Enchanting Royal Rajasthan

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Enchanting Royal Rajasthan - Jaipur, India

Jaipur : Rajasthan's dusky and dirty pink capital twinkles and clatters under the sunlight, bombarding the senses at every turn. Hill top forts and glorious palaces indicates its royal past. The bright turbans blaze a trail through the streets and fluttering saris catch the eye like butterflies.

In 1876, Maharaja Ram Singh had the entire old city painted pink, a colour associated with hospitality, to welcome the Prince of Wales and the tradition has been maintained.

The main bazaars in the old city include Johari, Tripolia, Bapu and Chandpol. A heaven piercing minaret - Iswari Minar Swarga Sal - is near Tripolia gate (admission Rs 2, camera Rs 10). You can climb to the top of minaret for excellent views of the old city.

Hawa Mahal : The extra ordinary, fairy tale, pink sandstone, delicately honeycombed hive of Hawa Mahal is Jaipur's most distinctive landmark (admission Rs 5, camera Rs 30, Friday closed).
The five storey building was constructed in 1799, and is an amazing example of Rajput artistry, built to enable ladies of the royal household to watch the life and processions of the city. The top offers stunning views over the Jantar Mantar and the City palace one way, and over the Siredeori Bazaar the other. Entrance to the Hawa Mahal is from the back.

Hawa Mahal is around 4 km from Railway station.

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City palace : The palace is a complex of courtyards, gardens and buildings. Beyond the main courtyards is the seven storeyed Chandra Mahal, the Maharaja's residence and therefore closed to visitors.

With city palace ticket (Rs 35, camera Rs 50), one can visit Jaigarh fort above Amber palace.

Entering through the Virendra pol, you will see the Mubarak Mahal, cooked up in an Islamic, Rajput and European stylistic stew in the late 19th century by Maharaja Sawai Madho Singh II. It now forms part of the Maharaja Sawai Mansingh II museum, containing a collection of royal costumes and superb shawls, including Kashmiri pashmina. The exhibit Maharaja Sawai Madho Singh I's clothing is 2 m tall, 1.2 m wide and weighs 250 kg. Appropriately for such an excessive figure, he had 108 wives.

The armour is housed in the former Maharani's (queen's) apartment. Fearsome daggers are arranged over the entrance to say WELCOME. Many of the ceremonial weapons are beautifully engraved and inlaid, and so are the lethal ones such as the two bladed daggers that at the flick of a catch become scissors inside their victims. If you're not into bloody weaponry, the mirrored and gold inlayed ceilings are well worth a gaze.

Contained in the Diwan i Am (Hall of public audience) is a great array of exhibits, including a touching collection of illustrated manuscripts showing everything from scenes from life to the tales of the gods. The miniature copies of Hindu scriptures were small enough to hide easily in case of destruction by Aurangazeb. Between the armoury and the Art gallery is
the Diwan I Khas (Hall of Private Audience), with a marble paved gallery in which you can see enormous silver vessels 1.6 m tall (reputedly the largest silver objects in the world), in which Maharaja Madho Singh II, as a devout Hindu used to take holy Ganges water to England.

Don't miss the gates of the courtyard Pitam Niwas Chowk, representing spring, summer, autumn and winter - and above all the gorgeous bas reliefs of the peacock gate.

Jantar Mantar : The masonry observatory (Rs 10, camera Rs 20, free on Mondays) is located near City palace. It is a collection of mammoth construction, each has a specific purpose. The most striking instrument is the sundial, with its 27 m high gnomon; shadow this casts moves upto 4 m per hour.

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Central Museum : This museum has impressive collection of array of tribal ware, decorative arts, costumes, drawings and musical instruments (Rs 5, free on Mondays, no photography).

Nahargarh : The fort overlooks the city from a sheer ridge to the north (Rs 15, camera Rs 20). A 2 km zigzag footpath leads to the fort or by 8 km motorable road. Fort has some interesting furnished rooms with glorious views.

Royal Gaitor : The royal cenotaphs has beautiful intricate carvings. The marble cenotaph of Maharaja Jai Singh II is particularly impressive.

Shree Sanjay Sharma museum : It has a fascinating collection of locks, bookstands, 18th century atonement slippers, beautiful royal games, pictures of yoga poses, collection of 125,000 manuscripts etc. (Rs 35).

Museum of Indology : It is an extraordinary collection of folk art objects, everything from a manuscript written by Aurangazeb, to a glass bed (for a short queen). Guided tour @ Rs 20.

