To start with , this should have been my first travel blog , though I believe in spontaneity and wrote what came to my mind first when I started typing…and hence a blog on Pondicherry was born. Nevertheless , Jaipur would always come as a special one.
Over the years , I have gained quite a few insights on this Royal city sometimes as a traveller and by now almost like a local.I have travelled to many other cities in India but trust me , there is no other city which captivates you with its perfect blend of traditional and the new age culture together.
Let’s start with some history.The city of Jaipur popularly known as Pink city was built in the 18th century by the royal , Maharaja Jai Singh II.It is the capital of Rajasthan and has many palaces and temples which are worth the visit. The walls in the old city are painted in pink colour which actually is a mesmerising sight to visit.There are many cafes and restaurants which serve delicious North Indian and other cuisines here.If you want to experience the life of a royal, you must plan your stay in one of the palace looking havelis and luxurious 5 star hotels here.
There are many places to visit here and a person would happily spend 3 to 5 days exploring every nook and corner of this city, every place having its own vibe with a pinch of some history.Flights from Pune/Mumbai cost not more than 6k for a return.3 flights a day from each source is the frequency for Jaipur.Jaipur is 6 hours by road from Delhi.Delhiites, might as well be a weekend destination for you.Trains are also well connected to Jaipur from all over India.In city travel is possible by autos, cycle autos in Pink city, Uber and Ola are also good options here.Public transport is not really preferable here.The Rajasthan state tourism has multiple city tours leaving every morning from the Jaipur’s bus stand near the Railway station.
Amer Fort is a humungous palace fort situated in the village Amer, which was the residence of the royal family before the Pink city was built.It is also famous by the name Amber.This fort is situated around 12kms away from the Pink city. Amer fort beautifully depicts a mixture of Arabic and the Suryavanshi architecture.The designs on the walls have Arabic intricacy also has a sheesh mahal.The typical dome of the Suryavanshi dynasty is also depicted at every height.There are a couple of restaurants here with a royal seating and a CCD inside the fort to refresh yourself in the Sun witnessing the views from the palace with a cup of coffee or an appetizer.You could also catch a glimpse of Jaigadh and Nahargadh from here.The fort is closed for tourists post 5pm .There are sound and light shows, traditional Rajasthani folklore being performed everyday from 6pm to 7:30pm.
Jaigadh and Nahargadh are two forts situated on top of Amer fort and are opposite to each other.There is a huge wall connecting these forts which also surrounds the village of Amer.From the top of both these forts you can see the whole city.The Nahargadh has quite a few activities in there for tourists, icluding the history tales of Amer to the museum as well as some VR and gaming zones for the kids to enjoy here.There are two stepwells inside Nahargadh one is Baori and the other one is Kund.
Just below these forts when you travel back to the city there is a small lake where the Jal Mahal is situated.Apparently the boating here is a closed and one cannot visit the Jal Mahal palace from the inside.At the lakeside, you will find many 5 star hotels situated with a mesmerising view of the Jal Mahal like the Trident among many others.
Let’s take a tour of the old city or the Pink city.This place is one of the most crowded place during the day and there is traffic here round the clock till the markets close down for the day.You step into the the Pink city though its gates namely Chand Pol , Ajmeri gate , Sanganeri gate among others.Everything in this hustle and bustle is colourful.
You can see someone selling the lacquer bangles to the juttis. You would find many shops selling Bandhani dyed sarees, dupattas , dress materials etc. right from a cheaper price to a whopping thousand for the silk made stuff.If you go to Tripoli and Bapu bazaar , you would find wide variety of bandana prints and hand blocks being sold here.At the Johari Bazaar , you would find different types of jewellery right from Kundan to Oxidised silver and intricate designs.Nearby at MI road as well you find good jewellery shops.At Nehru bazaar you would have different types of Leheriya and Bandhani dupattas at reasonable prices.If you are looking to buy some Handblock printed clothing, I would suggest not to buy from any of these markets as the quality may not be as expected.Instead try to visit some of the boutiques in the city like Anokhi , Gulaabo Jaipur , Ambraee , Amrapali (for jewellery) and many such for a quality stuff.
At the Badi Choupad in the Pink city ,there is this hollow palace with many small windows which you would not regret to to visit called the Palace of winds or Hawa Mahal.This Palace is built all Pink in colour and you can visit it between 9am to 4:30pm everyday.There are a couple of cafes in front of this palace, which you can visit to catch a glimpse of this huge infrastructure from a height.It’s really beautiful to be at one of these cafes and witness the sunset and the Pink city being lit along with the Hawa Mahal and far away the Amer fort too sipping a cup of tea. Near the Hawa Mahal you find good silk scarves being sold at a really cheaper price but worth buying as they go with both western as well as traditional outfits.
In the Pink city itself there is the City Palace, which is the residence of the Royal family.Some part of it is open for the tourists to visit like the museum, books and souvenir shop etc.This palace has a typical Rajasthani architecture.The Deewan -e -aam, is a long open courtyard and the Deewan -e -khaas is a closed modern day Darbaar like feel.
The then built astronomical site to predict the time in a day with the position of the sun , Jantar Mantar by Sawai Jai Singh II is a World Unesco Heritage site and worth the visit.It gives you an idea how people used to predict time then in the 16th Century.It is just infant of the City palace and both these close by 5pm in the evening.The Albert Hall Museum is situated just outside the Pink city on MI road.It is built near the City hall and is one of the oldest government museum in Jaipur.It has a mesmerising Saracenic architecture and shines in different colours in the evening.
If you are fond of visiting temples and spiritual places with a touch of good architecture then The Birla Temple , Moti Dungri Ganesh temple and the Galtaji Temple is some of them.Near the Galtaji temple there is Sisodia Rani ki Bagh which is a beautiful garden built for one of the Queen's back then.
Patrika Gate(Tonk road near Airport),Gaitore ki chhatriyaan,Chand boari stepwell(deepest stepwell in India) are some places away from the city each one for about 10 kms away from the city centre are some of the places to have Instagram worthy pictures.
There are multiple Haveli and palace kind hotels ranging from a 3-star to a 5-star rating in the city.There are major hotels situated near the airport and also near the Jal Mahal.The Railway station also has some interesting hotels for a stay.To name a few the Rambagh Palace , ITC Rajputana, Royal Orchid Central, The Fern etc.
The city has indeed maintained its traditional culture when it comes to architecture and the textiles but the new age cafes here are worth the Visit.To name some LMB (for the desi foodie) , OTH, Cafe Bae, Bar Palladio , Steam, Fat Lulu’s Cafe etc.And do not forget the iconic Ghewar ,which is the speciality dessert of Rajasthan and is hardly made anywhere in other parts of India. Please do try Ghewar and you can also pack it and take it alongwith you for your friends and relatives.LMB(Laxmi Mishthaan Bhandar) and Rawat Mishthaan Bhandar make really Ghewar in the city.RMB is situated just near the railway station in case someone is in a hurry to catch the train and wants to grab some desserts and Pyaaz kachoris etc.
Hope this may help you to chalk out a 4 days itinerary for a trip to Jaipur.
There is going to be an all new blog for a food tasting tour of Jaipur soon.Stay tuned!
Do checkout the blog on a trip to Pondicherry here: A rough guide for the wanderer mind!