About Jaipur

Jaipur was founded in 1727 by Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II, a Kachwaha Rajput, who ruled from 1699-1744. Initially his capital was Amber (city), which lies at a distance of 11 km from Jaipur. He felt the need of shifting his capital city with the increase in population and growing scarcity of water. Jaipur is the first planned city of India. The King consulted several books on architecture and architects before making the lay out of Jaipur.

After several battles with Marathas, Jai Singh was keen on the security aspect of the city. Being a lover of mathematics and science, Jai Singh sought advice from Vidyadhar Bhattacharya, a Brahmin scholar of Bengal, to aid him design the city architecture.

The construction of the city started in 1727. It took around 4 years to complete the major palaces, roads and square. The city was built following the principles of Shilpa Shastra, the Indian Architecture. The city was divided into nine blocks, of which two consist the state buildings and palaces, with the remaining seven allotted to the public. Huge fortification walls were made along with seven strong gates.

For the time, architecture of the town was very advanced and certainly the best in Indian subcontinent. In 1853, when the Prince of Wales visited Jaipur, the whole city was painted pink to welcome him. Today, avenues remain painted in pink, provide a distinctive appearance to the city.

In the 19th century the city grew rapidly ; by 1900 it had a population of 160,000. The city's wide boulevards were paved and lit with gas.

The city had several hospitals. Its chief industries were in metals and marble, fostered by a school of art founded in 1868. The city also had three colleges, including a Sanskrit college (1865) and a girls' school (1867) initiated under the reign of the enigmatic Maharaja Sawai Ram Singh II. There was also a wealthy and enterprising community of native bankers, particularly the Jains and the Marwaris.

 

 


Jaipur Airport

Jaipur Airport, also known as Sanganer Airport, is the only international airport in the state of Rajasthan. It is located near Sanganer, at a distance of about 13 km from the City Centre of Jaipur, the capital of Rajasthan. The airport was granted the status of an international airport on December 29, 2005, with an aim of catering the increased air traffic to India and also boosting up tourism in the state. With the Terminal 1 capable of individually accommodating four A-320 aircraft at a time, terminal building can cater to 500 passengers at a time. The runway length of 9,000 feet and the civil apron (Terminal 2), capable of accommodating seven A320 aircrafts add to the capacity. Plans are afoot to extend the runway length to 12,000 feet and expand terminal building to accommodate 1,000 passengers per hour.

Airlines

Domestic

  • Air India Express (Delhi)

  • Air India Regional (Delhi, Udaipur)

  • GoAir (Delhi, Mumbai)

  • Indian Airlines (Ahmedabad, Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai)

  • IndiGo Airlines (Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Chennai, Guwahati, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Mumbai)

  • Jet Airways (Delhi, Mumbai, Udaipur)

  • JetLite (Ahmedabad, Bangalore)

  • Kingfisher Airlines (Bangalore, Delhi, Jodhpur, Mumbai, Udaipur)

  • SpiceJet (Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Chennai, Goa, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Mumbai)

International

  • Air Arabia (Sharjah)

  • Air India Express (Dubai)

  • Indian Airlines (Dubai)

  • Oman Air (Muscat)

Passenger Facilities

  • Post Office

  • Prepaid Taxi

  • Communication Center

  • Infant Room

  • Handicraft Emporium

  • Duty Free Shop

  • Book Stall

  • Foreign Exchange Counter

  • Tea / Coffee Counter

  • Tourist Information Center

  • Immigration

  • Snack Bar

  • Baggage Trolleys

  • Telephone Security Hold Area

  • Wheel Chair

  • Medical Services (on call)

  • Assistance to physically challenged / aged / infirm

 


Jaipur Temperature

 Climate:    Extreme Type Summer temperature :    Minimum: 25.8o C    Maximum: 45o C  Winter temperature:    Minimum: 5o C <   Maximum: 22o C  Annual rainfall: <   556mm

Weather of Jaipur can be termed as warm, being situated in the desert area. The three main seasons, summer, monsoon and winter respectively, influence the city of Jaipur. Situated at an altitude of 431m above sea level, Jaipur has extreme type of Climate. Summers are extremely hot with shining sun on the head whereas winters are comparatively cool. However, the nights in winters are bitterly cold. 

The climate and weather of Jaipur is usually hot. The summer season persists from Mid-March to June reaching to the maximum temperature of 45o C. The showers of Monsoons come usually in the month of July preceded by dust and thunderstorms. The city doesn't receive much rain. During the post-monsoon season in September, Jaipur gets hot spell once again. In winters, the city of Jaipur observes bright and pleasant sunny days, though the temperature can reach a low of around 5o C during the nights.


