Rajasthan TourismVibrant Rajasthan – Travel to the Land of History, Legends, Valorous Warriors And Heritage Hotels….

Having a great interest in Indian Mythology, I read the literature off and on. While doing the same, I came across the importance of elephants. The animal is among the most revered animals.

Jaipur Elephant Festival

It was believed to be emerged from the ocean after the churning of the ocean took place between the demons and gods to attain the immortality.

Reading this, my memories of the tour to Rajasthan got alive. I was there with my husband during the time of elephant festival. Among the most popular festivals of Jaipur, it offers you the opportunity to view the grandeour of the city.

All royal guests were being taken to the renowned Amber Fort on elephant back. Not only this, but some special elephant fights were also conducted to offer entertainment for the guests.

This spectacular elephant festival in Jaipur is organized in March every year. The grand procession just enthralled us. The elephants were bedecked on their heads and the tips of tails with heavy jewellery, flowers and other ornamentation you could imagine.

To our surprise, they were also wearing anklets that tinkle once they walk down in all their glory.

We enjoyed being witness to the various games like polo, races and Holi. Splashing each other with bright colours, they create a wonderful scene.

What could be more fascinating than the performance of folk dancers! It felt like we were in a grand celebration that would never end.

Besides elephants, other decorated animals like horses and camels can also be seen there. The highlight of the procession was, it could be seen with all the original grandeur of the old era.

Rajasthani Folk Dance

With the end of the procession, we were invited to mount the elephants. Many other tourists like us also grabbed this wonderful opportunity and enjoyed a lot. Some enthusiastic visitors also started playing with colours.

We also joined in the parade. The whole atmosphere soon became jovial.

The musical notes of the folk performers also added charm to the festival. With much enjoyment and recreating the age-old legacy, the grandeur of the festival ended.

The memories of the elephant festival are still fresh and takes me to the world of royalty.

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City Palace Jaipur

Having read about Rajasthan in several books and heard a lot about the grandeur of Forts and Palaces of Rajasthan, I too wanted to experience an oasis. My wish got fulfilled when I set forth to get a wonderful trip to the princely state of Rajasthan. This time, a group of my colleagues accompanied me on the trip.

The forts and palaces of Rajasthan have been living testimony of this heroic ground. The state is admired for wonderful destination cities like Jaisalmer, Udaipur, Jodhpur, Jaipur, Bikaner and Chittorgarh. Embellished with rich architectural heritage, the forts and palaces of Rajasthan have made it achieve glory in the nation as renowned tourist spot. The forts of the place showcase distinct blend of Hindu as well as Mughal architectural styles. Expressive of the bygone era, these monuments are acknowledged for the great Rajasthan history.

A mark of rich traditions and culture, the monuments in the Rajasthan are one of the best ways to experience the royalty of this princely state.

Starting our journey from Delhi, we reached Mandawa in Rajasthan. After taking rest, we all were excited to experience the forts and palaces of Rajasthan, so we arrived at Bikaner.

Bikaner Fort
Bikaner fort is also referred to as the Junagarh Fort. Built by Raja Rai Singh. The fort comprises 37 bastions that are nicely complimented with different palaces, pavilions, towers and temples.

There is also an exquisitely carved Chandra Mahal. Adorned with mirrors and art works, it creates a beautiful scene. We also went to a museum inside this fort and came across a wide collection of ancient manuscripts, gems, carpets and royal weaponry.

Khimsar Fort
This 16^th century old grand fort is a unique example of traditional Rajasthani architecture. This yellow coloured fort is now transformed into a heritage hotel. It offers a world-class accommodation with modern amenities for a royal experience.

Jaisalmer Fort
Built in 1156 A.D., the Jaisalmer fort is renowned as the second oldest fort in Rajasthan after Chittaurgarh. The interior is decorated in typical Rajput style. The bastions, ramparts and the long-stretching walls of the fort dazzle amazingly during dawn and at dusk.

Mehrangarh Fort
As we entered in this wonderful fort in Jodhpur, we were stunned to see the marvels of architecture.

This majestic fort is among the finest forts of the royal land known for its imposing structure over 125 meters above rocky cliffs. It is sprawled over an area of 5 sq. km. For an easy access, there are seven gates.

City Palace
Situated in Udaipur, the City Palace is a heritage building. It showcases the finest elements of ancient Rajput culture and the arts. We entered through the ‘Elephant Gate’, which is popularly referred as the ‘Hathi Pol’. The architecture of this palace displays aesthetic beauty of the exquisite artwork.

Other Attractions of Udaipur, which we visited, include Jagmandir Palace, Saheliyon-Ki-Bari, Jagdish Temple and Folk Art Museum.

Chittorgarh Fort
On our Udaipur excursion, we reached Chittorgarh. We visited The Chittaurgarh Fort which is among the famous forts of Rajasthan. Located on a 180 meter high hill in the Chittor District, this fort boasts of the finest glimpses of architectural wonder. This fort has a majestic construction that just captivated our attention.

Amber Fort
Situated in Jaipur, Amber fort is a majestic and stately fort. Built by Raja Man and completed by Sawai Jai Singh, this fort is made in while marble and red sand stone. The fort houses a famous temple Jai Mandir which has Sheesh Mahal. When we entered in the mahal, we saw a beautiful hall of mirrors which are artistically set and illumine the hall amazingly.

