This article has a lot of interesting and useful information about such a popular city among tourists as Jaipur (India). Together with New Delhi and Agra, he enters the Golden Touring Triangle of India.
Jaipur is located in the eastern part of the largest Indian state of Rajasthan and is its capital. This city is just 250 km from New Delhi.
The area occupied by Jaipur is slightly less than 470 km², and the population exceeds 3,000,000 people. Locals speak Hindi and Rajasthani, some know English.
Interesting fact! Jaipur is named after Jai Singh II – this is a famous warrior-astronomer who at 11 years old inherited his father’s throne, and in 1727 founded this city.
On the one hand, Jaipur is an ordinary noisy and dirty city, like everything in India. And on the other hand, this is the most interesting and beautiful city of Rajasthan – a real work of art.
Advice! In order to have time to see the most famous sights of Jaipur (India), you need to have at least 2-3 days left. During the day, to see all the most interesting and significant will not work, in this case it is better to choose only one urban area for dating.
Palace complex in the Old Town
On the north-eastern side of Jaipur, its historical part is located – this is the Old City or the Pink City. The name is due to the fact that pink sandstone was used for the construction of houses, although at different seasons and at different times of the day, the color of the light is different: pink, warm amber, bright orange and even dull pale brownish yellow.
The pink city, where most of the historical sights of Jaipur is concentrated, is surrounded by a huge battlement. The old city impresses with its correct geometry, which is completely unusual for the cities of India: it consists of 9 sectors, each of which has the shape of a regular rectangle. Most of the total area (7 sectors) are residential neighborhoods. It is interesting that the residents of each quarter specialized in a particular field of activity. The territory of 2 sectors at once is occupied by the City Palace Complex: beautiful parks and courtyards, as well as numerous unique buildings, including the City Palace, Palace of the Winds, Govinda Dev Ji Temple, Jantar Mantar Observatory.
- Entrance is paid – $ 5.6 (400 rupees).
- Visits are possible every day from 9:30 to 17:00.
City Palace was built at the same time as the city of Jaipur: in 1727, Maharaja Jai Singh II settled here. This grandiose building is an example of a harmonious combination of two architectural styles: the Rajput “Rajasthani” and the Mughal “Mughal”.
Now the City Palace is divided into 2 parts. One part is still occupied by the royal family, and the presence of maharaja in the residence is always marked by a raised flag. The second part of the palace is museum, it is open for tourists.
Museum halls display paintings, national clothes, several thousand types of weapons. The huge clothes of Madho Singh I are very impressive.
Interesting fact! Among the exhibits there is a special attraction: a silver vessel in which water was transported from the sacred river Ganges when they went on long journeys. This vessel is listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the world’s largest silver craft: it weighs 345 kg and holds more than 4,000 liters.
- An entrance ticket to the inner rooms of City Palace costs $ 49 (3,500 rupees), and this fee includes an individual guide fee.
- The palace is open for visitors daily from 9:30 to 17:00.
- Attraction address: Tulsi Marg, Gangori Bazaar, JDA Market, Pink City, Jaipur, Rajasthan 302002, India.
The park in the palace complex hides many diverse attractions, one of them is the Govind Devji temple. This is not an ordinary temple in our understanding: it looks like a huge marble canopy, supported by powerful columns. you can walk on it as well as in the park.
The temple is dedicated to Krsna. It is believed that the idol of the god Krishna, who was established here, brought Jai Singh at the beginning of the 18th century.
Govind Devji is not just a tourist attraction, but a pilgrimage site for millions of Hindus. In the evenings, there are services with songs and dances, and tourists can watch them.
Interesting fact! According to tradition, it was near this shrine that the bride and groom first met when their parents announced their engagement.
- Entrance to the territory of the palace complex, which houses Govind Devji, is paid, and costs $ 5.6 (400 rupees). To visit the temple, you do not need to pay extra.
- Time for visits: every day from 9:30 to 17:00.