Birla Lakshmi Narayan temple : The temple has splendid marble carving and is located at the foot of Moti Dungri fort.

Galta : The temple of sun God (Monkey temple) is 2.5 km above Suraj pol, Jaipur. A rocky barren gorge leads up to it and there are big views over the surrounding plains.

Amber palace (Rs 10, camera Rs 75) : The magnificent delicate pink, fort-palace of Amber is on a rocky hill. A 10 minute climb leads to the top from the road or jeep for Rs 120 return. Ascend the stairs to reach the silver entrance door of the Kali temple. From 16th century to 1980 (when it was banned), a goat was sacrificed here daily.

To the left of the temple, the main stairway leads to the Diwan i Am (Hall of Public Audience), with a double row of columns and latticed galleries above.

The maharaja's apartment is on the higher terrace - you enter through a gateway decorated with mosaics and sculptures. The Jai Mandir (Hall of Victory) is noted for its inlaid panels and multi mirrored ceiling. Patterns are made with coloured foil and paint, and covered in glass. At night this would be candlelit and the convex mirrors would glitter like stars. Carved
marble relief panels around the hall are fascinatingly delicate and quirky, with cartoonlike insects and sinuous flowers.

Opposite to Jai Mandir is the Sukh Niwas (Hall of pleasure), with an ivory inlaid sandalwood door, and a channel that once carried cooling water right through the room. From the Jai Mandir you can take in the fine views from the palace ramparts over the lake below. The zenana (women's quarters) surround the fourth courtyard, linked by a common passageway for the Maharaja's discreet nocturnal visits.

There are frequent buses to Amber from Hawa Mahal in Jaipur (11 km, Rs 5, 25 minutes).

Jaigarh : The green hill 1 km above Amber is the stern fort of Jaigarh (admission free with City palace ticket, camera Rs 20). The never captured fort has lookout towers, reservoirs, residential areas, a puppet theatre and the world's largest wheeled cannon, Jaya Vana. The Diwa Burj watchtower offers great views of Amber.

The cenotaphs of the Maharani's of Jaipur are midway between Amber and Jaipur. Nearby is the Jal Mahal (Water palace), in the middle of a sparkling lake and can be reached by a causeway.

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Bikaner : The desert town Bikaner's finest sight is it's Junagarh fort, with dazzlingly rich interiors. Close to the fort lies the old walled city with rubbish heaps, dark sandstone havelis and some exquisitely painted Jain temples.

Bikaner was founded in 1488 by Rao Bika, a descendant of Jodha, Jodhpur's founder. Travellers come here to visit the notorious Karni Mata temple, 30 km south, where pilgrims worship thousands of holy rats. Another tourist attraction is desert camel safari.

Bikaner is noted for namkin and sweets (Chhotu Motu Joshi sweet shop on station road).

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Junagarh fort, Bikaner : It is one kilometre from the Railway station. The fort is constructed between 1588 and 1593 by Raja Rai Singh - a general in the army of the Mughal emperor Akbar - this most impressive fort (admission Rs 100, camera Rs 30) has a 986 m long wall with 37 bastions, a moat and two entrances. The Surajpol (Sun gate) is the main entrance to the fort. The palaces within the fort are on the southern side and make a picturesque ensemble of courtyards, balconies, kiosks, towers and windows.

It's the interiors that make it stand out. Highlights include the Diwan I Khas, the Phool Mahal (the flower palace), which is decorated with paintings and carved marble panels, the Hawa Mahal, the Badal Mahal and the Anup Mahal.

A compulsory guide is included. To visit at a leisurely pace, ask for your own guide. The museum (admission Rs 25, camera Rs 20) is fascinating and well labelled, with over the top costumes, jewellery and a rare glimpse of everyday paraphernalia.

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Lalgarh palace, Bikaner : About 3 km north of centre, this red sandstone palace was built by Maharaja Ganga Singh (1881 - 1942) in memory of his father Maharaja Lal Singh. It is a grandeur palace with overhanging balconies and delicate lattice work. The first floor contains the Sri Sadul museum (admission Rs 10, camera Rs 20, Sunday closed), which is well worth visiting, with lots of fascinating old black and white photographs and some evocative maharaja accessories. In front of the palace is a carriage from the maharaja's royal train (you can stay in the train too @ Rs 2000 www.lallgarhpalace.com).

