Jaipur, India Named One of the Top Ten Cities in the World to Visit by The Traveling American
Over the past twenty-five years, The Traveling American has visited over one hundred cities around the world. This article focuses on the best cities we have visited outside of the United States and Canada. All of these places have their faults, but the ones we selected also have special characteristics that make them memorable places to visit for most people. The task of naming the Top Ten World Cities was a difficult one and we ended up selecting twelve (there were a few ties) that we believe are the most interesting to see.
Here is our Number 10 World City - Jaipur, India:
The beautiful Indian city of Jaipur is known as the Pink City since many of the buildings there are made of local red sandstone or colored pink. Located in India's Golden Triangle south west of Delhi and west of the Taj Mahal in Agra, Jaipur is the capital of Rajasthan and one of the most popular destinations in India. It is a large city of 2.3 million residents which grew out of a planned community envisioned by Rajput Maharaja Jai Singh II in the early 1700s. This respected general and scholar built a beautiful palace and many public buildings. These structures remain major attractions and balance the vibrant activities of the modern city. Some of the key attractions to see in Jaipur and things to do include:
City Palace- The City Palace combines the traditional architecture of the Mughal and Rajput rulers of the city, features elegant pavilions and courtyards. Visitors there can see displays of the clothes, weaponry and jewels of past rulers and gaze at the residence of the modern royal family.
Palace of the Winds - The Hawa Mahal or Palace of the Winds is a five story building that is only one room deep. It was built in 1799 as a place for the women of the royal court to view the marketplace, catch the breeze and observe the public from behind a series of screened balconies.Visitors can climb to the top, look out without a veil, or just photograph this unusual buildings from the street.
Jantar Mantar- Jai Singh built five observatories throughout Rajasthan to encourage the study of the cosmos and the weather. The complex in Jaipur includes 16 gigantic instruments made of stone and metal that were used for everything from forecasting crop yields and locating the planets to telling the time of the day.
Mountain Forts- Most visitors to Jaipur take the time to travel fifteen minutes north of the city to Amer to see the magnificent Amber Palace and Fort that adorn the top of the mountain, and to take an elephant ride to the top. Perhaps the best view of the city itself is from the nearby Nahargarh Fort where large cannons once protected the Old City below during the 18th and 19h centuries. Visitors to the Nahargarh Fort also can see some large reservoirs and cisterns which reputably concealed the kingdom’s treasure from its enemies for generations.
Shopping and Tuk Tuk Ride- Jaipur is also famous for its marketplace where a variety of goods are sold including precious jewels. One way to shop and to observe the daily lives of people in the Old City is to arrange a tuk tuk ride from place to place. It is like riding through alleyways on a glorified rider mower while crowded into an attached covered basket behind the driver with a dozen other people.
Famous Monkeys- Animals and people coexist in India in ways that are surprising and entertaining for some first-time visitors. One reason is the sacred way in which cows and other animals are regarded in Hinduism and Jainism. Nevertheless, conflicts do arise and there is a duality of reverence and irritation towards the famous monkeys of Jaipur. One place to see them is at the Amer Fort and the neighborhoods around it, and another is at a heavily promoted tourist destination known as the Monkey Temple or Galta Temple.
Palace Dining- The Indian government has taken extensive measures to encourage the preservation of the hundreds of palaces and historic monuments scattered around the country. One program supports selling or leasing former palaces to resort companies for the purpose of developing "heritage hotels" offering a luxury experience to guests while preserving the character of these buildings. Jaipur has several of these hotels including the famous Rambagh Palace operated by the Raj hotel chain where you can enjoy the grounds, stay in a palatial suite, and dine in a formal ballroom for a unique experience.
Day Trips- There are many interesting places to visit on a half day or full day excursion from Jaipur. One of the more unusual ones is the stepwell at the remote village of Abhaneri known as the Chand Baori which is one of the largest in the world and was built in the ninth century. A stepwell is a deep well or pond in which water can be reached by descending a series of steps. The Abhaneri stepwell is is a majestic square structure with a large pavilion on one side, an open courtyard with galleries at the top, and steps which descend for thirteen stories with 3500 steps laid out in geometric patterns. Almost all of the stepwells in India were abandoned or filled in but efforts to resurrect them as a modern solution to India's challenge of supplying water to a billion people.
Private Guide Recommendation - Using a private guide is highly recommended for Jaipur to get around to the different locations and serve as a liaison for your hotels, meals and shopping. The Traveling American has had good experiences using Four Wheel Drive Rajasthan for transportation and guide services in that region.