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Jaipur Tourism

Jaipur was founded by Maharaja Jai Singh II (1693-1743) and is the capital
of Rajasthan. Jaipur is surrounded by hills and dotted with forts. Houses
with pink latticed windows line the streets, and look almost magical at
sunset. An extremely well planned city, Jaipur was designed by an engineer
and scholar Vidyadhar Bhattacharya, in accordance with ancient Hindu treatise
on architecture, the Shilpa Shasta (Vastu).
It was planned in a grid system with wide straight avenues, roads, streets
and lanes and uniform rows of shops on either side of the main roads.
Jaipur remains the only place where the nine sectors that sub-divide the
city symbolise the nine divisions of the universe. Jaipur is surrounded
by a wall having seven gates and was built for protection from invading
armies and wild animals that lurked just outside in the jungles that surrounded
the city.
The Old City, also known as the Pink City, is a wonderful place to wander
around. The whole city was painted pink by Maharaja Man Singh II when
Prince of Wales, later Edward VII, visited Jaipur in 1876. Today, every
home within the city is obliged by law to maintain this facade.
Jaipur's regal heritage is evident in its architecture and culture. Beautifully
laid out gardens and parks, attractive monuments and marvellous heritage
hotels, once the residence of Maharajas are testaments to the Rajasthan
of yesteryears. The arts and crafts of the state are amazing. You'll find
elaborately fashioned jewellery, the multi-coloured 'bandhini' fabrics,
richly decorated handlooms, and other trinkets at the colourful bazaars
of Jaipur. These bazaars are a lot of fun not just what's available, but
also for the cheerful people in their traditional costumes.
Places of Interest
Jantar Mantar 
Sawai Jai Singh who also built the five observatories in India built the
largest stone observatory in the world, Jantar Mantar. Its complex instruments
are excellent for predicting the figures related to the Indian astronomy.
Hawa Mahal is the renowned landmark of Jaipur. As against the popular belief,
it is not really a palace. It is a sandstone screen veiling the ladies of
the court who could watch the proceedings on the road below without being
noticed.
The City Palace of Jaipur
The City Palace is an architectural marvel that presents a perfect blend
of Rajasthani and Mughal art and architecture. The City Palace has projecting
balconies, arches and the entrances. The palace covers one-seventh of the
area in Jaipur. The City Palace also has a museum with an exclusive collection
of Rajasthani costumes, miniature paintings, carpets and royal paraphernalia.