Other attractions : The narrow streets of the old city conceal a number of old havelis and a couple of notable Jain temples. The temples date from around the 15 th century. Bhandasar temple is particularly beautiful, with yellow stone carving and dizzyingly vibrant paintings. It's said the foundations contain 40 tonnes of Ghee, and the floor still gets greasy in summer. Sandeshwar temple is smaller but, has some carving.

The Ganga government museum (admission Rs 3, free on Monday & Friday closed) houses a well displayed, interesting collection of sculptures, handicrafts, musical instruments and rich gold paintings by Usta artisans.

Desert camel safari is becoming increasingly popular with travellers. Rs 500 per day, includes sleep on dunes and see life in desert villages. www.camelman.com arranges even a 14 day safari to Jaisalmer.

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Getting there & away : Jaipur (Rs 115, 7 hour, 15 daily), Jaisalmer (Rs 110, 8 hour, 3 daily). To Jaipur by train : Bikaner Howrah superfast leaving at 4 pm daily. To Jodhpur : Ranakpur Express leaving at 0945 h (5 hours). For local sightseeing, bicycles can be hired near Bhairon vilas for Rs 25 a day.

Devikund (8 km): The marble and red sandstone royal cenotaphs of the Bika dynasty rulers, with some fine frescoes, Rs 100 return by rickshaw.

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Deshnok : Most travellers coming to Bikaner head straight to the extra ordinary Karni Mata temple ( www.karnimata.com camera Rs 20). Every 30 minutes there is a bus from Bikaner to the temple (Rs 10, 40 minutes, 30 km).

Karni Mata temple at Deshnok is one of India's weirder temples. According to legend, Karni Mata , an incarnation of Durga, who lived in the 14th century, asked the God of death, Yama, to restore to life the son of a grieving storyteller. When Yama refused, Karni Mata reincarnated all dead storytellers as rats, depriving Yama of human souls. The temple has silver doors, marble carvings and it leads to domain of rats. Keep your eyes peeled for a rare white rat - it's good luck if you spot one. Eating prasad covered in holy rat saliva is also claimed by believers to bring good fortune.

It is most auspicious, if some rat scamper over your feet. By mistake if you place your feet on a rat, you have to donate a silver rat to the temple. The temple is an important pilgrim site and don't forget to remove your shoes.

Location : Rajasthan, India. Around 400 km from Jaipur.

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Jodhpur : Jodhpur's huge fort Meherangarh, dominating the Blue city, growing out of a rocky ridge, with an otherwordly palace poking above it's awesome walls. Jodhpur is at its bluest in the old city, surrounded by a 10 km long 16th century wall, glittering streets, with shops selling everything from trumpets to temple decorations, from snuff to saris.

Jodhpur is known for its village safaris to local Bishnoi villages, potters and dhurrie weavers. Bishnoi sect worship trees and animals.

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Meherangarh fort, Jodhpur: The fort is a formidable feat of construction at a height of 125 m on a hill (admission Rs 20, camera Rs 50, guide Rs 100 optional). The seven gates include the Jayapol, built by Maharaja Man Singh in 1806 following his victory over Jaipur and Bikaner, and the Fatehpol (Victory gate), erected by Maharaja Ajit Singh to commemorate his defeat of the Mughals.

The final gate is the Lohapol (Iron gate) beside which are numeric tragic hand prints, the sati marks of by Maharaja Man Singh's widows, who threw themselves upon his funeral pyre in 1843.

Inside the fort there is a deep terracotta latticed network of courtyards and palaces, beautiful examples of the symmetry and asymmetry that marks Rajput buildings.

There is a museum with splendid collection of the trappings of Indian royalty, including some amazing elephant howdahs (essential for glittering processions), miniatures, armoury and ephemera - from 19th century ivory inlaid ladies dumbbells to camel bone carpet weights.

The palaces include Moti, Sukh, Phool Mahal - the latter is beautifully decorated using a curious concoction of gold leaf, glue and cow's urine. The inner courtyard, Holi Chowk, was used for the Holi festival, which the women got to look down on from above. The small marble seat was used for coronations from the 17th century.

At the southern end of the fort, old cannons look out from the ramparts over the sheer drop to the old town beneath, with magical views. The Chamunda Devi temple is nearby.

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Jaswant Tada, Jodhpur : This white marble memorial to Maharaja Jaswant Singh II has an array of domes having a superb view of the Meherangarh fort. There is a memorial to a peacock that flew into the funeral pyre. There is some beautiful jali work, and it's the definitive tomb with a view (admission Rs 10, camera Rs 25, 1 km from the fort).

Clock tower : It is surrounded by the vibrant Sardar market. The route towards west leads to the city bazaar.