- Location of Attractions: Jalebi Chowk, Jai Niwas Garden, Jaipur, Rajasthan 302002, India.
On the eastern side of the palace complex rises a five-story palace, attracting attention with its elegant architecture. This is Hawa Mahal (Palace of the Winds) – the symbol of the Pink City of Jaipur. The palace got its name because of the unique ventilation system: due to the special arrangement of the windows in the rooms it is cool even in extreme heat.
Read more about this attraction here .
Jantar Mantar is the largest and best-preserved of the 5 observatories built in India by Jai Singh II. In 1948, this attraction was recognized as a national monument of India, and in 2010 it was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.
On a spacious site right in the open, there are 14 gigantic structures. These are devices that allow you to determine the time, establish the location of celestial bodies, predict eclipses and other astronomical phenomena.
Interesting fact! The sundial standing here is the largest in the world: in diameter it reaches 27 m. They now show the time quite accurately.
- Entrance to the Jantar-Mantar site is possible from 9:00 to 17:00.
- Tickets cost $ 2.1 (150 rupees).
- Jantar Mantar is almost adjacent to the City Palace, address: Tripoliya Bazaar / near entrance to City Palace, Jaipur, 302020, India.
Other attractions of Jaipur
In addition to the legendary palace complex, there are many interesting sights in various areas of Jaipur and its environs.
Albert Hall (State Central Museum.) – The oldest state museum in the state of Rajasthan.
It is located in a beautiful building, which was built in the Indo-Saracen style and in itself is already a tourist attraction.
Among the exhibits are paintings, handmade carpets, collections of wooden and metal products, weapons, dishes, musical instruments, national dolls.
- Albert Hall Museum is open from 9:00 to 17:00 all days of the week except Friday.
- The entrance ticket costs $ 4.2 (300 rupees).
- Albert Hall is located in the Old Town, in the Ram Nivas Garden. Address: Agrasen Hospital Marg / Adarsh Nagar, Jaipur 302004, India.
The openwork white marble Birla Mandir Temple looks very airy and solemn. This attraction was built in the twentieth century and has no historical value.
The uniqueness of the temple is that it is dedicated immediately to the three leading religions of India: Hinduism, Islam and Christianity. Three huge domes made in different styles are designed to show the unity of these religions. But an altar is set inside to worship only the gods of Hinduism.
Near the temple, as well as on its walls and columns, you can see sculptural images of many historical and great people: Buddha, Confucius, Jesus Christ, Socrates, Zarathustra.
Interesting fact! As in almost all temples in India, photos are not allowed in this temple of Jaipur. But surprisingly, it is also forbidden to rent a temple from the outside. Photos of the facade of the building can only be taken from afar, being behind a plate that allows shooting.
- The Temple of the Goddess of Abundance is open every day from 6:00 to 12:00 and from 15:00 to 21:00, evening service begins at 18:00. The entrance is free.
- The attraction is located in the southern part of the city: Jawahar Lal Nehru Marg, Tilak Nagar, Jaipur, Rajasthan 302004, India.
Jal Mahal, meaning the Water Palace, stands right in the middle of Lake Maan Sagar. It is believed that this building was built on the shore of an already existing lake, and at the end of the work the boundaries of the reservoir were slightly changed. As a result, the structure was standing in the water, as intended by Sawai Jai Singh II.
Jal Mahal consists of 5 floors, and 4 of them are usually under water. In this building there is not a single living room, but only a huge gallery that leads to the roof of the palace. It was for the roof that this unique structure was built: it had a magnificent garden, among which the Maharaja and his entourage rested while hunting ducks.
The architecture of this building made of red sandstone is striking: exquisite carved balconies, graceful turrets and pillars, beautiful domes and arched roofs, original window openings. Jal Mahal is a striking example of Rajput and Mughal styles.
You can’t get inside Jal Mahal, it remains closed to the public. You can see this landmark of Jaipur and take its photo only from the side: from the shore of Lake Maan Sagar or from a boat.
