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Jaipur
is the gateway to Rajasthan, the land of the Rajputs, the
land of Chivalry and martial tradition. It is an
unselfconsciously medieval city, with its stately palaces,
colorful bazaars, and a fort brooding above the city.
Graceful women in swirling skirts and veils of red,
yellow, orange and magenta, laden with silver jewelry,
straight, tall men in turbans and lurching carts drawn by
camels do nothing to dispel these illusions.
Places of Interest:
Jantar Mantar:
Jai
Singh, after whom the city is named, was a notable
astronomer. He built for himself the curious Jantar Mantar,
an observatory of immense brick and mortar instruments of
astonishing accuracy.
Hawa Mahal:
The
beautiful Hawa Mahal, tall and pink, faced with delicate
pierced stone screens, is not really a palace. The queens
of Jaipur and the royal ladies once used this decorative
façade to watch, unobserved, the festive processions
winding through the streets of their city.
City Palace:
A blend
of Mughal and Rajasthani architecture, this palace, now a
museum, contains all the paraphernalia of Jaipur’s
princely past. Delicate miniatures, pained with pigments
that used ground rubies, lapis lazuli and gold, glow on
the walls. A large collection of armaments have
curiosities such as gold daggers with crystal handles,
ceremonial swords encrusted with jewels, and even guns
designed for a camel-back rider. The museum also has what
are possibly the largest silver jars in the world.
Amber Fort:
Just 11
km from Jaipur is the magnificent hill fort of Amber. The
palaces and courtyards of the fort ascend in successive
levels up the hill. The Sheesh Mahal, or pavilion of
mirror, the finest of its kind, is studded with small
mirrors.
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