Also known as the 'Pink City', because of the local pink sandstones which were used in the construction of its early buildings, Jaipur has a scenic setting, despite the fact that it has dry surrounding environs, as Rajasthan has the topography of being at the edge of the Thar desert on one side. However, Jaipur is surrounded by the rugged hills of the Aravalli range, that forms another edge of the state. Many of the hill tops are crowned with forts that are enclosed by embattled walls, stirring the imagination, as your tour guides takes you sightseeing to some of these forts, which were built as much for ostentation as for intimidating the enemy. You listen to all sorts of stories of valor and royal processions with caprisoned elephants and beautiful princesses. This being the land with the most martial record, where warring factions were constantly locked in warfare, and royal ladies preferred to consign themselves to flames, preferring death to dishonor.
The city of Jaipur is typical to the culture and traditions of this region, and in fact, it is rather like a living museum, especially as you visit the old walled city. The city owes its name to its founder, Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II ( 1699-1744 ), who was a great warrior and astronomer .His predecessors had enjoyed good relations with the Moghuls and Jai Singh was careful to cultivate this alliance. In 1727, when the Moghul power began to decline, the Maharaja decided that it was safe enough to move down from his somewhat cramped hillside fortress at nearby Amber to a new site on the plains.
As he had a keen eye for detail, and a good scientific temperament, he guided a young Bengali architect, Vidyadhar Bhattacharya in his employ, to formalise the city’s plans in a grid system, and provide for one of the best drinking water systems in the medieval world. It was the only planned city of its time, having surrounding walls, with six rectangular blocks in accordance with the principles of town planning set set down in the Shilpa-Shastra, an ancient Hindu treatise on architecture |
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