Jaipur

Jaipur, the “Symphony in Pink,” is a land of superlatives, where breathtaking beauty and rich art and culture combine superbly to make this “Pink Jewel,” a “Tourist’s Eden.” The ‘Pink City,’ also known as the ‘City of Victory,’ is a magnificent showcase of rich Rajasthani culture and heritage, as well as a massive open air museum where relics of the golden past and aristocratic antiquity are carefully preserved. Jaipur, the former capital of the Kachhawahas, embodies the character of the state and its people. It is nestled among the Aravalli ranges and is surrounded on three sides by rugged hills, each crowned by a formidable fort, while the city is dotted with grand palaces, majestic mansions, and gracefully landscaped gardens and parks.

The city’s history dates back to 1699, when Maharaja Jai Singh 2 ascended to the Amber throne. His mathematical and astronomical abilities were legendary, and he was not only a great scholar but also a great soldier, builder, and poet. Jai Singh decided to relocate his capital from Amber’s rugged hills to its current location. Thus, on November 18, 1727, the foundation stone for Amber state’s new capital was laid, and the city was named Jaipur after its founder, Jai Singh.

Jai Singh’s diverse talents and tastes are well represented in this dream city, as he not only planned but also co-ordinated the execution of the plans. The city’s design was entrusted to a young and talented Bengali architect, Vidyadhar Bhattacharya, who gave shape to Jai Singh’s plans and ideas. It is possibly India’s first planned city, built with great precision on the principles of ‘Shilpa Shastra,’ an ancient Hindu treatise on architecture.

The pink colour of the city was not planned by Jai Singh, but in 1863, Jaipur dressed itself in pink to welcome Prince Albert, the cosort of Queen Victoria, and this is how the colour became an integral part of the city and is now popularly known as “The Pink City.”