Prominently known as the Pink city, Jaipur was built by the sovereign of Amber, in the eighteenth century. Jai Singh search for a safe place for the increasing population of Amber resulted in Jaipur, India's first planned city.

Jaipur needed a fresh coat of paint to welcome its distinguished guest, the Prince of Wales in 1905-06. The contractor inability to supply any other color in the required quantity compelled the choice of pink shade for its walls. Since then the pink color is associated with hospitality in Rajput culture.

Cuisine
A typical Jaipur meal is more than a feast for the senses because it carries the impress of geography, local custom, traditional belief and religious ideology. The result is an exotic blend of taste, texture and form that encompasses a wealth of regional specialties dictated by climate, location and culinary tradition.

Relevant Places
The places a tourist would prefer on his visit to Jaipur are mainly located within the walled city. These are:

Hawa Mahal (Palace Of Winds)
Built in 1799, by Maharaja Sawai Pratap Singh, the Hawa Mahal is a remarkable structure, which overlooks one of the main streets and also provides some excellent views of the city. In the not-too-distant past, ladies of the court found it convenient to watch the activities on the streets below without being observed themselves.

City Palace Complex
It is the most important landmark with its numerous buildings, courtyards, impressive gateways and temples.

Jantar Mantar
It has a collection of complex astronomical instruments, chiseled out of stone- most of which continue to provide fairly accurate information to this day - is the highlight of this observatory.

The Garland Forts
These forts, though built at different periods, are so located that they seem to be stringed together. Few famous forts are Amer, a fascinating blend of Hindu and Mughal architecture, Jaigarh, a rugged fort having the world's largest cannon on wheels, Nahargarh, which provides some stunning views of the city down below both during daytime and at night.

Jaipur's Bazaar
Jaipur has a timeless appeal in its colorful bazaars that delights for its Rajasthani hand-looms and trinkets. This is one of the few places where the shoppers may actually watch the skilled artisans producing the articles they want to buy.

Accomodation in Jaipur
» Jai Mahal Palace » Raj Palace » Raj Vilas » Rambagh Palace