Thinking of traveling to Jaipur, the pink city of Rajasthan? Well pay attention, because I am going to tell you about the wonders of this city, about its past of maharajas and princesses and I will tell you the 5 things to do and what to see in Jaipur in two or three days so you don’t miss the best That the pink city has to offer you.
Jaipur is the capital of Rajasthan, one of the most beautiful and visited states in India. It is said to be the most colorful city in Asia or “the Paris of India.” It is usually the gate to Rajasthan and is also known to be part of the famous Golden Triangle, which includes Delhi, Agra and Jaipur.
In addition, Jaipur is the first and oldest city in India with a geometric urban planning unlike the chaos of narrow streets that reigns in most cities and towns of India. It was founded in 1727 by Maharaja Sarai Jai Singh, governor of Amber, who decided to move his residence in Amber Fort to the new city, which declared capital.
5 Things to see in Jaipur in 3 days
Inside or outside the pink city is much that Jaipur has to offer. I arrived with the idea of staying alone for three nights and spending time in Jaipur el Holi (the color festival that celebrates the arrival of spring) and I ended up staying 5 nights. And yet, there were many things to see in Jaipur that remained in the inkwell, like the temple of the monkeys.
So you don’t miss anything, I leave you here the 5 things to see in Jaipur that, in my opinion, you should not miss.
The Palace of the winds or Hawal Mahal
I had seen it in photos, before arriving and, even so, the Palace of the Winds impressed me equally. Without a doubt, it is one of the things to see in Jaipur that you cannot miss. This building is like a whim, a fantasy building, so narrow, so full of windows, so pink, orange.
It was built in 1799 by the Maraja Sawai Pratap Singh and was designed by Lal Chand Usta. At that time it was part of the city palace and served as an extension of the zenana or chamber of women, destined for the harem of the maharaja. The multitude of windows is designed so that women could observe the street without being seen from it.
Its superior form resembles a peacock, although it was actually designed imitating the Crown of the god Krishna. Its poetic name responds to the wind that circulated through the windows that served as cooling, allowing the palace to remain cool and airy even in summer.
The Jaipur Palace, City Palace or the City Palace
The City Palace is, without a doubt, another one of the things to see in Jaipur that you cannot leave aside during your visit. It was built between 1929 and 1932 by the Maharaja Jai Singh II, then governor of Amber and belonging to the dynasty of the Rajputs.
Its architects, Vidyadar Bhattacharya, the chief architect of the royal court and Sir Samuel Swinton Jacob, apart from Sawai himself, who was in love with architecture, managed to capture a fusion of Indian architecture by Shilpa Shastra with Rajputs, Mughal architecture styles and Europeans. From then on the following governors were adding more buildings to the palace until the 20th century.
Today, it continues to function as a royal residence so you can only visit Chandra Mahal, the Badal Mahal, the palace museum, the Shri Govind temple or the Mubarak Mahal.
The Jantar Mantar Observatory
Another of the things to see in Jaipur within The Pink City is the Jantar Mantar Observatory, which is easy to recognize because it stands out from the top of the other buildings.
It is one of the five observatories built by the Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh in India, who was a great fan of astronomy. He had it built in 1728, along with the rest of the main buildings in the city.
It is formed by sculptural monuments in different ways that allow you to study the evolution of its shadows produced by the sun. Among them, there is a high tower that you can see from outside the enclosure, without entering.
I am the only thing I saw, because the day I went to know the pink city was already closed and although I could have returned, out of ignorance I thought that the only thing that was worth it was to climb the tower to enjoy the panoramic view, but now I have seen the site inside on their website, they made me want to come back.
The Iswari Minar Swarga Sal minaret
Located first to the Tripolia door, one of the doors of the pink city, it is one of the landmarks, one of the things to see in Jaipur. It was built in 1749 by Iswari, the son of Jai Singh, to commemorate the victory against his half-brother Madho Shing and dominate and control the city.
You can climb to it and enjoy beautiful panoramic views of the city. The entrance is in the back, in a small alley about fifty meters. As for the price, the locals told me that there were 200 rupees up, but to know if they were referring to the same.
The Bazaars
You just have to walk the streets of the pink city to find a multitude of bazaars on either side of the street. Under the pink arcades you will find the main bazaars of Jaipur, organized as formerly, by item.
The street of the crafts, the street of the bags, the jewelers, the stalls of toys, of bicycles… All organized next to each other giving the pink city that local air.
