"Jaipur जयपुर" Jaipur by MM212

Jaipur Travel Guide: 1,034 reviews and 3,073 photos

Fascinating, fabled and mysterious, Jaipur is one of India's most romanticised cities. It is the capital of Rajasthan, whose ancient feudal culture and distinctive identity have survived through the modern age. It is the "Pink City" for the pink, peach and red ochre hues of its architecture. It is a city of secluded pleasure gardens, sumptuous palaces and hilltop fortresses. It is a city of maharajas, maharanis and bazaars. It is also a city of peacocks, camels and monkeys. The combination of its characteristics makes Jaipur one of the most memorable destinations in India, but beware for its not all rosy in Jaipur. The city comes with all the trappings of large Indian cities: mad traffic, stray animals, filthy streets, open-air urinals for men, and the touts... the terrible touts...

Jaipur owes its existence to Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II who commissioned its construction as his new capital in 1727. Previously, his ancestors from the Kachhawaha clan, had ruled the area since the 11th century AD from the nearby city of Amber, but its insufficient water resources necessitated the relocation of the capital. Increased wealth from an alliance with the Mughal Empire paved the way for the construction of one of India's most beautiful purposefully built cities, which employed the best in architects and city planners to create an orderly city of wide avenues in a grid-like pattern, enclosed within a defensive wall. The close contact with the Mughals of Delhi resulted in a cultural fusion that created the wonderful art and architecture of Jaipur. The city subsequently prospered as an artistic and commercial centre with a well-healed class which built havelis (palaces) and gardens in and around Jaipur. The maharajas of Jaipur aligned themselves with the British as Mughal power waned, thus allowing the city to prolong its period of prosperity. In the last century, however, the city burst out of its traditional boundaries as a result of population growth and its selection as the capital of the State of Rajasthan upon the unification of India. Although the Jaipur kindom was consequently abolished, the descendants of the Kachhawaha clan continue to reside in their City Palace in the heart of Old Jaipur.

This page focuses on the monuments in Jaipur and its immediate vicinity. For the kingdom's old capital, check out the separate page on Amber.

16-day India itinerary in Feb/Mar 2009:

Mumbai - Elephanta Island; Aurangabad - Daulatabad - Ellora - Khuldabad - Ajanta; New Delhi; Jaipur - Amber - Fatehpur Sikri - Agra - Sikandra; New Delhi - Delhi

Last visit to Jaipur: Feb 2009
Intro Updated Oct 25, 2010
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Reviews (44)

Imperial Palace complex, Fatehpur Sikri, Feb 09 - Jaipur

Fatehpur Sikri Off The Beaten Path (8)

About three hours east of Jaipur, in the State of Uttar Pradesh, lies Fatehpur Sikri, the ephemeral capital of the... more travel advice

Maharajas of Jaipur Local Customs (2)

Many of the palaces of Jaipur, some of which are now hotels, proudly display paintings of their former owners. In some... more travel advice

Havelis of Ghat ki Guni - Feb 09 - Jaipur

Ghat ki Guni Off The Beaten Path (8)

East of Jaipur, on the busy road to Galta (and eventually Agra) is a row of 18th and 19th century havelis. These... more travel advice

Amber Things to Do (28)

Situated about 20 minutes by car north of Jaipur, Amber is the original capital of the Kachhawaha dynasty. Maharaja... more travel advice

Travelogues (10)

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Comments (3)

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PierreZA Oct 6, 2010 at 9:44 AM

Another fantastic page! You do write so well and the photos are great. You will enjoy Jordan very much. Looking forward reading your pages on Jordan.
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Nemorino Oct 2, 2010 at 7:25 AM

Fascinating photos of Jantar Mantar, in particular. I wonder if they were really able to predict the monsoon with some of these shapes.
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Tijavi Mar 7, 2009 at 1:48 AM

Lovely photos - this is one city I've longed to see. Your travel taste is expanding east!