Frequent problem in winter season is fog that covers the whole city in the evening. Winters dominates the land of Jaipur from the month of October till the month of March. The best time to visit Jaipur is during winters, when the weather is pleasant and very favorable to travel around the royal city of Jaipur.

 


History of Jaipur

Jaipur, the pink city was founded in 1727 by Maharaja Jai Singh II, a Kachhwaha Rajput, who ruled from 1699-1744. Initially his capital was Amber, which lies at adistance of 11kms from Jaipur. He felt the need of shifting his capital city with the increase in population and growing scarcity of water. Jaipur is the first planned city of India and the King took great interest while designing this city of victory. He consulted several books on architecture and architects before making the lay out of Jaipur. 

After several battles with Marathas, Jai Singh was keen on the security aspect of the city. Due to this reason, he focused on his scientific and cultural interests to make a brilliant city. Being, a lover of mathematics and science, Jai Singh sought advice from Vidyadhar Bhattacharya, a Brahmin scholar of Bengal, to aid him design the city architecture. Vidyadhar referred the ancient Indian literature on astronomy, books of Ptolemy and Euclid, and discussed the plan with the King. 

With a strategic plan, the construction of the city started in 1727. It took around 4 years to complete the major palaces, roads and square. The city was built following the principles of Shilpa Shastra, the Indian Architecture. The city was divided into nine blocks, out of which two consist the state buildings and palaces, whereas the remaining seven blocks were allotted to the public. In order to ensure the security, huge fortification walls were made along with seven strong gates. 

According to that time, architecture of the town was very advanced and certainly the best in Indian subcontinent. In 1853, when Prince of Wales visited Jaipur, the whole city was painted in Pink color to welcome him. Still, the neat and broadly laid-out avenues, painted in pink provide a magical charm to the city. Jaipur is rich in its cultural and architectural beauty, which can be traced in the various historical and aesthetic places that reside in the city. This city of victory really wins the hearts of the people with its splendid charisma.

 

 


Jaipur

Jaipur is the first planned city of India, located in the desert lands of Rajasthan. The city that once had been the capital of the royalty, now serves as the capital city of Rajasthan. The very structure of Jaipur resembles the taste of the Rajputs and the Royal family. In the present date, Jaipur is the major business centre for the natives of Rajasthan with all requisites of a metropolitan city. The city of Jaipur, painted in pink, grasp the appreciation of every visitor. One can see that hoary charm still alive in the avenues of Jaipur. 

The active streets of Jaipur get plenty of visitors, every year at their footsteps. The Ancient Testimonials in the form of mind-blowing monuments remind one of the past ages. The city comprises the famous structures like Hawa Mahal, City Palace and Amber Fort, the best architectural examples of India. Artistic temples and gardens of Jaipur, marks the atmosphere of serenity and aestheticism to the lands of Rajasthan. The lively city observes its ethnicity by celebrating various festivals like Kite festival, Elephant festival and many others, of Indian origin. 

All theses features make Jaipur, one of the most sought after tourist destinations of Rajasthan, India. The glorious city boasts of its cultural heritage from every nook and corner. Jaipur is the reservoir of Indian customs, traditions, civilization and legacy. Jaipur lies at a distance of 260 kms from Delhi, the capital of India and the city is well-connected with other major cities of India. Every year, People across the globe come to experience this royal capital city of Rajasthan.

 

 


Jaipur Culture

Jaipur is a land of cultural heritage unfolding the legacy of the royal past. When you are planning to visit Jaipur, it is important to know about the culture, customs and traditions that are followed there. However, Jaipur has joined the parade of metropolitan cities; still there are some traditions and customs in the city, which you will find quite surprising. 

Jaipur is the commercial centre for most of the rural regions of Rajasthan, so you could come across typical Rajasthani men and women wearing turbans and ghagra-choli respectively during your stroll in the city. The cultural prosperity of Jaipur is visible in its local festivals and fairs. In this article, we have covered the people, cuisine, language, religion, folk dance and music of Jaipur.

