INDIA: THE PINK CITY IN PICTURES
A Sweep Through History
and a Trip to the Shops
INDIA: THE PINK CITY IN PICTURES
A Sweep Through History
and a Trip to the Shops
SUE BRATTLE
JAIPUR, the Pink City in Rajasthan, is one of the most evocative names in India and a highlight of anyone’s trip. In July it became the 1,092nd Unesco World Heritage Site and when you go there you’ll understand why. The experts say it’s because of its perfect mix of Hindu, Mughal and contemporary Western ideas and styles.
There are lots of historic places to see, bazaars to wander through, and views to take your breath away. My only reservation is that we found it a tricky place to walk around – you can feel like you’ve got a dollar sign on your back, and beggars are an issue. We had a driver, and used guides at sites. It’s a personal choice.
PALACE OF WINDS (HAWA MAHAL): You may recognize this building as it’s so photogenic. It is on the edge of the City Palace, and has 953 windows looking down on the busy street below. It was built so that royal ladies could remain in purdah (hidden from strangers) but still watch the town’s goings-on and festivals.
It was designed so a breeze could waft through the windows, but many of them are sealed up nowadays. It looks like a film set, but you can go round the back and get inside for a visit. It fronts onto a busy road so beware the tour buses and beggars. Tack it onto your City Palace tour.
CITY PALACE: I really liked this palace, which is in the centre of town, perhaps because some of the Jaipur royal family still live there, and were in residence when we visited so it’s not just a museum piece.
Also, it’s very pretty, with delicate flower motifs, and our guide told rather romantic tales of love trysts in the dark of night. I’m a sucker for all that. Until 1949, the Maharajah of Jaipur used the palace as his seat of power, but it also has a long history of strong and wealthy royal women ruling their lands and estates while in purdah within its walls.
Don’t miss the beautiful peacock gate and take some time to soak up the atmosphere of the place. Loved it.
JAL MAHAL: You can look but can’t touch this stunning palace in the middle of Lake Sagar, which is on the road you take out of Jaipur towards Amber Fort. This visit is just a hop out of your car or off your bus to take photographs.
A small fortune is being spent on dredging the lake and restoring the building, but right now all you’ll see is the palace (already partly restored), which has lovely trees on its rooftop, and some water buffalo cooling off by the shore.
The palace was a duck hunting lodge, built before the lake was created by a nearby dam project. Four of its five storeys are now underwater but there are huge plans for the area.
RAMBAGH PALACE HOTEL: If you still harbour a romantic opinion about the days of the Raj, you’ll love this hotel. We went for a drink in the Polo Bar (the hotel is down the road from the Rajasthan Polo Club), with its walls covered in trophies and memorabilia, and a wonderful painting of Queen Mary presenting a trophy.
The building started life as home for a former maharana’s favourite maid. There are peacocks on the lawns and it’s so grand that a chauffeur drove us down to the gate in an old open-topped car when we left. For the price of a drink it’s well worth an hour in such splendor, cooling off after some sightseeing.
AMBER FORT: This place will knock your socks off! It’s 11kms outside Jaipur, in Amer, and is enormous – a beautiful yellow building that snakes down a hill and is fortified from every possible angle. It also has the most amazing views for miles around.
Dripping with history, this is one of India’s most visited sites and you really must allow at least three hours to wander, read all about it, and gasp at everything you see. My advice is to get there early, before it gets too hot.
It opens at 8am and shuts at 5.30pm, but you can go back in the evening for the sound and light show. It’s so vast, it is a good idea to hire a guide for your visit. When we were there, an army of restorers was working on the inlaid marble walls and colonnades, and were very happy to pose for pictures and chat about their work.
SHOPPING: Jaipur is where we bought the few things we chose to bring back from India, although we’re not huge fans of souvenirs and wanted to be able to carry everything in our suitcase.
I bought pashminas, some material, and small pottery dishes etc for the kitchen. Colin had a favourite shirt copied in three different patterns of cotton, and bought a cotton bedspread. We also bought a wooden carved Ganesh, teas and spices.
I’d say, take advice from your hotel, driver, or guide about where to shop; our driver took us to a cloth shop, and Colin’s perfectly tailored shirts were delivered the next day. We didn’t feel ripped off, and everything was good quality – but we would have complained to our tour company, so their staff only use trusted outlets.
Haggle, haggle, haggle. Don’t buy anything you’re not going to use. And if you wouldn’t know a sapphire from a piece of glass, don’t take a risk.
August 2019
MORE INFO
JAIPUR TOURISM BOARD’S slick and detailed site has all the information you’ll need to plan a memorable visit. READ MORE
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INDIA: THE PINK CITY IN PICTURES
A Sweep Through History and a Trip to the Shops
SUE BRATTLE
JAIPUR, the Pink City in Rajasthan, is one of the most evocative names in India and a highlight of anyone’s trip. In July it became the 1,092nd Unesco World Heritage Site and when you go there you’ll understand why. The experts say it’s because of its perfect mix of Hindu, Mughal and contemporary Western ideas and styles.
There are lots of historic places to see, bazaars to wander through, and views to take your breath away. My only reservation is that we found it a tricky place to walk around – you can feel like you’ve got a dollar sign on your back, and beggars are an issue. We had a driver, and used guides at sites. It’s a personal choice.
