Our next destination in our Indian adventure was the famed city of Jaipur, one of the three jewels found in the Golden Triangle. It is a city rich with history and architecture known as the Pink City because of the terracotta-colored buildings throughout the old city. Because of a few architectural wonders, Jaipur is one of the top destinations for foreign tourists to India.
Unfortunately, another box on the checklist for most tourists to India is a bout with stomach issues, and Jaipur is where my turn came along (Aaron’s was in Ranthambore). This means I didn’t get to visit the Amber (Amer) Fort or the Hawa Mahal. It also means I’ll have to go back to visit those stunning buildings. However, I was feeling well enough to visit the City Palace and Jantar Mantar (royal observatory).
City Palace
Jaipur’s old city is like many in old parts of the world with ancient gates that once connected to a wall for protection and narrow winding lanes snaking between old buildings and markets. This one though, as mentioned before, is painted a lovely “pink” terracotta color. It isn’t an ancient trademark, but a rather new one as it was done in the last two hundred years when a British royal was making rounds in the subcontinent.
This city is one of the former Princely States of India that was incorporated into Rajasthan at the formation of the Republic of India. This means it had its own royal family and still does. However, today the family has no real power, but is still treated like royalty in many respects.
Most of the palace forts of Rajasthan are still operated by their royal families that built, conquered, ruled, and lived in them. Now owned by family trusts, they are mostly museums though sections are still used for the royal households. This is still the case in Jaipur.
The section for visitors includes a lovely pavilion, galleries showcasing weaponry and textiles, and the spectacular throne room. I’ll admit though, that this was perhaps my least favorite of the many forts we visited in India. It felt dated, not preserved, and it was limited in what we could see and experience.
One of the more interesting artifacts though stands in the pavilion outside. It is a massive silver vessel. One of the previous rajahs was a strict observer of his Hindu faith. On a state visit to England for the coronation of King Edward VIII, he took two massive silver vessels full of Ganges water. In England, they thought they were gifts for the new king, but in reality they were the rajah’s personal bath water.
Jantar Mantar
The heavens determine our fate. The position of the stars and planets at the time of your birth may determine your career, marriage, and happiness in this life. They must be carefully studied, so that everything can be done to yield the best results. At least that’s what many Indians believe, and that is why there were large-scale observatories built across the country including Jaipur’s Jantar Mantar, built in 1738.
A court of scattered instruments that are precisely engineered to read the heavens makes a rather eccentric looking place that feels more like a place in Wonderland or a sculpture garden at a modern art museum. However, the astronomical science behind it all is astounding. Even more astounding is that it is all built for astrological beliefs.
Our guide explained many of the instruments and what they are used for. Yes, they still use them. We found our signs, marveled at the world’s largest sun dial, and were mesmerized by the moving shadows marking time of day, month, and year.