Cuisine
Jaipur's cuisine is rich like the royalty of Jaipur. Cuisine of Jaipur offers many delicacies to gratify the appetite of every taste. In Jaipur, lot of ghee and butter is used in cooking the food. Dal-Bati Churma, Dahi Vada, Mawa Kachori, Besan Ka Gatta, Ker Sangri, Pyaaz Ki Kachauri, Chakke Ki Sabji and Jodhpur Ki Rabri are some of the main attractions of Rajasthani cuisine. Rajasthani Food is usually vegetarian, pure and nutritious. 

People
People of Jaipur are quite rugged in their appearance. However, these desert people are well-built, cheerful and simple rather untouched by the swiftness of modern times. Here, people prefer to wear bright colored clothes, as if they are compensating for the barren landscape. Women of Jaipur like Red, yellow, green and orange colored attire with a dazzling work of gold/ silver zari or gota. Tribal Ladies wear loads of Silver jewelry even men too can be spotted wearing earrings. The men wear turbans or pagadis of bandhej (tie & dye) in bright colors. 

Languages
Language is a crucial medium to communicate. The primary language of Jaipur is Rajasthani. However, Marwari, Hindi and English are also prevalent in the city. 

Religion
The main religion which is followed in Jaipur is Hinduism. Other religions include Jainism, Islam, Sikhism and Christianity in the decreasing order. 

Folk Dance and Music
Dance and Music of Jaipur bring liveliness to the desert lands of Rajasthan. "Ghoomar" is the main folk dance of Jaipur in which the ladies flaunts their huge ghagras or skirts while dancing. Regarding music, the people of Jaipur share the royal interest of Rajputs in Morchang, Naad, Tanpura, Sarangi and many others.

 

 


Restaurants in Jaipur

Restaurants in Jaipur

Jaipur is a city of royalty, a land which has served rich food to the Kings and queens of the royal family. The imperial kitchens of Rajasthan used to employ 'Khansamas' (the royal cooks) to make the best gastronomy. The Pink city still serves the best delicacies to its residents and tourists. If you are planning a trip to Jaipur, leave your worries aside as the city has myriad number of restaurants. Almost all the restaurants serve every type of cuisine, so you need not to think about what to eat. 

Jaipur is famous for its Dal Batti,  Kachori, Ghewar, Mirchi Bada, Rajasthani Subji and different kinds of Chapattis. For those who are not very ardent on trying the traditional Rajasthani food, there are ample of restaurants that serve special cuisines from Chinese and Thai to Intercontinental and Italian food. If you are a lover of fast food, the great variety of patties, pastries, sandwiches, pizzas, Indian chat etc. will definitely satisfy your appetite. 

Among the various restaurants, LMB, Rawat and Suvarna Mahal are the most famous for Rajasthani cuisine. There are numerous multicuisine restaurants offering Indian, Continental and Chinese cuisine along the famous MI Road. Hotel Maharani Palace, Hotel Rambagh Palace, Hotel Mansingh Palace and Hotel Jai Mahal Palace are some of the palace turned hotels that have some quality bars and multicuisine restaurants too. 

List of Restaurants in Jaipur

Rajasthani and Indian

  • Laxmi Misthan Bhandar (LMB)

  • Surya Mahal

  • Rawat Misthan Bhandar

  • Annapurna

  • Suvarna Mahal Restaurant

  • Gulab Mahal

Multicuisine

  • The Royal Treat

  • The Niros

  • Dasaprakash Restaurant

  • Natraj MI Road Multicuisine

  • Copper Chimney

  • The Temptations

  • Shivir Restaurant

Fast Food

  • Pizza Hut

  • Fresh Flavours

  • Garden Cafe

  • Hotel Breads

  • Surya Mahal

Coffee Shops

  • Indian Coffee House

  • Baradari Mansingh Hotel

  • Jai Mahal Palace

  • Neel Mahal Rambagh Palace

  • Palms Holiday Inn

Bars

  • Madhu Shala Mangal Hotel

  • Maharani Express Maharani Palace

  • Hotel Mansagar The Trident

  • Polo Rambagh Palace

  • Hotel Rana Sanga Roof Top Mansingh Palace

  • Rang Mahal Jai Mahal Palace

  • Saqui Gangaur Tourist Bungalow

  • Sheesh Mahal Welcomgroup Rajputana Palace Sheraton

  • Talab Swagatam Hotel


Jaipur Shopping

Jaipur is a city of vibrant colors and markets (bazaars) of Jaipur verify this fact. Jaipur's colorful markets offer a great break to stop and shop on you tour. Usually tourists include shopping and visiting the lively markets of Jaipur in their itinerary. While moving through the markets, you will come across the vivacious culture of this region. Jaipur is the perfect place to shop for Handicrafts, antiques, jewelry, gems, pottery, carpets, textiles, metalwork and leatherware. 

