Jaipur
 HISTORY
:-The
Picturesque capital of Rajasthan , Jaipur is colour
washed Pink – the colour associated with
hospitality in Rajput culture . Built in 1727 A.D
by Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh – II , Jaipur displays a
remarkable harmony and architectural Splendour . The Ancient heart of
athe Pink City Still
beats in its fairy – tale palaces . rugged
fortresses perched on barren hills and
boad avenues that dot the entire city . The only planned city
of its time , Jaipur is encircled by a formidable wall .
The
sovereign of Amber, built Jaipur in the eighteenth century. It was
also around that time that the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb had died and
the decline of the Mughal Empire had set in. Jai Singh had started
distancing himself from the affair of the Mughal Court and he began
concentrating on building of Amber. His search for a safe place for
the increasing population of Amber resulted in Jaipur, This was
India's first planned city and a brilliant architect Vidyadhar
Bhattacharya from Bengal was commissioned to plan the city. He
designed it in accordance with ancient Hindu treatise on
architecture, the Shilpa Shastra (Vaastu).
Jaipur was planned in a gird system with wide straight avenues,
roads, streets and lanes and uniform rows of shops on either side of
the main roads, all arranged in nine rectangular city sectors (chokdis).
The city is surrounded by a wall having seven gates and was built
for protection from invading armies and wild animals that lurked
just outside in the jungles that surrounded the city. But Jai
Singh's planned city has withstood all the pressures and the
changes.
ROMANCE OF PINK - Jaipur needed a fresh coat of paint to welcome its
distinguished guest the Prince of Wales in 1905-6. The contractor
inability to supply any other color in the required quantity
compelled the choice of pink shade for its walls. A contractor’s
compulsion famed Jaipur to Pinkcity. Since then the PINK color is
associated with hospitality in Rajput culture.
Jaipur has a timeless appeal in its colorful bazaars that delights
for its Rajasthani handlooms and trinkets. Beautifully laid out
gardens and parks, attractive monuments and marvelous heritage
hotels, once the residence of Maharajas, are worth admiration, not
to mention the ambling camels and cheerful people in multi hued
costumes that make Jaipur a tourist's paradise.
First planned city
Jaipur is the first planned city of north India. Designed in
accordance with Shilp Shastra, an ancient Hindu treatise on
architecture, Jaipur follows a grid system and is encircled by a
massive wall painted pink. Today, the city has spread beyond these
walls and continues to grow. Jai Singh's planned city, Jaipur, has
withstood the pressure of time. The pink colour used at the time of
its making is still maintained scrupulously. Beautiful gardens and
parks and attractive monuments, which once housed maharajas, are
still to be found everywhere.
Street Craft
Considered a marvel of town planning, Jaipur drew merchants and
craftsmen to its streets and rewarded them with colonies earmarked
for them. Traditional crafts like jewellery, metal work, enamelling,
tie and dye, pottery, leather work, stone carving and miniature
painting, patronised by the rulers in the 18th century, continue to
thrive in this day and age.
Jaipur's Charm
It is a city with timeless quality to it, a city where the ancient
and the modern coexist in complete harmony. Colourfully-attired
women in their ghagra-odhani and men in spotless dhoti-kurtas and
colourful turbans make it all the more vibrant and beautiful. Not to
mention the ambling camels and cheerful people in multi-hued
costumes that make your trip to Pink City a memorable one!
Unlike other Indian cities, Jaipur is a heritage city. The rich
culture is the essence of its glory and the monuments and traditions
are a treasured possession. Peace, harmony and complete symphony
prevails in this land of forts and palaces and plush multiplexes.
The five star hotels with state of the heart facilities also have a
rich tradition to take care of the guests and will also impress you
with gestures that place a special mark on your memories. The royal
past, modern present and hi-tech future will make Jaipur top the
list of must-visit destination in India.
'Padharo mahro des' (Come to my land) is what the incomparable
culture says!
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