Lake Maan Sagar, among which stands Jal Mahal, is located 2.5 km from Jaipur if you go along the highway number 8 “Jaipur – Delhi.” Palace Address: Amer Rd, Jal Mahal, Amber, Jaipur, Rajasthan 302002, India.
On the northern outskirts of Jaipur, between two rocks, is the Hindu temple complex Monkey Temple (Galta Ji), dedicated to monkeys. The path to it is not easy, you need to climb and descend the mountains.
According to various sources, there are from 2,500 to 5,000 individuals in the monkeys! They are everywhere: running, jumping, resting, combing each other, extorting food from people. Although these animals are impudent, they are quite friendly, of course, if they are not teased or angered.
Advice! One must be very careful not to become victims of tailed scammers. They drag everything that is “bad”: glasses, caps, any bright objects.
Monkey Temple consists of several buildings. One of the buildings is located at the very top of the mountain – this is the temple of the Sun, from its site a panoramic view of the whole Jaipur opens. There is also a sacred pool on the territory – it is believed that if you bathe in it, then all sins will be washed away.
Advice! In Galta Ji, everything is very dirty, along the way heaps of garbage, and the smells are much stronger than in zoos. In the holy pool, the water is a dull green color with a corresponding aroma. Please note that this place is absolutely not suitable for fastidious people!
Entrance to the Monkey Temple is free. A guide can be invited for a fee. And one more thing: to the people who enter the temple of the Sun, the local monk ties a red thread on his wrist and draws a red dot on his forehead – in return for his work he is waiting for donations, and if the payment seems small to him, he will insistently demand more.
Forts of Jaipur
On the hills that surround the city from the north and east are ancient majestic forts. These are iconic sights of the city, all tourists consider them to be a must.
Advice! A good solution is to take a rickshaw from Jaipur and drive along the Amber fort – Jaigarh fort – Nahargarh fort route with him, and then return to the city with him. The whole trip and waiting time will cost $ 10-15 – the amount depends on how you can negotiate with the driver.
Amber fort – the richest and most luxurious of all forts, it is located 11 km north of the city. On its territory there are incredibly beautiful palaces, pavilions, gardens. Of all this magnificent diversity, Sheesh Mahal Palace (Mirror Palace) is the most fascinating and fascinating.
There are no windows in this unusual building; light enters only through 2 doors and a ventilation hole made in the south wall. But it’s light inside, because the walls and ceiling are completely decorated with mosaics from small mirrors and semiprecious stones. And in the dark, for lighting it is enough to light only one candle.
On one of the marble columns of Sheesh Mahal, a Magic Flower is carved, in which various animals are “hidden”. If you try, then you can consider the hood of a cobra, the tail of a fish, parts of an elephant and a scorpion.
- Amber fort and the Mirror Palace are open for tourists daily from 8:00 to 17:30.
- Attractions Address: Amber Fort, Devisinghpura, Jaipur, Rajasthan 302028, India.
Jaigar Fort is located even higher than Amber Fort, at a distance of 15 km from the city. There is a separate entrance to it – you can get there by taxi, it makes no sense on foot to climb up the mountain in the heat. Jaigar and Amber were parts of the same defensive system, they are connected by underground passages.
Unlike the Amber fort, the territory of the Jaigarh fort does not have rich luxurious chambers – it is only a defensive fort (area 3 km x 1 km), surrounded by high fortified walls. The main attraction here is the world’s largest Jaivana cannon on a wheeled carriage, which was made by local gunsmiths.
Now the museum and the Armory function in the fortress. The museum presents an extensive collection of coins and stamps, items and photographs of the nobility of Jaipur, layouts and plans of the palaces. The Armory offers for inspection numerous swords, shields, muskets, guns, there is even a cannonball weighing 50 kg.
There are several good viewing platforms that are connected by narrow corridors laid along the ramparts. It offers great views of the surrounding area and the Amber Fort below.
- Entrance to the Jaigarh fort is paid: $ 2.8 (200 rupees). You can visit the attraction any day from 9:00 to 16:30.