In Jaipur, there are many markets to present you the art and craft of Rajasthan. Kishanpol Bazar, Haldiyon Ka Rasta, Mahiharon Ka Rasta, M.I. Road, Jauhari Bazar, Bapu Bazar, Nehru Bazaar are the main markets of Jaipur. One cannot define in words, the assortment of products, which these markets offer. You have to visit the city to experience the actual range of stuff. Shopping is an electrifying activity in Jaipur. If you don't visit these markets of Jaipur, you will be definitely at amiss. Without a shopping spree in Jaipur's markets, no trip to Jaipur is complete. In this section, we will tell you about the shopping attractions of Jaipur.

Jaipur Fabric and Carpets
Jaipur is considered as the best city to shop in Rajasthan, India. This majestic city offers you the best of traditional Rajasthan. Jaipur is famous for its bright colored fabric and textile. Tripolia Bazaar, Kishanpol bazaar, Bapu and Nehru Bazaar are the various markets of Jaipur, where you can find fabrics and carpets. 

Jaipur Handicrafts
Handicrafts of Jaipur are well-known throughout the world for their distinctive quality and exclusive variety. Due to this fact, Jaipur is also recognized as crafts capital of India. The Royal Family of Jaipur patronized the craftsmen and artisans, which led to the flourishing of arts and crafts in Rajasthan. If you are an art lover, Markets of Jaipur offer rich and assorted handicrafts of interest. 


Jaipur Camel Leather Items
Rajasthan is famous for its leather craft industry. Many a people of different places in Rajasthan are engaged in the same industry. Leather items like Jutis, Mojaris (slippers), Bags, Sandals, Shoes and Purses made in Jaipur catch the due attention of the tourists. 

Jaipur Jewelry and Gems
Rajasthan is famous for its traditional jewellery since innumerable years. When talking about Rajasthan, Jaipur is always the centre of attraction. From centuries, this royal land has been flourished with precious stones and jewelry. Jaipur is renowned for its exclusive designs and splendid jewelry

 

 


Jaipur Temples

The cultural roots of Jaipur are reflected in the temples of Jaipur. The city houses several temples, which depict the religious nature of the pink city dwellers. The royalty of Jaipur always encouraged the spirituality and aesthetic sense of admiration in the foundation of the city. It doesn't mean that people are conservative or orthodox in their approach. Here, all religions are equally appreciated, but as Hindus dominate the city, you will find a number of temples in Jaipur.

The artistic temples of Jaipur provide an enthralling view to the visitors. Amongst the others, temples like Birla Mandir, Moti Dungri, Galta ji and Govind Deo Ji are worth mentioning. Birla Mandir gets the limelight of this trip with its wonderful carvings and brilliant architecture. Dedicated to Lord Ganesha, the Temple of Moti Dungri lies on the peak of a hill. Govind Deo ji temple is situated in the beautiful City Palace complex of Jaipur. 

Galta Ji Temple is dedicated to sun god and gives a panoramic view of the city of Jaipur. All these temples are known for their architectural styles and craftsmanship of their designers. The spiritual aura, which these temples create, attracts tourists and devotees from both far and near. In this section, you will get to know more about temples of Jaipur. 

Galtaji
Galtaji is a holy pilgrimage of India, located 10 kms away from Jaipur in Rajasthan. The vast complex of Galta Ji has several temples in it. The Temple of Galtaji is famous for its natural water springs. Set amidst the beautiful landscape, Galtaji Temple offers a picturesque view of the city. 

Birla Temple
Birla Temple forms one of the major attractions of Jaipur. Birla Temple of Jaipur looks stunning, when it is brightly lit in the night. Birla Mandir, in pure white marble, dominates the skyline of southern part of Jaipur. The enormous temple was built during the year 1988, by Birla Group of Industries, one of the business tycoons of India. The Temple is dedicated to Lord Vishnu (Narayan), the preserver and his consort Lakshmi, the Goddess of wealth. Due to this reason, Birla Temple is also known as Laxmi Narayan Temple.

Govind Dev Ji Temple
Govind Dev Ji Temple is one amongst the major tourist attractions of Jaipur. The Temple represents the royal past of Jaipur. The Temple is dedicated to Govind Dev Ji (Other name of Lord Krishna). Govind Devji Temple of Jaipur is situated in the City Palace complex, between the Chandra Mahal and Badal Mahal. 

