Everything about Jaipur-The Pink City
Why Jaipur is called as the Pink City of India?
Jaipur is also known as the Pink City, due to the dominant color scheme of its buildings. Jaipur is not only Pink but also the most colorful city of India. The city is the mixture and combination of Indian culture and modern experiences. Jaipur is probably the first planned city of India. It was planned to design in Pink color, as the color signs for hospitality. The city is known to give an unending experience to the tourist as well as the localities.
History:
Jaipur is the capital and the largest city of the Indian state of Rajasthan. It is the tenth most populous city in the country. Jaipur was founded in 1727 by the Rajput ruler Jai Singh the ruler of Amer. Jaipur was made capital of the newly-formed state of Rajasthan. On 6 July 2019, UNESCO World Heritage Committee inscribed Jaipur the ‘Pink City of India’ among its World Heritage Sites. The city is also home to the UNESCO World Heritage Sites Amber Fort and Jantar Mantar.
The moment you arrive in Jaipur you will witness that the walls of most building are painted in “pink” terracotta color. The color resembles the city’s heritage and culture. Going back in the history, when Maharaja Sawai Ram Singh was in power and when Prince Albert came to Jaipur during the India tour in 1876. Maharaja wanted to impress the Prince and hence, he planned an extreme strategy. Maharaja constructed a large concert hall and named it after Prince Albert Hall Museum. Then, he decided to repaint the entire city for beautification and chose terracotta pink for the same. The color was durable in all weather conditions.
The color represents hospitality. The queen of Maharaja Sawai Ram Singh loved the color and asked the Maharaja to make a law that every house in Jaipur should be pink in color and use of any other color is illegal. The law was passed in the year 1877 and it is effective till today.
Best Time to visit Jaipur the Pink City:
Winter Season: Winter starts by October and ends by March. The temperature can go as low as 5 degree Celsius. Carry thick clothing. Jaipur does not receive snowfall. Rainfall is rare during this time. The temperature can go as high as 22 degree Celsius. The humidity will be less and sightseeing will be at ease. Nights are very cold and if you are planning on taking any night sightseeing trip, thick coat is essential.
Winter is the best time to visit Jaipur. All the attractions will be at prime beauty, water bodies will be filled with water and sightseeing will be easier. The demand for tourism services including tickets, hotels, cabs and others will be very high and thus, you need to pre-book the services at least a couple of months in prior to your travel. The tourism spots will be crowded during this season.
The temperature remains relatively dry and hot, throughout the year. This is due to the semi-arid hot climate caused by the desert close to the city.
Summer Season: The summer starts by the end of March and ends by June. The summer is very hot and humid. The temperature can reach as high as 45 degree Celsius and does not fall below 25 degree Celsius. The worst time to visit is summer; if you are travelling with infants, it is better to avoid summer at any cost. Rainfall is very rare during this season. Sightseeing becomes hard due to increased humidity. You can find better deals in hotels during this season. Luxury trains do not run for a few months during this season. If you are planning to visit during summer, remember to carry water always. Wear light cotton clothing and carry an umbrella to protect you from sun. Sunscreen lotion is necessary.
Monsoon Season: Monsoon starts in July and ends by September. End of June and early October also receives mild showers. Showers will be mild and short. Floods are not common here. The rain brings down the temperature and the city will be pleasant to watch. However, the humidity of the place will be high. Sightseeing is hard with frequent showers making the routes marshy. You can find avid photographers during this season to capture the beauty of the land in shower. If you are planning to visit during monsoon, pack thick shoes and plenty of socks. An umbrella is necessary.
Why to visit the Pick City Jaipur?
The Royal Land of the Rajput’s and Maharaja's is now a top tourist destination in India. There are many reasons to visit Jaipur and learning the rich history of the past is one great reason. Many of the palaces are now luxury hotels that give a life of a King to the guests for a day or few days at an expensive price.
Jaipur attracts people for the innumerable fairs and festivals held here, the interesting activities for tourists, shopping at the back lane markets and best of all to see the mighty forts and palaces there. Every time you visit Jaipur there is something new about the Pink city of Rajasthan.
Things to do in Jaipur: Pink city has its own vibes and flavors which blends to perfection and brings a completely different exposure. Jaipur is all about forts, museums, food, monuments, shopping and many more things. As a tourist or a newbie in the city, it is always considered to explore the city as a local.
Heritage & Architecture of Jaipur: This royal city has regal heritage in abundance that you must learn and explore. For that visit Jaipur for the history culture heritage and architecture of the place. The Jantar Mantar is a huge sun observatory with a sun dial and instruments to measure the planetary movements.
The monuments showcase the architectural brilliance and of the artisans who designed these structures in this legendary royal state of desert sands. It is an awe-inspiring journey into the regal architecture defining the culture and heritage of these historic landmarks.
Palaces of pink city: Some built as summer resort home, some for resort on pleasure trip, palace residences, and walled in city or defense forts.
There is so much to see in Jaipur, the pink city full of magnificent forts with a historic story about it. As you travel from one place to another you can explore the rich culture and rich heritage of Jaipur.
1] Must Visit places in Jaipur:
- Amer Fort
- Jantar Mantar
- Hawa Mahal
- City Palace & Albert Museum Hall
- Birla Mandir
- Akshardham Temple
- Jal Mahal
- Chokhi Dhani
- Nahargarh Fort
2] Fascinating Elephant Ride in the Pink City:
- To begin the Safari, there will be a 25-30 minutes of traditional ride to the hill top and then to the Amber Palace, which is situated in Amer. This mesmerizing beauty, with a blend of Hindu and Mughal architecture is situated at a distance of 11 km away from Jaipur. Enjoy the wonderful view of the surroundings during your ride.
- Another 30 minutes ride around the Amber Town will begins at the farm. You will get to observe the daily life of the inhabitants while riding on an elephant’s back and passing through the town. You can also feed your elephant with bananas at the end of the tour.
- You can move to explore the Old Pink City of Jaipur. The ride with the duration of 1 to 2 hours will let you experience the bustling markets. Visit the magnificent monuments and enjoy the sightseeing of the city in a different way.
- The 2 hours journey from Amber to Old Pink City will take you through the famous palaces like the Water Palace or Jal Mahal and the Hawa Mahal or the Wind Palace.
- Rural View: Besides, the town and hill top, you can also enjoy a ride to the villages situated near Amber. This tour of one and a half to two hours, will give you the intimate view of the village life, the way of living of the villagers and their culture. Experience a totally different aspect of Rajasthan far away from the hustle and bustle of the city.
The Elephant safari has a lengthy queue for tickets and you have to be early like 9 am to book the ride. The ticket is same per head even if child / adult. The tired elephants carrying up and down the passengers move in a line and so they are slow. It gives time to see the nature around you and the massive fort walls.
There are checks and measures done by the Rajasthan Government to make sure that there is least cruelty to these broken and painted huge creatures. The owner/mahout of any elephant used for any activities including rides should be registered with the AWBI.
There are nearly 1000 visitors a day and less than 100 elephants giving joy rides to such tourists. It has a cushioned saddle and seats for two people at a time and the mahout in the front.
A tour to Rajasthan will be incomplete without experiencing the Joyful elephant ride in Jaipur.
3] Shopping in Jaipur:
If you are in Jaipur and you do not explore shopping then it can be the biggest misfit. When passing through M.I. road stop by the
Rajasthani Handicraft Emporium, a brand by Rajasthani government to promote handicrafts: It exhibits terracotta pottery, paintings, silver and lac jewelry, and Kota Doria Sarees and other such amazing Rajasthani handicrafts.
Chaura Rasta & Bapu Bazar: Local specialties like leheriya dupattas and sarees or traditional tie and dye clothing can be reached out in Chaura Rasta and Bapu Bazar.
World Trade Park is an interesting blue glass building which looks like a corporate building but it is a shopping mall and has an English theme food court and other brand stores in it.
Shopping at Johari Bazaar: Shopping in Jaipur the Pink city of Jaipur is known for the shopping places that sell all ranges of things. When you are in Jaipur visit one of the top tourist destinations in Jaipur – Hawa Mahal, take time for shopping at Johari Bazaar in Jaipur which is situated in front of this palace of winds. You can get just anything from girls’ jewelry to blue pottery. This is one of the top shopping places in Jaipur with all colorful things to sell. There are semi-precious jewelry but go for trusted sellers. Also, this market does not permit bargaining.
4] Mouthwatering Food you should try in Jaipur:
If you find yourself in Jaipur, then you must try food here.
‘The heart and soul of a place lies in its taste of food!’
- Dal Baati Churma
- Mawa Kachori
- Mirchi Bada
- Ker Sangria
- Gatte ki Khichdi
- Rajasthani Sabji
- Dil Khushal
- Boondo Raita
- Rajasthani Kadhi
- Gatte ka Pulao
- Churma Laddoos
- Badam ka Halwa
- Aam ki Laungi
5] Other Famous Attractions of Jaipur
Jaipur is dotted with forts, palaces, monuments, and tourist activities now. There are many reasons to visit Jaipur and learning the rich history of the past is one great reason. Now the addition of adventure sports like rifle shooting, village resort stays, quad biking in sand, mean machine rides, hot air balloon festivals, etc.
They all attract tourists also. There is an annual Jaipur literature festival that gets crowds and bookworms from all over the country and the world.
Folk dance performances, classical songs and music, the sweets and cuisine of Rajasthan, etc. These are all the attractions of the pink city of Jaipur.
How to Reach Jaipur?
The historic city of Jaipur is visited by tourists from every nook and corner of the world. There are numerous transportation options to reach the city. You can find comfort in all forms of transportations. Jaipur is linked with numerous cities and destinations through air, rail and road. During tourism season, the frequency of trains, buses and planes to Jaipur increases.
By Air:
The nearest domestic airport is located in Jaipur. The Sanganer airport is just 10 kilometer away from the city center. You can find cabs and pre-paid taxis from the airport to the city. The nearest international airport is in Delhi and Mumbai. Delhi and Mumbai are connected with numerous important international destinations. Sanganer airport is connected with almost all states of the country.
By Road:
There are government and private buses running from top cities and destinations in the country like Delhi, Ahmedabad, Mumbai and others. You can hire cabs from major cities to reach Jaipur. The availability of the cabs changes from time to time. Government buses run frequently from cities near Jaipur and there are daily buses from other parts of the country to the city.
Jaipur has well laid road network and is connected to major cities through national highways. NH 11, 12 and 8 link Jaipur with other cities. You can find budget buses and luxury deluxe coaches to reach Jaipur from other cities.
By Rail:
The Jaipur railway line is connected with all major railway heads in the country either through direct train or through connecting train. Direct trains are not very common. All railway heads are connected with Delhi and one can easily find trains from Delhi to Jaipur. The nearest railway junction of Jaipur is located inside the city limit. If you expect a luxury experience, you can ride in the luxury trains like Palace on Wheels, Royal Rajasthan on Wheels, Maharajas’ Express and others.
