Jaipur travel guide

The City of Jaipur was founded in 1727 AD by King Sawai Jai Singh. Jaipur City is popularly known as the Pink City. The pink color was used at that time of making to create an impression of the red sandstone buildings built by Mughal rulers. Jaipur has lots to offer visitors, some of the popular attractions are listed here along with a shopping guide for Jaipur. Also listed on this page is a shopping guide for Jaipur.

Popular attractions in Jaipur are:

• Sanganer • Hawa Mahal • Jantar Mantar • City Palace

Sanganer Jaipur

Tourists visiting Rajasthan should make it a point to visit Sanganer, a small township situated approximately 16 kilometers away from Jaipur, the capital of Rajasthan. Known for its Jain temples and hand-printed textiles, Sanganer is a old-fashioned town with a charm of its own. Sanganer travel can involve journey by rail, road or air. The Sanganer Airport is actually the same airport where passengers flying to Jaipur land which is about 15 Kms from the main city. On your Sanganer tour, you will get to see the grand Shri Digamber Jain Temple where intricate carvings representing an old school of architecture adorn the walls of the temple. In Sanganer you will also get a close look at their popular hand-printing textile industry. Handmade paper is the biggest industry here. In fact, Sanganer is known all over the world for its expertise in this field. Block printing and screen-printed fabrics of Sanganer are also very famous.

Hawa Mahal Jaipur

• Hawa Mahal is also known as The Palace of Winds. It was built by Maharaja

Sawai Partap Singh in 1799. Hawa Mahal Palace of Winds in Jaipur India

• The Palace of winds is five stories high with small windows and screens with

decorated arches.

• The Place of Winds screens are said to be built so the women who traditionally

stayed behind a veil in public could look out in privacy from behind the

screens.

• Hawa Mahal is very close to the City Palace.

• While the front of the Palace of winds is decorated in detail the back is not and is quite plain compared to the front.

• The Palace of winds is best viewed in the early morning when the sun shines directly on the Palace making it glow.

• Take a camera along as you have an excellent view from the top stories.

• Admission charged from foreign tourists is Rupees 30 where as Indian citizens are charged Rupees 10 only.

Amber Fort Jaipur

Amber Fort is located on a hillside and overlooks Lake Maota. Within the Fort lies the famous Jai Mandir with its renowned Sheesh Mahal. The walls and the ceiling of the Sheesh Mahal are covered with a beautiful display of mirrors which reflect streaks of light around so as to illuminate the entire room. The Fort can be accessed by road or by an elephant ride also which can be slow but a memorable experience.

City Palace Jaipur

The City Palace in Jaipur is also known as the Chandra Mahal or Moon Palace. It is here that the Son of the last Maharaja and his family still live in a part of the palace. Some of the buildings around the Chandra Mahal that are open to the public. The Sawai Man Singh Museum occupies the lower floor and is open to the public. The Krishna Temple a well known temple in Jaipur is located in the Jai Niwas Garden to the north of the City Palace. The City Palace is open to visitors from 9 am to 4:30 pm.

Jantar Mantar Jaipur

The Jaipur Jantar Mantar is an astronomical observatory similar to the Jantar Mantar in New Delhi. It is a collection of solid geometric shapes that were used in the past for measuring time using the position of the shadows on the geometric shapes. The observatory was also used for predicting eclipses and tracking stars.

Zoological Garden Jaipur

The Zoological Garden in Jaipur is a century old and is the oldest in India. There are a good number of birds and animals as well as a crocodile breeding ground here. The famous Zoological Garden is also known as the Jaipur Zoo. It provides visitors with a unique opportunity to watch fascinating wildlife from close quarters. Those interested in bird watching will love this place. Over 70 species of different birds and animals from all over the world can be seen at this garden. • The Zoological Gardens are open to visitors 6 days of the week and are closed on Tuesdays. • Timings in summer are 8:30 am to 5:30 pm and in winter from 9 am to 5 pm.

Tips on Shopping in Jaipur - Items visitors to Jaipur buy - What are made in Jaipur specialties . . .

Jaipur is well-known for its lacquer jewelry, painted with enamel, coated with ‘Kundan’ work. The term Kundan work is a method of gem setting, consisting of inserting gold foil between the stones and its mount. You can find precious and semi-precious stones of many varieties. Garnets, emeralds, rubies, topaz and amethyst are very popular with tourists. Another specialty of Jaipur is called ‘Tie-and-dye work on silk and crepe’ and the ‘Sanganer block prints’. Large and small units of block and screen printers at Sanganer village (on Tonk road which is near the airport) produce some of the finest hand-printed textiles. While in Sanganer, don't forget to check out Jaipur blue pottery. You can purchase Sanganer bed linen, table linen and dress material on a variety of fabrics in the village or at any outlet in the Jaipur City. Shops on MI Road sell many varieties of Ethnic block prints and traditional crafts of Rajasthan. While in Sanganer, don't forget to check out Jaipur blue pottery. The Jaipur razai (used in place of a blanket, like a comforter) is also very popular and many Indian tourists also from other parts of India make it a point to buy Jaipur razai's as they are well known for their light weight and warmth

Bargaining at Jaipur Shops

Bargaining at roadside stalls is common and shop owners when coating prices usually add a margin for bargaining to the price. They expect people to bargain so don't feel uncomfortable about bargaining. Some stores display signs saying 'Fixed Price' but they do bargain so don't let the signs intimidate you.

Traveling from New Delhi to Jaipur by Train

Jaipur is only 262 Kilometers from Delhi and well connected by road, rail and air. The best option we found to visit Jaipur from Delhi is to travel by train. If you decide to use the railways then take the fast Shatabdi train from Delhi to Jaipur and back. Shatabdi (train number 2015) leaves New Delhi station at 6:10 am and arrives in Jaipur at 10:45 am. The train is Air Conditioned and the cost of a first class ticket is Rupees 905 (US$ 20) and includes a free breakfast. For the return trip to Delhi Shatabdi (train number 2016) leaves Jaipur Station at 5:45 pm reaching New Delhi at 10:45 pm. These trains run daily except on Wednesdays.

Jaipur by Air

The name of the Jaipur airport is Sanganer Airport. It is about 10 kilometers from the main city. Taxis are available at the airport.

• Amber Fort • Jaigarh Fort • Zoological Garden • Devji Temple

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Jaipur travel guide The City of Jaipur was founded in 1727 AD by King Sawai Jai Singh. Jaipur City is popularly known as the Pink City. The pink color was used at that time of making to create an impression of the red sandstone buildings built by Mughal rulers. Jaipur has lots to offer visitors, some of the popular attractions are listed here along with a shopping guide for Jaipur. Also listed on this page is a shopping guide for Jaipur.