after the establishment of the city of Jaipur under the reign of Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II, who moved his court to Jaipur from Amber, in 1727. Jaipur remained the capital of the kingdom until 1949—when it became the capital of the present-day Indian state of Rajasthan—with the City Palace functioning as the ceremonial and administrative seat of the Maharaja of Jaipur. The construction of the Palace was completed in 1732 and it was also the location of religious and cultural events, as well as a patron of arts, commerce, and industry. It was constructed according to the rules of vastushastra, combining elements of Mughal and Rajput architectural styles.It now houses the Maharaja Sawai Man Singh II Museum, and continues to be the home of the Jaipur royal family. 

About the Royal Family

The royal family has around 500 personal servants.[citation needed] The palace complex has several buildings, various courtyards, galleries, restaurants, and offices of the Museum Trust. The MSMS II Museum Trust is headed by chairperson Rajmata Padmini Devi of Jaipur (from Sirmour in Himachal Pradesh).Princess Diya Kumari runs the Museum Trust, as its secretary and trustee. She also manages The Palace School and Maharaja Sawai Bhawani Singh School in Jaipur. She founded and runs the Princess Diya Kumari Foundation to empower underprivileged and underemployed women of Rajasthan. She is also an entrepreneur. In 2013, she was elected as Member of the Legislative Assembly of Rajasthan from the constituency of Sawai Madhopur.

It is a unique and special complex of several courtyards, buildings, pavilions, gardens, and temples. The most prominent and most visited structures in the complex are the Chandra Mahal, Mubarak Mahal, Shri Govind Dev Temple, and the City Palace Museum. 

Amber Fort

Amber Fort (The Sky Fort)

On the right side of the Jalebi Chowk, there is a small but an elegant temple called the Sila Devi temple (Sila Devi was an incarnation of Kali or Durga). The entrance to the temple is through a double door covered in silver with a raised relief. The main deity inside the sanctum is flanked by two lions made of silver. The legend attributed to the installation of this deity is that Maharaja Man Singh sought blessings from Kali for victory in the battle against the Raja of Jessore in Bengal. 

The goddess instructed the Raja, in a dream, to retrieve her image from the sea bed and install and worship it. The Raja, after he won the battle of Bengal in 1604, retrieved the idol from the sea and installed it in the temple and called it Sila Devi as it was carved out of one single stone slab. At the entrance to the temple, there is also a carving of Lord Ganesha, which is made out of a single piece of coral.

Another version of the Sila Devi installation is that Raja Man Singh, after defeating the Raja of Jessore, received a gift of a black stone slab which was said to have a link to the Mahabharata epic story in which Kansa had killed older siblings of Lord Krishna on this stone. In exchange for this gift, Man Singh returned the kingdom he had won to the Raja of Bengal. 

This stone was then used to carve the image of Durga Mahishasuramardini, who had slain the demon king Mahishasura and installed it in the fort's temple as Sila Devi. The Sila Devi was worshiped from then onwards as the lineage deity of the Rajput family of Jaipur. However, their family deity continued to be Jamva Mata of Ramgarh.

Attractions
There are a lot of attractions for one to see at the Amer Fort, including the diwan-e-aam, such mandir, and the Sheesh Mahal. Amer Fort is also home to some underground tunnels that connect Amer to Jaigarh Fort. A part of these tunnels has been restored, and is now open to public as well. 

Nahargarh Fort

Nahargarh Fort (The Abode of Tigers)

Nahargarh Fort  stands on the edge of the Aravalli Hills, overlooking the city of Jaipur  in the Indian state of Nahargarh Fort stands on the edge of the Aravalli Hills, overlooking the city of Jaipur in the Indian state of Rajasthan. Along with Amer Fort and Jaigarh Fort, Nahargarh once formed a strong defence ring for the city. The fort was originally named Sudershangarh, but it became known as Nahargarh, which means 'abode of tigers'. 

The popular belief is that Nahar here stands for Nahar Singh Bhomia, whose spirit haunted the place and obstructed construction of the fort. Nahar's spirit was pacified by building a temple in his memory within the fort, which thus became known by his name. Along with Amer Fort and Jaigarh fort, Nahargarh once formed a strong defence ring for the city.

 The fort was originally named Sudershangarh, but it became known as Nahargarh, which means 'Abode of Tigers'. The popular belief is that Nahar here stands for Nahar Singh Bhomia, whose spirit haunted the place and obstructed construction of the fort. Nahar's spirit was pacified by building a temple in his memory within the fort, which thus became known by his name.