PALACE OF WINDS (HAWA MAHAL): You may recognize this building as it’s so photogenic. It is on the edge of the City Palace, and has 953 windows looking down on the busy street below. It was built so that royal ladies could remain in purdah (hidden from strangers) but still watch the town’s goings-on and festivals.
It was designed so a breeze could waft through the windows, but many of them are sealed up nowadays. It looks like a film set, but you can go round the back and get inside for a visit. It fronts onto a busy road so beware the tour buses and beggars. Tack it onto your City Palace tour.
CITY PALACE: I really liked this palace, which is in the centre of town, perhaps because some of the Jaipur royal family still live there, and were in residence when we visited so it’s not just a museum piece.
Also, it’s very pretty, with delicate flower motifs, and our guide told rather romantic tales of love trysts in the dark of night. I’m a sucker for all that. Until 1949, the Maharajah of Jaipur used the palace as his seat of power, but it also has a long history of strong and wealthy royal women ruling their lands and estates while in purdah within its walls.
Don’t miss the beautiful peacock gate and take some time to soak up the atmosphere of the place. Loved it.
JAL MAHAL: You can look but can’t touch this stunning palace in the middle of Lake Sagar, which is on the road you take out of Jaipur towards Amber Fort. This visit is just a hop out of your car or off your bus to take photographs.
A small fortune is being spent on dredging the lake and restoring the building, but right now all you’ll see is the palace (already partly restored), which has lovely trees on its rooftop, and some water buffalo cooling off by the shore.
The palace was a duck hunting lodge, built before the lake was created by a nearby dam project. Four of its five storeys are now underwater but there are huge plans for the area.
RAMBAGH PALACE HOTEL: If you still harbour a romantic opinion about the days of the Raj, you’ll love this hotel. We went for a drink in the Polo Bar (the hotel is down the road from the Rajasthan Polo Club), with its walls covered in trophies and memorabilia, and a wonderful painting of Queen Mary presenting a trophy.
The building started life as home for a former maharana’s favourite maid. There are peacocks on the lawns and it’s so grand that a chauffeur drove us down to the gate in an old open-topped car when we left. For the price of a drink it’s well worth an hour in such splendor, cooling off after some sightseeing.
AMBER FORT: This place will knock your socks off! It’s 11kms outside Jaipur, in Amer, and is enormous – a beautiful yellow building that snakes down a hill and is fortified from every possible angle. It also has the most amazing views for miles around.
Dripping with history, this is one of India’s most visited sites and you really must allow at least three hours to wander, read all about it, and gasp at everything you see. My advice is to get there early, before it gets too hot.
It opens at 8am and shuts at 5.30pm, but you can go back in the evening for the sound and light show. It’s so vast, it is a good idea to hire a guide for your visit. When we were there, an army of restorers was working on the inlaid marble walls and colonnades, and were very happy to pose for pictures and chat about their work.
SHOPPING: Jaipur is where we bought the few things we chose to bring back from India, although we’re not huge fans of souvenirs and wanted to be able to carry everything in our suitcase.
I bought pashminas, some material, and small pottery dishes etc for the kitchen. Colin had a favourite shirt copied in three different patterns of cotton, and bought a cotton bedspread. We also bought a wooden carved Ganesh, teas and spices.
I’d say, take advice from your hotel, driver, or guide about where to shop; our driver took us to a cloth shop, and Colin’s perfectly tailored shirts were delivered the next day. We didn’t feel ripped off, and everything was good quality – but we would have complained to our tour company, so their staff only use trusted outlets.
Haggle, haggle, haggle. Don’t buy anything you’re not going to use. And if you wouldn’t know a sapphire from a piece of glass, don’t take a risk.
August 2019
MORE INFO
JAIPUR TOURISM BOARD’S slick and detailed site has all the information you’ll need to plan a memorable visit. READ MORE
RELATED
THE TEMPLE OF LOVE: It’s the symbol of India, it’s one of the world’s most famous buildings, and it comes with a heart-breaking love story. The Taj Mahal has it all… READ MORE
SHIMLA, QUEEN OF HILLS: Government officials once retreated to Shimla in the foothills of the Himalayas to escape India’s blazing hot summers. Now tourists make the same journey… READ MORE
RUDYARD KIPLING COUNTRY: Staying at the Oberoi Cecil in Shimla, India, means you’re never far from the story of author Rudyard Kipling, but be warned: There are monkeys, too! READ MORE
DELHI ATTRACTIONS: We kicked off our amazing trip to India with Delhi, on a Monday – the day the Red Fort is shut. So what else is there to do in the nation’s capital? READ MORE
COX & KINGS – WORTH IT? The travel company Cox & Kings has been taking people to India since 1758, so we travelled there with them too. It wasn’t cheap – but was it worth it? READ MORE
RECOMMENDED
WELCOME TO OUR WORLD! Afaranwide’s home page – this is where you can find out about our latest posts and other highlights. READ MORE
TOP 10 VIRTUAL ATTRACTIONS: Many of the world’s most popular tourists sites are closed because of the coronavirus crisis, but you can still visit them virtually while you’re self-isolating. READ MORE
TEN THINGS WE LEARNED: Our up-to-the-minute guide to creating a website, one step at a time. The costs, the mistakes – it’s what we wish we’d known when we started blogging. READ MORE
TROUBLED TIMES FOR EXPATS: Moving abroad can seem an idyllic prospect, but what happens when sudden upheavals or the inescapable realities of life intrude? READ MORE