Jaipur , also popularly known as the Pink City, is the capital and largest city of the Indian state of Rajasthan. During the British rule in India, Jaipur was the capital of the princely state of Jaipur. Founded on 18 November 1727 by Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II, the ruler of Amber, the city today has a population of more than 3.2 million.

Jaipur is the first planned city of India, located in the semi-desert lands of Rajasthan. The city which once had been the capital of the royalty now is the capital city of Rajasthan. The very structure of Jaipur resembles the taste of the Rajputs and the Royal families. At present, Jaipur is a major business centre with all requisites of a metropolitan city.

The city is remarkable among pre-modern Indian cities for the width and regularity of its streets which are laid out into six sectors separated by broad streets 111 ft (34 m) wide. The urban quarters are further divided by networks of gridded streets. Five quarters wrap around the east, south, and west sides of a central palace quarter, with a sixth quarter immediately to the east. The Palace quarter encloses a sprawling palace complex, (Hawa Mahal), formal gardens, and a small lake. Nahargarh Fort, which was the residence of the King Sawai Jai Singh II, crowns the hill in the northwest corner of the old city. The observatory, Jantar Mantar, is one of the World Heritage Sites. Jaipur is a popular tourist destination in Rajasthan and India.

Transport

Road
The city of Jaipur is the capital of the state of Rajasthan and is centrally located. National Highway No.8 links Delhi to Mumbai, and National Highway No.11 links Bikaner to Agra, passing through Jaipur district with a total length of 366 km. The total length of different types of roads in the district was approximately 4,102 km in March 2000. Jaipur BRTS which is the Bus Rapid Transit System serving the city has been recently launched successfully.

Rail
Jaipur Railway station is the headquarters of the North Western Railway zone of the Indian Railways. It has direct trains on the broad gauge network to all major cities in Rajasthan and India such as Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Hyderabad, Bangalore, Gandhinagar, Pune, Indore, Bhopal, Gwalior, Jabalpur, Nagpur, Raipur, Lucknow, Kanpur, Varanasi, Patna, Trivendrum etc. and metre gauge network to Sri Ganganagar, Churu and Sikar. One of India’s most famous and luxurious trains The Palace on Wheels, also makes a scheduled stop in Jaipur. Metro Train is going to start in the city by 2013. Mono rail also been proposed, avail the facility by 2012.

Air
Jaipur International Airport is situated in its satellite town of Sanganer and offers sporadic service to Muscat, Sharjah, Bangkok and Dubai. Jaipur also has well connected domestic air links with Jodhpur, Udaipur, Aurangabad, Delhi, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Goa, Chennai, Ahmedabad, Indore, Bangalore, Mumbai, Surat, Bhopal, Lucknow, Gorakhpur and Jabalpur.

Tourist Attractions

Forts & Monuments

* Hawa Mahal
* Amber Fort
* Jaigarh Fort
* Nahargarh Fort
* City Palace
* Jantar Mantar
* Jal Mahal
* Rambagh Palace
* Central Museum, (Albert Hall Museum)

Temples

* Govind Dev Ji temple
* Galtaji
* Birla Temple also known as Lakshmi Narayan Mandir
* Moti Doongri Ganesh Temple
* Panchayati Hall devoted to Temples of Goddess Durga and Lord Shiva

Gardens

* Ram Niwas Garden
* Sisodia Rani Garden and Palace
* Vidyadhar Garden
* Kanak Vrindavan

Others

* Chand Baori(stepwell)
* Chokhi Dhani
* Raj Mandir Cinema

Festivals

Gangaur Festival

Gangaur is a significant festival of Jaipur. This festival is especially meant for the women. Gangaur festival is widely acclaimed and celebrated throughout the state of Rajasthan, in the month of March. The word Gangaur is derived from two words, ‘Gan’ and ‘Gauri’ which are synonyms of ‘Siva’ and his consort ‘Parvati’ respectively.

Literature Festival

Jaipur has been playing host to a literaure fair inviting writers from subcontinent.

Kite Festival

Kite Festival is a popular festival of Jaipur, Rajasthan. Kite flying is enjoyed by people of all age-groups. However, 14 January, the day of Makar Sankranti, makes the official day for flying kites in Jaipur. People make most out of the festival by flying kites for the whole day.

Teej Festival

Teej Festival is one of the most popular festivals of India. Festival of Teej is widely celebrated, but its real charm can be found only in Jaipur, Rajasthan. Teej celebrates the arrival of monsoon, after the scorching sun of summers. Teej is celebrated in the month of ‘Shravan’ (July-August), according to the Hindu calendar.

Shitla Mata Fair

A large fair is held to propitiate the goddess of war whose wrath can be the terrible scourge of smallpox unless appeased by her followers. Consecrated food on this day consists of stale food left out the previous night. The fair is held in and around the temple dedicated to the goddess in Amber, Jaipur.

Chaksu Fair

A gathering of people from Jaipur’s rural pockets collects here in almost all forms of transport – laden into tractor trolleys and jeeps – at what must be one of the most colourful events on the Rajasthani fair calendar.

Elephant Festival

Celebrated on the eve of Holi, in the month of March, this festival features Elephant Polo and Elephant Dance. The Elephant Festival begins with a beautiful procession of bedecked elephants, camels, horses and folk dancers. The owners proudly embellish their elephants with vibrant colors, jhools (saddle cloth) and heavy jewellery. It is quite a treat to see female elephants wearing anklets, which tinkle as they walk. One can see people sprinkling ‘gulaal’ (colored powder) perched on top of the elephant. The most beautifully decorated elephant is awarded. Elephant polo, Elephant race, the tug-of-war between Elephant and 19 men and women are the featured events of the festival.

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