Nahargarh Fort, one of the top tourist places to visit in Jaipur, is designed in the Indo-European style of architecture. The fort features an imposing entrance, called Tadigate, and houses several impressive structures within its premises. 

Jaigarh Fort

Jaigarh Fort(The Supreme fort of Rajputs)

Jaigarh Fort was a centre of artillery production for the Rajputs. It is now home to the Jaivana – at the time of its manufacture in 1720, it was the world's largest cannon on wheels of the Early Modern Era. The foundry where it was manufactured is also located here. A plaque at the entrance to the enclosure where the Jaivan Cannon is displayed gives relevant information on the history of the Cannon, its size and use. This cannon was never used in any battle as the Rajput rulers of Amer had friendly relations with the Mughals. This testifies to well-preserved features of fort. The cannon was fired only once with a charge of 100 kilograms (220 lb) of gunpowder and when fired covered a distance of about 35 kilometres (22 mi).

Attractions

Admire the imposing architecture of the fort including the Vilas Mandir, Lalit Mandir, Aaram Mandir and the Laxmi Vilas. The two temples of Kal Bhairav and Ram Harihar also a hint of glimmer to the fort.

Jaigarh Fort was a centre of artillery production for the Rajputs. It is now home to the Jaivana – at the time of its manufacture in 1720, it was the world's largest cannon on wheels of the Early Modern Era. The foundry where it was manufactured is also located here. 

Agra

Agra The Symbol of Love

Agra has two histories: one of the ancient city on the east, or left, bank of the river Yamuna, going back so far as to be lost in the legends of Krishna and Mahabharata and reestablished by Sikandar Lodhi in 1504–1505; the other of the modern city, founded by Akbar in 1558, on the right bank of the river which is associated with the Mughals, and known throughout the world as the city of the Taj. Of ancient Agra little now remains except few traces of the foundations.

 It was a place of importance under various Hindu dynasties previous to the Muslim invasions of India, but its history is unclear, and possess little historical interest. The 17th century chronicler named Abdhullah said it was a village before the reign of Sikandar Lodi. The king of Mathura had used the Agra fort as a jail. The degradation in the status of the site was a result of the destruction brought upon it by Mahmud of Ghazni.Masud Sa'd Salman claims to have been there when Mahmud assaulted Agra, claiming the Raja Japal surrendered after seeing a nightmare. Mahmud however proceeds to pillage the city.

Attractions

Entering through the beautifully curved "Darwaza", or the main gateway, you reach to" the Bageecha" or the garden covered with lush green trees and fragrant flowers. On the left of the Taj is the "Masjid" built with red sandstones. 

Agra Red Fort

The Majestic Red Fort of Agra: A Timeless Symbol of Mughal Grandeur" 

The Agra Red Fort, also known as the Agra Fort, is a stunning example of Mughal architecture and history located in Agra, India. Here are some key points about the fort:

1. Historical Significance: Built by Emperor Akbar in 1565, the Agra Red Fort served as the main residence of the Mughal emperors until 1638 when the capital was moved to Delhi. It played a central role in Mughal history.

2. Architecture: The fort is a massive structure built from red sandstone, which is why it's often called the Red Fort. It features a blend of Islamic and Hindu architectural styles, with elaborate palaces, mosques, and gardens within its walls.

3. Layout: The fort is roughly oval-shaped, surrounded by a moat and has two main gates: the Delhi Gate and the Amar Singh Gate. It includes notable structures like the Jahangir Palace, Khas Mahal, Diwan-i-Aam (Hall of Public Audience), and Diwan-i-Khas (Hall of Private Audience).

4. UNESCO World Heritage Site: In 1983, the Agra Fort was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its historical significance and architectural excellence.

5. Later History: The fort also has a dark chapter; it was the prison of Emperor Shah Jahan, who was confined here by his son Aurangzeb. Shah Jahan spent his final years imprisoned in the fort, from where he could see the Taj Mahal, the mausoleum he had built for his wife Mumtaz Mahal.

6. Tourism: Today, the Agra Red Fort is a major tourist attraction, drawing visitors from around the world who come to explore its rich history and stunning architecture.

The fort is not just a historical site but a testament to the grandeur and complexity of Mughal civilization.