- Location: Devisingpur, Amer, Jaipur 302028, Rajasthan, India.
Of the 3 fortresses built by Jai Singh II, Hahargarh fort is the smallest, most inaccessible (standing above all) and abandoned, least visited.
Part of the building has already become ruins, another part has recently been restored. There is access to the roof of the fortress, where a good restaurant with city views is open.
Recently, there is another attraction on the territory of the fortress: the Jaipur Wax Museum. Within its walls there are more than 35 wax and silicon statues dedicated to sports, Collywood, and the national heroes of India.
- Hahargarh fort is open from 10:00 to 18:00, the entrance costs $ 1.4 (100 rupees).
- Attractions Address: Krishna Nagar, Brahampery, Jaipur 302002, Rajasthan, India.
The best areas of the city for living
The level of service in Rajasthan hotels is much higher than in other states of India. In addition, many hotels are located in old mansions (haveli).
Jaipur consists of several areas that have their own characteristics in terms of accommodation for tourists.
- The pink city. There are very few hotels, but not at all inexpensive.
- Bani Park. The largest number of hotels is concentrated here, including inexpensive ones. In high season, you can find a double room for $ 8 per day. In hotels 3 * double room costs an average of $ 45 per day, in hotels 4 * – $ 55. Bani Park is located near the central railway station (walking distance to the nearest hotels 5-10 minutes) and from the Pink City with its attractions (up to 5 km).
- Amber Fort. The area is located near the eponymous attraction, to the railway station 7 km, to the Old Town – less than 3 km. This area is also good for accommodation and is popular among tourists. The cost of double rooms in the high season starts at $ 12 per day, the average price of a double room in a guest house is $ 30 per day.
- Vaishali Nagar. There are also a lot of decent and inexpensive hotels, but the district itself occupies the western part of the city and therefore it is far from all sights.
Advice! When planning a trip to India for the holidays, it is better to book accommodation in advance, for example, at Booking. If the trip is planned at another time, it is preferable to look for suitable options on arrival: this way you can reduce the price by 20-30%.
Jaipur City Transport
The city transport system is well developed: there are buses, taxis, auto rickshaws. There is even a metro, but only one line with 9 stations, and not in tourist places.
Bus routes connect almost all urban areas, for example, bus number 2 runs between the railway station and the City Palace complex, bus number 5 runs from the Old Town to Amber fort. Buses run frequently, their movement ends around 9:00 p.m., tickets cost $ 0.15.
For trips to the sights, taxis and auto rickshaws are best suited, you only need to specify the cost of the trip in advance. Taxi drivers and auto rickshaws begin to attack tourists as soon as they get off the train or bus. As a rule, they literally impose “their” hotels, and it is very hard to explain to them where to go and agree on a normal price. The right decision would be to order a taxi or prepaid auto-pick-up service – there are such services at the bus and train stations, their prices are fixed.
Advice! You can call the hotel in advance, from there at the agreed time they will send transport to the bus or train station.
If you want to take care of the environment, you can use the services of a rickshaw. A short trip will cost $ 0.5.
There are no bus routes from the airport, located 12 km from Jaipur. Only a taxi for $ 6-9 will take you to the city center. Directly in the airport building there are kiosks Pre-paid Taxi – a prepaid taxi service.
Weather in Jaipur
Rajasthan is considered one of the hottest and driest Indian states. In Jaipur, the following seasons can be distinguished:
- Summer (March – June) is the hottest period when the air in the daytime can warm up to +45 ° С. As in all of India, the hottest thing is in May – this month the night temperature is kept at +30 ° C.
- Monsoon (July – September). The temperature during the day drops to + 30 … + 35 ° C, it rains rarely.
- Winter (October – March). In the afternoon it is very comfortable, from +20 ° С to +27 ° С. It’s even cool at night, up to +10 ° С.
The best time to travel to Jaipur (India) is from October to March. The weather is quite comfortable for traveling and exploring the sights of Rajasthan.
Cycling in the center of Jaipur:
