Top 10 destinations you should visit in Jaipur 2023
The pink city, Jaipur, is a prime tourist attraction in India for the natives and international visitors. The pink colour is associated with hospitality. The distinctly painted buildings invite us to dig deep into history. It was installed to welcome the Prince of Wales (later King Edward VII). Even now, the government insists by law on preserving the pink colour. That means Jaipur invites you to explore her!
It’s a quaint place with splendid palaces, historical monuments, temples and forts. Apart from the quintessence of the city, it possesses all the modern amenities with the most exotic hotels and resorts in the world. For the kind attention of the travel-lovers, the city owns an international airport and is very well connected by road and rail. So JAIPUR is an open invitation for the vacationer!
There's always something special to see in Rajasthan. Here we list some:
Rajasthan attracts tourists for its historical palaces, forts, art and culture. An organised trip may save you money and time. Make this trip a thrilling experience. Avoid common travel mistakes. Gear up for your Rajasthan Adventure!!
Jaigarh Fort
Built in 1726 to protect the Amer Fort and its palace complex, it extends to 3 kilometres in length and has a width of 1 kilometre. You will get an excellent view of Aravalli hills and Amer fort as it is built about 400 m above the Amer Fort and located on one of the peaks of the Aravalli range of hills. Following the Indo-Persian style of architecture, you can closely watch highly fortified thick walls of red sandstone, an impressive square garden, ramparts, a central watch tower and water supply facilities. Throw a visit to the armoury chamber, a museum and Jaivanna Cannon.
Jal Mahal (Water Palace)
The five-story palace is an architectural showcase of the Rajput style on a grand scale with a picturesque view of Man Sagar Lake. It gives the illusion of a floating palace where four floors out of 5 remain underwater. Appreciate the beauty and grandeur of the mahal from afar, as the visitor has no access to the site. Stay there late evening to see the court light up all its glory and how superciliously the water carries the reflection over it.
Hawa Mahal
Jaipur’s “Palace of Winds”, the Hawa Mahal, is a five-story honeycomb-shaped building built in 1799 by Maharaja Sawai Pratap Singh for the royal ladies to see everyday life and celebrations on the street. The royal ladies were not supposed to make a public appearance. The 953 windows are decorated with intricate latticework, and the architectural feature allows cool air to pass, letting the ladies watch the festivals and celebrations leisurely. Take advantage of the museum, which showcases miniature paintings and ceremonial armours.
Jantar Mantar
The Jantar Mantar, which means ‘calculating instrument’, is a collection of 19 astronomical instruments in massive structures with specific purposes. King Sawai Jai Singh II built it to determine the position of celestial bodies with the naked eye. Completed in 1734, Jantar Mantar is featured as the world’s largest stone sundial and a UNESCO World Heritage site. Out of these 19 instruments, the massive sundial of the country, named Samrat Yantra, is particularly out of the ordinary. It is 27 meters tall and can cast a huge shadow which can accurately measure time down to two seconds. You cannot miss this astronomical delight!!
Visit Jantar Mantar between October and March; the cool weather allows you to peacefully walk around the instruments and pay a visit to other monuments.
Galtaji Temple (Monkey Temple)
Galtaji Temple is also known as Galwar Bagh in travel literature, which means “The Monkey Temple” due to the abundance of monkeys on the premise. Here you will find a series of temples built into a narrow
interstice in the ring of hills surrounding Jaipur. This temple complex consists of shrines, holy ponds, pavilions and natural springs. The temple complex comprises several temples, Galtaji being the main temple.
The temples built within a narrow mountain pass in the Aravalli hills, the adorned walls and ceilings, paintings from Indian mythology, and the intricate design of the canopies/chhatri and lattices add to its beauty.
Birla Temple
It is one of the many Birla Mandirs across India, popularly known as the Lakshmi Narayanan Temple, designed in white marble. It is located in Jaipur’s Tilak Nagar neighbourhood near Moti Dungari hill. It has a magnificent shrine and beautifully sculpted Hindu idols of Lord Vishnu, Goddess Lakshmi and Lord Ganesh inside and figures such as Christ, the Virgin Mary, St. Peter, Buddha, Confucius, and Socrates on the outer walls. You will also be fascinated by the delicate carvings of Hindu symbols and quotes from the Geeta and the Upanishads that adorn the walls. Visit the four distinct parts of the temple: its sanctum, tower, main hall, and entrance. It will be more alluring and spiritual; because the serene nature of the temple comprises all the faiths and beliefs with its purity.
Albert Hall Museum
Albert Hall Museum has always been a focal point for travellers; it is one of the oldest museums in Rajasthan, with an Egyptian Mummy to display. Rudyard Kipling once visited here and expressed great admiration for it. You will be overwhelmed by the fantastic collection of Rajasthani miniature paintings, carpets, ivory, stone, metal sculptures, musical instruments and arms. It has a rich collection of artefacts, including carpets, ivory, paintings, metal sculptures, stone jewellery, and works in crystal. The museum looks stunning with coloured lights at night. Take it!
Nahargarh Fort
Popularly known as “Tiger Fort”, the main objective of building Nahargarh Fort was to provide a strong defence ring for the city. A nearly 300-year-old fort overlooks the entire city from atop the Aravalli Hills. Inside the fort, you will find a significant place known as Madhavendhra Bhawan, where the king kept his queens and concubines. The complex structure and the intricate artistic details may evoke fascination in you. You can also explore the fort’s wax museum and sculpture park. You can go cycling. You can take a bazaar walking tour, street food tour, heritage walking tour, and gourmet cooking sessions, which can be pre-booked as per your interest and time.
City Palace
One of the city’s most admired tourist attractions and an important landmark – The City Palace!
The perfect blend of Mughal, Indian and European architectural styles, the ideal grand pillars, latticework and carved marble interiors, the enormous, complex buildings, beautiful gardens and courtyards, all these mindblowing spectacles will take you to the primitive ages. The view of finely-crafted daggers and swords will remind you of an era of wars. You will appreciate the vast guard walls. The fairy-tale-like structure of the fort is more enchanting and extravagant than you might imagine.
Amber Fort
This UNESCO World Heritage Site was built in 1592, one of India’s most-visited forts. You can see the sandstone and marble monolith standing atop a small hill roughly. It’s best known for being a pristine example of Rajasthani architecture because of its complex structure. It has 4 separate sections, each with a spectacular garden courtyard outside. You can explore the fort’s underground tunnels, maybe invisible from above. It consists of the “Hall of Public Audience”, the “Hall of Private Audience”, the Mirror Palace, and a more relaxing place known as the Sukh Niwas, where the artificial calm wind blows over a water cascade within the castle.
Epilogue
“The Pink City” reserves an incredible journey to the Golden Triangle, stunning water lakes, vibrant culture, magnificent palaces, and delectable food. You will only take a little time to fall in love with Rajasthan.
This great, colourful, vibrant state of India offers sweeping glances at the panoramic landscape, giving a delightful treat to your eyes!
Enjoy a unique royal vacation for memories that lasts for a lifetime!