Jaipur City Palace Travel Guide
Amazing Treasure House of the Maharajas of Jaipur
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Hidden in the heart of the walled Pink City of Jaipur is the City Palace. An excellent example of the wealth of the Maharajas the palace is a network of corridors, gardens and sumptuous rooms providing a glimpse at a lifestyle that modern-day visitors can scarcely believe.
Sawai Jai Singh left behind a legacy of some of the most imposing and magnificent architecture, art and craft structure in the Pink City. The palace is a blend of Mughal and Rajasthani architectural styles and remains in part the residence of the royal family. Within its walls are a wide range of exhibits including armour and weaponry, silks, prints, jewels and jewellery, manuscripts and other treasures. Today the City Palace is a principal attraction for visitors to Jaipur.
Attractions in Jaipur City Palace
On entering the complex and before the palace proper lies the Mubarak Mahal, the palace of welcome used as a reception hall for the visiting personage. The building now forms the Maharaja Sawai Man Singh II Museum and on display here are a wide array of royal costumes, some exquisite and precious pashmina (Kashmiri) shawls, Benaras (Varanasi) silk saris, Sanganeri prints and folk embroidery. An unusual display is that of voluminous clothes worn by Maharaja Sawai Madho Singh I (ruled 1750-68).
The art gallery is located in the Diwan-I-Am, which literally mean the Hall of Public Audience. The exhibits here include some very precious and ancient handwritten original manuscripts of Hindu scriptures. Particularly intriguing are miniature copies of Bhagwat Gita made so small so that it can be concealed out of sight, evading Emperor Aurangzeb’s destruction of Hindu scriptures. Some very delicate miniature paintings executd in the Rajasthani, Mughal and Persian schools on themes including the Ramayana are on display. Notice too the well-preserved painted ceilings and elephant saddles called “haudha”.
In the Diwan-I-Khas, the Hall of Private Audiences, the Maharaja would consult his ministers and it is here that the two famous silver jars can be seen. Each holds some 9000 litres of water and were made by silversmiths in the old city for Madho Singh ll to take Ganges water with him to London for Edward Vll’s coronation in 1902.
The Maharani's Palace, the palace of the Queen somewhat paradoxically puts on a display of the Rajput weaponry. The inestimable collections of weapons date back to even 15th century and are in a remarkable state of preservation. Exhibits include protective chain armours, pistols, jewelled and ivory handled swords, a belt sword, small and assorted cannons, guns, poison tipped blades and gun powder pouches. The frescos on the ceiling are amazing and well preserved.
Activities in Jaipur City Palace
Allow a full morning to explore at leisure as there is much to see. Close by to the City Palace is the Hawa Mahal and Jantar Mantar and together they make for the best part of a day’s leisurely sightseeing.
Relaxing
The gardens of the City Palace are the best place to relax. Laid out in traditional style and surrounded by the magnificent palace buildings they allow a place to quietly read up on the background history of Jaipur and its Maharajas.
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