Sadar Government museum : It displays old weapons and sculptures and is located inside the Umaid gardens (Rs 3, Friday closed).

Umaid Bhavan palace & museum : The construction began in 1929, took 3000 workers and 15 years to complete. Royal members of the family resides here and a part of the palace is now a hotel. The museum has photos showing strange hybrid Art Deco/1970s design of the palace interior and some ornate clocks (admission Rs 15, near the Umaid gardens).

Osiyan (65 km): It has exquisitely sculptured Jain temples viz Sachiya Mata temple is an impressive walled complex. The Mahavira temple surrounds an image of the 24th tirthankar, said to be over 200 years old (admission Rs 5, camera Rs 30).

Location : Rajasthan, India.

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Jaisalmer : A giant sand castle, Jaisalmer is a breathtaking sight, a Golden City, an age of Chivalry mirage in the middle of a barren desert scape. Ninety nine huge bastions encircle the narrow streets of the fort, still inhabited, with elaborate houses, splendid temples, magnificent gateways and a beautiful palace, all carved out of the same gleaming golden sandstone.

Spreading from the fort is the old city containing lavish sandstone havelis with carving as delicate as lace, and all around the scrub, dunes and villages of the Thar desert.

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Jaisalmer fort : The sandstone fort has a palace, temples and hundreds of deceptively simple looking havelis. The fort is rising at a height of 80 m and can be entered through a forbidding series of massive gates leading to a large courtyard. The former maharaja's elegant seven storey palace (admission Rs 20, camera Rs 50) fronts onto this. Parts of the palace is open to public.

The highlights are the mirrored and painted Rang Mahal, a small gallery of finely wrought 15 century sculptures and the spectacular 360 degree views from the summit.

Jain temples : Within the fort walls is a mazelike, interconnecting complex of seven beautiful yellow sandstone Jain temples (admission Rs 10, camera Rs 50) dating to the 12th to the 16th centuries. The intricate carving has an extra ordinary quality because of the soft, warm stone. The first temple Chandraprabhu (7 am to noon) is dedicated to eight thirthankar. Around the upper gallery are 108 marble images of Parasnath, the 22nd thirthankar.

To the right of this temple is Rikhabdev (7 am to Noon). Parasnath temple (11 am to Noon) is nearby has a beautiful carved torana (gateway) and a brightly painted ceiling. A door to the south leads to Shitalnath temple (11 am to Noon) with an eight metal image. A door in the north wall leads to the beautiful Sambhavanth temple (11 am to Noon) - in the front courtyard, Jain priests grind sandalwood for devotional use. Steps lead down to the Gyan Bhandar (10 to 11 am) a fascinating tiny library of ancient manuscripts, founded in 1500.Shantinath and Kunthunath temples have plenty of sensual carving.

Laxmminath Hindu temple is nearby has a silver architecture around the entrance to the inner sanctum.

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Havelis : Jaisalmer has some incredibly fine sculpted sandstone buildings which were built by wealthy merchants.

Patwa ki haveli : Most magnificent of all havelis, its stonework like honey coloured caggy lace towers over a narrow lane (admission Rs 20, camera Rs 20). It was built between 1800 and 1860 by five Jain brothers - brocade and jewellery merchants. It's most impressive from outside, but the fort view from the roof is superb,and the interior evokes 19 th century life.

Salim Singh ki haveli : This haveli has an amazing, distinctive shape - narrow for the first floors, the top storey spreads out into a mass of carving , with graceful arched balconies surmounted by pale blue cupolas (admission Rs 15, camera Rs 10).

Nathmal ki haveli : This 19th century haveli dips with carving, and the first floor has some beautiful paintings, which used 1.5 kg of gold. A doorway is surrounded by 19 th century British postcards from the PM's time, and also there's a picture of Queen Victoria. Sandstone elephants keep guard (admission free).

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Museums : Desert culture centre & Museum is near the fort (1 km, admission Rs 10) has interesting information on Rajasthani culture, as well as textiles and traditional instruments. There's a nightly one hour puppet show at 1830 h (admission Rs 30, camera Rs 20). With this entry ticket one can visit the nearby Jaisalmer folklore museum (camera Rs 20). The museum displays everything from camel ornaments to opium bottles.

Gadi sagar tank with boating facility is nearby.

There is a government museum near the RTDC hotel Moomal (admission Rs 3, free on Mon, closed on Friday).The museum has a well captioned collection of fossils of the Jurassic era (160 to 180 million years ago).