JaiPur - The Pink City of Rajasthan....

Jaipur city , The first thought i had about this place is the awesome food and culture they have.. :) 

We planned for a whole week holiday in Jaipur.... We started from Bangalore airport in the morning and reached in the afternoon. The flight is of 4 hours as it had a transit in Mumbai. 

DAY 1 : 

Day 1 started with a traditional rajasthani thali for lunch at the Ratan Haveli where we stayed.. 

The old haveli is full of rajasthani culture.We took some time to check out the Haveli, It had a Bawdi which is a small pool to have bath, A temple and beautifully designed rooms in rajasthani style..

In the evening we went this amazing Light & Sound show at Amer fort. There are 2 shows - Hindi and English

We went for the Hindi show which was at 8:30 in the evening. The show lasts for an hour and it depicts the whole story of the fort. I was remembering the history classes ;). This is the best thing to do first as it gives an overall picture of Jaipur :)

DAY 2 :

Day 2 we planned for a city tour and visited the most beautiful palaces ever.

Jantar Mantar - Its one of the largest stone astronomical observatory in the world.The Jantar Mantar was built by Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II, the founder of Jaipur and the Rajput ruler of Amber.The observatory has around 13 different instruments of various geometrical forms for calculating the time of day, the heights of heavenly bodies, predicting eclipses and the situations of constellations.

The colossal Samrat Jantar is the sun dial that is 90 feet high and its shadow is carefully contrived to tell the time of a day. The small domed cupola (chhatri) at the top is used for predicting eclipses and the coming of monsoons

 

City Palace and Museum - City Palace of Jaipur is a brilliant work of Rajput Architecture. Its one of the major tourist attraction in jaipur.The beautiful palace was built by Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh during his reign.Palace stands apart, with its outstanding art and architecture.

Diwan-I-Khas, a hall meant for private audience. It has two sterling silver vessels on display and they are acclaimed to be the world's largest silver vessel. These vessels 

were made for Maharaja Sawai Madho Singh II to carry water from River Ganga to drink on his trip to England. Diwan-I-Aam, which was meant for public audience, forms the other attraction of this courtyard. At present, it makes an art gallery showcasing enthralling painted ceilings and rare ancient handwritten original manuscripts of Hindu scriptures. 

Jal Mahal - Jal Mahal Palace of Jaipur is an extremely romantic place with its red sandstone intricate architecture casting beautiful reflections in the calm waters of the Man Sagar Lake.This palace is also beautiful in the evening when its beautifully lit up.

Amer Fort - The Amber Fort looks stunning, all-built in white marble and red sandstone. 
Amber Fort also called the Amer Fort is a must-see if you are visiting Rajasthan.The outer appearance of the Fort, being rough and craggy is totally different from its core. The interior of the Fort provides a soothing and warm ambience, which is least expected from its outer appearance. The marvelous decoration of the Amer Fort is influenced by both, the Hindu and Muslim manner of ornamentation.

After all this it was time for some shopping.. :) 

Jaipur is famous for Blue pottery and i was curious to know what it offers.The art of making blue glaze pottery came to Rajasthan via Kashmir, their entry point into India. The name comes from the eye-catching Persian blue dye used.

Mojari or Jaipuri Jutti - Its made from Natural Camel Leather and artistically designed. You can find a variety of stuff to choose from and take home a good collection of them ;)

DAY 3 :

HOT AIR BALLOON RIDE  & CHOKHI DHANI

Day 3 was very special as we went on a Hot air Baloon ride in Jaipur.. We saw the actual farmville villages from top, Forest view and a glimpse of Rajasthan from top.

We landed in a nearby village and everyone there started asking us to come home and have food.. :)

Many tourists prefer to see the beautiful locations of Rajasthan from above in the hot air balloon rides. Skywaltz is a well known company which conducts safe adventurous risk free hot air balloon flights in Rajasthan.

After the beautiful Balloon ride we had the evening planned at  a resort called choki dhani

On the way we visited a factory of Rajasthani Rajai's near Sanghaner and you can find a vide variety of Besheets and Rajai's in rajasthani Bagru prints and vegetable dyes

Choki Dhani is a mini Rajasthan.. It captures the spirit of Rajasthan and gives a perfect Rajasthani experience 

A unique Village Resort. Chokhi Dhani literally means a “fine hamlet” i.e. a quintessential village that offers an ideal pastoral experience. Away from the urban life the quaint mud and thatch dwellings in the resort give the right blend of traditions - modern amenities in typical ethnic environment.

DAY 4 :

RANTHAMBORE NATIONAL PARK

Ranthambore National Park is one of the biggest and most renowned national park in Northern India. The park is located in the Sawai Madhopur district of southeastern Rajasthan, which is about 130 km from Jaipur.

We hired a car from the resort and drove to Ranthambore

There are 2 places you can cover in a days time

Ranthambore National park is spread over an area of 1,334 sq km along with its nearby sanctuaries like - the Mansingh Sanctuary and the Kaila Devi Sanctuary.The park is majorly famous for its tigers and is one of the best locations in India to see the majestic predators in its natural habitat. The tigers can be easily spotted even during the day time busy at their ordinary quest- hunting and taking proper care of their young ones.

Ranthambore Fort is located at the top of a rocky outcrop in the middle of the forest, which almost literally marks the meeting of the Aravali and Vindhya hills ranges. A marked difference can be noticed in the terrain in front of and that behind the fort. The fort is huge and covers an area of approximately 7 kilometers in circumference. It is one of the oldest forts in the country and is said to have been built in 944 AD a Chauhan warrior. 

The fort also possesses an excellent population of birds, resident and migratory. This is due to the numerous water bodies present within it's confines and the excellent vegetation. 

DAY 5:

Again a Long day trip planned to AJMER and PUSHKAR

AJMER : 

South west of Jaipur, Ajmer is an oasis wrapped in the green hills.

specially famous is the Dargah Sharif-tomb of the Sufi saint Khwaja Moinuddin Chisti, which is equally revered both by the Hindus and the Muslims. Ajmer is a centre of culture and education.

PUSHKAR:

With its holy lake and numerous ghaats and temples (including the ONLY Brahma Temple in the world), Pushkar is one of the most sacred Hindu towns in India.

Pushkar is located 15 kms towards the north west of Ajmer. Pushkar is believed to have come into existence when Lord Brahma the creator of Universe dropped his lotus flower from his hand on to earth. The petals landed at three spots and water magically appeared at those places amidst desert forming three beautiful lakes.

We visited a village in Pushkar and also saw beautiful rose gardens all on the way.

Pushkar is the best place to buy any items with Rose like gulkan and Rose water

Desert Camel Ride: There is a mini desert experience you can near Pushkar. This is the only place near Jaipur where you can get the camel ride on a desert

DAY 6 :

After 2 long days of driving we took a day off and rested in the resort ;)

We visited the Ganesha temple which was the first thing to be build as part of Jaipur by the king.Its on top of a hill and can be almost seen from all places in the city.

DAY 7 :

There were 2 more forts to visit

Jaigarh Fort:

Jaigarh Fort is located on the top of the hill, by the name of Cheel ka Teela (Hill of Eagles). Jaigarh Fort is also known as the 'Victory Fort', located at a comfortable distance of 15kms from Jaipur. Jaigarh Fort is considered as one of the spectacular forts in India. This Fort is on top of the hill, while Amber Fort is at the bottom. Many people regard the two as one complex however both of them are well connected with well guarded passages. Jaigarh Fort positioned centrally in the thorn-scrub hill, leaves a stern impact on the spectator at once

The highlight of this Fort is the massive cannon by the name of Jaivan, which was made in the same production house. Jaivan, the cannon, is believed to be the largest cannon in the World and the main attraction of the Jaigarh Fort

The museum has a remarkable collection of coins, puppets, photographs of the royal kings, buildings, processions and even a circular pack of cards besides many other remnants of the past. The armory has numerous swords, shields, guns, muskets and even a 50 kg cannon ball, which would take you back to the gallantry days of the Kings. One can also see a few weather beaten sedan chairs and drums at the Shubhat Niwas or the Meeting Hall of Warriors. Above all, the Fort offers a wonderful view of the city below. Jaigarh Fort is a perfect destination for a traveler, interested in the majestic past of India.

Nahargarh Fort:

Nahargarh Fort is the first of the three forts built by Maharaja Jai Sawai Singh of Jaipur. The Fort stands at the top of rugged point of the Aravalis and offers a spectacular view of the City. Keeping this fact in mind, the fort was made to serve as a means of supporting the security of Amer. The term "Nahargarh" refers to "the Abode of Tigers", so it is also known as the Tiger Fort. The Fort was constructed mainly in 1734, however further additions were made to it, by the succeeding rulers in the 19th century. 

Another major attraction of the Fort is that, it provides an eye catching view of the Man Sagar Lake and the suburbs. The geometrically designed Nahargarh Fort looks at its best in the night, when it is dazzlingly lit. Nahargarh Fort forms a remarkable backdrop of Jaipur and offers a glittering view of the city lights.

Day 8 :

Shopping was the main event of day 8.. 

Along with that we saw the famous HAWA MAHAL

The day started with LMB for Breakfast

LMB (Lakshmi Mishtan Bhandar) : This is one of the most famous place for breakfast. The place offers a wide variety of rajasthani food from Kachoris too Pooris :)

Hawamahal : 

Hawa Mahal is a major landmark and a famous tourist attraction of Jaipur. The Palace offers a beautiful sight to behold. The splendid Rajputana architecture of Hawa Mahal, still speaks the glory of the royal family.

Om Revolving Restaurant:

The restaurant revolves as we dine and offers a dazzling view of Jaipur in the night 

DAY 9 : 

The last @ Jaipur ... We did some more shopping left to Bangalore :) :)

PICTURE GALLERIA !!!  ---> http://magicalbeautyaround.blogspot.com/p/jaipur.html