[Please look at the picture link towards the end of the topic, to see more snaps]
Hawa Mahal
By 7:30 pm on September 2nd 2006, I reached the
jaipur airport. It took us almost 1 hr from airport to reach the jaipur / pink city. We stayed in a hotel in the new city. Driver indicated that the old city is known as the pink city and next day he will surely take us there...
Next day, 3rd sept 2006, We started our site tour with the
jaigarh fort . The fort which was never- ever under any threat, even had one of the biggest "guns" or "thoppe" or canonwhich weighs more than a few tonnes. Fort is situated at a hill, so obviously host has got more control on wars and hence less number of attacks on the same. Architecture vise superb, even the use of natural colors do make us enthral. We had a guide too, who explained more than what am explaining here. What ever it may be its a place surely to visit.
Just coming down the fort, we went to
amber palace(Amer), stunning architecture. Spent almost 1 - 2 hrs over there. We saw sheesh mahal(mirror palace), it looks too gud to describe!!!! Here also where ever the paintings are made, they are done using natural colors. Lots to see and lots to hear thats wat I understood after that visit.We retired for lunch.
After Lunch when we were coming back we saw
Jal Mahal, For some modifications, the same was closed. But had a view from out side.
We bid gud bye to Jal Mahal and went to see
Jaipur City Palace. At city palace,the present king is also staying. We didn't meet him ;-) but that was a palacious one lots of rooms, places, vintage cars, old arms and ammunitions and last but not least the world's biggest silver container which the king used to take ganga water when he went for a foreign trip.
We found that it was more than what we can take for that day, so we went back to our place (hotel) .
Next day we started our site seeing from
Hawa Mahal. As the name indicates, literally its a wind palace. If am not wrong it has got 953 sandstone windows known as 'jharokhas'. Just imagine !!!.
Near by to city palace is the famous
Jantar Mantar, a place where astrology takes it practical ride. Big sundial, which is rite now also accurate to some extend. Many more things that astrolgers can really explain which I dont remember. But a place that should not be missed at all if you are at Jaipur.
Had our lunch in between and set our wheels rolling towards
Nahargarh fort. Nahargarh Fort is located on the sheer rugged ridge of Aravali Hills and it forms an impressive northern backdrop of Jaipur. In Rang De Basanti some movie scenes are being picturised from this place.
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Ranak Pur Jain Temple
Next day we left to
Udaipur (Lake City). It was a great transition for us from all monuments, palaces, forts to lakes, gardens, hill ranges etc. Udaipur was more colorful, natural, but weather was li'l bad, I mean for the travellers. We stayed near to
Fateh Sagar Lake.At Udaipur we first went to
Chittorgarh Fort, Chittorgarh Fort is a massive structure with a 1 kilometre zigzag accent to it.Even though the fort is ruined but it is an overwhelming reminder of past history and its walls resonate with unbelievable legend of extra ordinary men and women and their equally astounding deeds.
I lost the CDs of the same trip so am unable to provide any snaps on the same.
PADMINI PALACE ( as per a site description) It is built beside the lotus pool with a historical pavilion that changed the history of Chittor. Ala-ud-din saw the reflection of Queen Padmini from here and so mesmerized was he, that the quest of possessing her led to a furious battle which saw the last of Maharana Ratan Singh (husband of Maharani Padmini) and the epitome of beauty-Cleopatra of Rajasthan, became an eternal legend in the history of chittor and also of the Mewar state. The feel still lingers on. A thing of beauty is a joy for ever- and now they don't say this for nothing.
Next day we started our next leg to
Mount Abu. A unique destination for Adventure and eco tourism. We couldn't see anything at Mt Abu because of high density fog,which eventually killed the spirit of the trip. But even then in that unlikely event we started liking tat conditions, couldn't see much hyped sights of Mt Abu. Then we went to
Dilwara temple its a big jain temple, truely marvellous. Photography is not allowed there so we couldn't take any thing. Due to the bad weather we couldn't start from mt Abu on that day. So we started next day. On the way back from Mt Abu, we deviated li'l bit and went to see
RanakPur JainTemple.Beautiful sculptured Jain temples mark the glory of this renowned place. Marked as one of the five holy places for the Jain community, these were created in the 15 the century.
Then we came back to our hotel at Udaipur and did some shopping and next day, holding to all these colorful memories we left to mumbai.
To View the complete snaps please click on the below image which acts as a link to my album.
[*** To see the picture with actual resolution, please click on the
download photo link given in my album***]