Hawa Mahal
This architectural marvel is situated in Jaipur. Renowned for its five-storied pyramid-shaped facades, this palace has 953 small windows. These windows are referred as ‘Jharokha’ and adorned with tiny lattice work.

The tour experience of Rajasthan still fills my heart with delightful memories.

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Jaipur Architectural Delight

On a way to Udiapur with my family we have taken 5 hours break in Jaipur so that we can explore the major attractions of India’s Pink City.  Jaipur is called Pink City of India because of several pink stucco buildings that lie in the periphery of this city. This Capital City of Rajasthan is well connected with India’s major cities via rail, road and airways.  I along with niece and cousins started our Udaipur journey from Delhi in Tempo Traveler.

We began our drive in early morning and reached Jaipur by 2 pm. This 6 hour journey was pleasurable because we got ample of time to gossip and many things to share because we all are meeting after the time span of 2 years. Throughout the ride we shared our past memories and pulled each other legs. Before embarking our Jaipur excursion we took traditional Rajasthani food in our lunch at roadside restaurant. The taste was so good that it is still lingering on my taste bud. After satisfying our appetite we went to see the Hawa Mahal which is the icon of this place. This is one of the most famous attractions of this place which is visited by almost every tourist who comes here.

Hawa Mahal is the man made marvel which is also known as ‘Palace of Winds’ or ‘Palace of the Breeze’. This is a pyramid-shaped five storied facade made up of red and pink sandstone. We were amazed by the beauty of 953 small windows popularly known as ‘Jharokhas’ which are decorated with tiny lattice work. One of our cousins who worked in Tourism industry briefed us about the whole structure along with its historical and cultural significance. She told us that it was built for the women of the Royal Families to watch various activities taking place on the streets. It is the wonderful Rajputana structure which was built by Maharaja Sawai Pratap Singh in 1799.

After seeing this Rajasthan wonder we headed for Amber fort which is magnificent building and among the finest example of man made imaginations crafted out of stone carving and adorned with beautiful decorations.

The magnetic constructions of white marble, red sandstone and delicate decorations make Amber fort a grandiose structure which lures scores of tourists to this place. Apart from this the Maotha Lake in foreground adds extra glamour to this structure which touches the heart of every visitor and we were among them. Again our cousin briefed about this heart gripping palace. The construction of this fort was commenced in 1592 during the reign of Raja Man Singh I but it was finally completed during the period of Raja Jai Singh I. Intricate carvings, minute mirror work and mosaic work throughout the complex utters the glory of Rajputana royalty and legacy who made this grand structure.

The major attraction of this fort is Diwan-e-Aam or the ‘Hall of Public Audience’ which is the forty pillared marquee built for Maharaja to meet the general public. Though there are many attractions inside the fort but Jai Mandir ‘Hall of Victory’ famous for stunning ceiling adorned with mirror work and an inlaid panel captivated our attentions for long time. The elephant ride is the best way to explore the diverse beauty of this fort. But due to lack of time we couldn’t enjoy the royal ride of gentle giant.

The visit to these two royal structures pleased our eyes and rejuvenated our mind but exhausted our stamina. So we dropped our plan to visit any more attractions of this historical city. On insist from cousins we went to Jauhari Bazaar which is among the best places of Jaipur to purchase tie-and-dye items. Here, we purchased some semi-precious stones, handcrafted footwear, costumes and handicrafts as a souvenir of this place.

After that we again embarked our journey to Udaipur in the same tempo traveler. On the way we stopped for dinner at roadside restaurant where we tasted some of the best Rajasthani food which again filled our appetite but not satisfied our taste.

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After getting high on entertainment in the wonderful Elephant festival in Jaipur, I with full enthusiasm was ready to see the fascinating architectural masterpieces of this pink city. As soon as I entered the unique and charming Hawa Mahal, I was greeted by the wonderful sights of Rajput style of architecture. The walls of the mahal are pierced with around 953 small windows boasting of beautiful lattice work. Carved flawlessly out of pink sandstone, these windows are commonly known as ‘Jharokhas’. They are fashioned in such a unique style that the building resemble a huge honeycomb. Air circulation through the windows keep the mahal cool even in summers. Another interesting feature of this mesmerizing establishment is the arched roofs with hanging cornices, which add more charm to its beauty.

I had read in books that these windows were constructed to facilitate the queens and princess of the royal family of Maharaja Sawai Pratap Singh to watch the processions taking place in the streets below without being seen themselves.

Other such arresting establishments which I visited in Jaipur were:

Jantar Mantar, Jaipur

It is the brainchild of the intelligent Maharaja Jai Singh who built it during the period between 1727 to 1733. One must see this largest stone observatory in the world. It houses a great collection of architectural astronomical instruments, which are used for measuring altitude, time, movement of the stars and planets and several other astronomical events. It is one of the National Monuments of India.

Amber Fort, Jaipur

Standing tall as the pride of Jaipur,
Amber Fort offers amazing views of
the beautiful Maota Lake. Maharaja Man Singh constructed this fort by combining the Hindu and Muslim styles of architecture. The most exciting mode of reaching the fort is an elephant ride which is quite common here. The captivating chambers like Sheesh Mahal, Diwan-e-Khas, Diwan-e-Aam and Ganesh Pol will surely leave you spell bound.

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