Exploring the Capital city of Rajasthan and Backpacking through the Desert State.

Rajasthan gets its name because of being the Matrabhoomi (motherland) to many brave Kings and Warrior Princes of India. Raja’s Sthan means the Land of Kings. And thus Rajasthan got its true to the name history and culture that the world comes to witness in person. Ask any traveler abroad about a place they would love to visit in India and Rajasthan would be on top of their list. And where in Rajasthan? The answer always begins with Jaipur and Ends with Jaisalmer. And rightly so, Every Rajasthan Fanatic must set their foot in the City of Gates, Pink City, and City of Lights. But these are not three different cities- it’s all about Jaipur and its Royal, Pink Glory.

Jaipur, formerly known as Jeypore is the largest city of Rajasthan and also its capital. The hustling bustling ever chaotic lanes of Jaipur set your heart on an adrenaline rush. But it also gives you so many special moments to just sit back, relax and take in the glorious beauty of Jaipur. Amongst all the very popular names the city was with, the name that seems to be instantly in association with Jaipur is The Pink City. It is because the entire city very fondly has colored itself in mesmerizing shades of pink. Many other names also suggest Jaipur be the Paris of India and the Island of Glory.

History and Origin of Jaipur

Jaipur was founded by Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh who was the 29th Kacchwaha Rajput Ruler. The Kachwaha Rajputs are the Suryavanshi Kshatriya Rajput clan of India who worships and are said to be the lineage of the Sun God Surya. Maharaja Jai Singh originally was the ruler of the Kingdom of Amer, also known as Amber today. He eventually discovered the city of Jaipur and made it his Capital City. And thus the city is also named after him- Jaipur. Maharaja Jai Singh always thought ahead of his time and truly was a visionary. He came up with some of the most unique architectural phenomenons that we see in Jaipur today like the Hawa Mahal, Jantar Mantar, etc.

But a visionary like Maharaja Jai Singh also required someone who could put his thought and turn it into reality. This genius architect back in the day was Vidyadhar Bhattacharya who was the mastermind behind one of the earliest planned cities of India- Jaipur. This amazing duo changed the way the architecture of India was perceived. With scientific details like well ventilate palaces that had temperature control technology back then even without using any high-tech devices with Rajasthan being the hottest state and desert capital, this king architect duo gave us the most well-thought architectural marvels.

Places of Tourist Importance in Jaipur that every Backpacker must visit

The Hawa Mahal

Simply put forth- an architectural genius, the Hawa Mahal was made for the ladies of the royal family to view the busy market streets without being spotted themselves from outside. This five-story palace is also designed from the perspective of having a nice ventilation system and has 953 windows. Built using Red and Pink sandstone, the palace is on the edge of the City Palace of Udaipur.

Albert Hall Museum

One of the prime reasons why this city is a pink city is because of Albert Edward. The city was pink for the arrival of the then Emperor of India- Edward Albert who was the predecessor of Queen Victoria. Today the Albert Museum is the oldest and runs as the main museum for the state of Rajasthan. The foundation of this place was on 6th February 1876. Maharaja Ram Singh planned on making this place a town hall but the next king Madho II suggested making this place a museum and included it in the Ram Niwas Garden area.

City Palace

The Royal family of Jaipur still inhabits this palace and the City palace is very much so their home. However, you can now stay at the city palace as the new generation of royalty the prince of Jaipur has partnered with Airbnb to allow stays and accommodations at the royal palace for travelers to not only speculate but also feel the royal hospitality of Jaipur.

Amer Fort

Also known as Amber Fort is the location where many historic periodical Bollywood movies have been shot. The Amer Fort was the main operational fort of the royals of THIS PLACE. Built using Pink and Yellow sandstones the fort leaves you speechless when the setting sun reflects upon it and colors the fort with a sunset hue.

Jantar Mantar

A World Heritage Site- Jantar Mantar is a night sky observatory that Maharaja Jai Singh II built. It has various enormous geometric structures and also houses the world’s largest sundial.

Other Amazing places of Interest that you must visit in Jaipur are:

• Jal Mahal
• Nahargarh Fort
• Galta Ji
• Jawahar Circle Garden
• Panna Meena ka Kund
• Jaigarh Fort
• Birla Mandir

Fun Facts about Jaipur

Jaipur is one of the Heritage Cities of India and is also a part of the Golden Triangle of India that includes Delhi, Agra and Jaipur. Jaipur is also number 8 in the top 15 cities in Asia. It is also a Gateway to other destinations in Rajasthan like Jodhpur, Jaisalmer, Udaipur, Kota, and Mount Abu.

How to Reach Jaipur

• By Air: Jaipur is 45 minutes of taking a flight from Delhi. The Sanganer Airport is at a 12km distance from the city and can be accessed by both International and Domestic.
• By Train: you can take the most preferred Shatabdi Express which is air-conditioned from most major cities of India. You can also get to Jaipur by taking trains like Ajmer Shatabdi, Pune Jaipur Express, Jaipur Express, and Adi SJ Rajdhani.
• By Road: NH 8, NH 11, and NH 12 are the main national highways connecting the city of Jaipur to other major cities of India. New Delhi is just 235 km away from Jaipur and Agra is 220 km away. Ajmer is at 130 km while Mathura and Gwalior are at 196km and 250 km respectively.

Thus, if you love the historical and cultural heritage of India and would love to visit the Land of Kings, Jaipur has to be on top of your bucket list.