Moti Dungri
Moti Dungri is a small hill, centrally located in the city of Jaipur. The term Moti Dungri means Hill of Pearls or Pearl Hill. The hill is occupied by a palace and a temple. The temple of Moti Doongri is dedicated to Lord Ganesha. This ancient temple serves as a tourist attraction for the scenic view it offers.

 

 

 


Travel Tip Jaipur

 

Collect or exchange as much small change as practical, very few people seem to have change, especially in rural areas.

Take a fair amount of small denomination US money for airport (departure) taxes and when you only need to exchange a small amount of money-like when leaving a country. You can also often get better prices in shops if you pay with greenbacks.

In general, cash is better than traveler's checks. Cash can be easier and quicker to exchange and command a higher rate or the commission can be lower. In some places, the larger the denomination of bills, the better the exchange rate. Many merchants will take dollars and their rate of exchange can be higher than the "official" rate.

Refer to your guide book on the existence of any black market for currency exchange and whether to or how to use it. Some countries are more tolerant of black markets than others.

When you exchange money, exchange as much as you think you will need for some time as it can be a real time consuming task or the banks will have odd (and short) hours. You may not be able to exchange money at all in small towns or in the countryside. Money can also be exchanged in many hotels.

Take a personal check and an American Express card. If you need more money, you can go into an American Express office with your card and write a check for traveler's checks. Cash machines are also more common now in large cities.

Keep money and valuables in a money belt or pouch under your clothes. If you carry a bag for guide books, maps, brochures, etc., use one with a zipper and hang on to it. Leave your wallet and purse at home. Crimes that take place are usually crimes of opportunity, like pickpockets, as opposed to violent crime (unlike in the U.S. According to FBI statistics from more than 80 other countries, only the Bahamas has a higher than the U.S. per capita frequency of robberies and violent thefts).

Unless you have an audience with the head of state, leave all jewelry (and engagement 
ring) at home.

ALWAYS keep your passport, plane ticket, money and camera with you.

If something doesn’t go right, smile and be persistent in what you want. Getting mad, yelling or fist pounding will only be met with resistance.

As soon as you arrive someplace, arrange your way on to your next stop. Trains/planes/("first class") busses tend to get booked up in advance. Travel agencies can usually get reservations for you as they book blocks of seats well in advance.

Arrive early and get aboard early any bus/train/plane etc. They can be oversold and/or
fill up in a hurry.

When traveling by regular bus, try to get seated close to the front as they will keep packing people in until there is no room left inside. Additional people then hang on the outside and climb on the roof, when travelling in a ordinary bus.

Always settle on a fare before climbing into an un-metered taxi. If metered, make sure the driver will go by the meter or decide on a price. Make sure the price includes everyone in your party. In some countries, the meters can't be readjusted as fast as the rate of inflation so the fare may be the meter price plus X%. Check your guide book or ask someone if the driver won't go by the meter. Rates are often higher in the middle of the night and between an airport and town.

Reconfirm all airline flights along the way. It is possible to show up for a flight and not have a reservation because you did not reconfirm.

Every time you check in at the airport, check your tickets afterwards and make sure that the agent did not tear out more tickets than she/ he was supposed to.

When you step out the door of an airport, be prepared to become the focal point of dozens of taxi drivers and kids drumming up business for busses. Know what you want to do before stepping through the door. Check your travel guide or ask someone in the airport how much a ride to town should cost and what the choices are.

When you step off the bus or whatever in a new town and need a place to stay, and some kids come up and offer to show you a place, go ahead and use them. You can always take a look and say no. They are just trying to drum up business for someplace and/or a commission for themselves.

When asking directions to someplace, ask several people, and keep asking as you go.

Use a travel alarm clock to wake you up in time for that early morning bus/train/plane.

Medicines of all kinds are usually available in local pharmacies with no prescription necessary. Check expiration dates.

Unless you are in an expensive restaurant, you will be charged for any bread, butter, jam, cheese, olives, etc. on your table that you eat.

Check your guidebook for taxi and restaurant tipping guidelines. In some places the service is included, others it is not, and in still others there is a combination of included service charges and tipping. For tipping 10% of the bill amount is good.

If you wear shoes that can be polished, watch for kids who will sneak up to you, slap some polish on your shoes, then offer to finish the job. Settle on a price first if you decide to proceed.

f you hand out coins to children, you are likely to start a parade.

Above all, use common sense!