Jaipur Introduction

Jaipur is the state capital of Rajasthan and is about 150 miles south west of Delhi. Along with Delhi and Agra it is part of what is generally known as the Golden Triangle of tourist places to visit in North India. The landscape around Jaipur is noticeable different from Delhi as it sits within the Aravalli range of hills, being surrounded on three sides.

Jaipur is a relatively modern city, the first foundation stone was laid on 18th November 1727, after the then Maharaja, Jai Singh II decided to move his capital from the nearby area of Amber. The city was planned by a Bengali architect and was laid out in a system of block, within a city wall and the Royal palaces in the centre.

Since then the city has expanded over the years towards the south and now has a population of about 2 and a half million people, plus numerous elephants and camels. These are quite a common site in the area. Camels in particular are widely used as much of the state is a dessert region, and are often pulling carts as below.

This building is known as the Albert Hall, though it now houses the Government Central Museum, outside of the old city it was built in the late 19th Century in Indo-Saracenic style typical of the area at this time.

One of the main cinemas in the more modern part of the city

In the grounds of the Rambagh Palace Hotel, once a royal palace built in the 1920s. Like the Albert Hall it is also in the Indo-Saracenic style and is considered one of the finest palaces in the country. It was handed to the Government at Independence when Royal families agreed to hand over much of their property to the State, but subsequently became a luxury hotel. It has extensive grounds including a polo ground, and a lodge where the current Maharaja's step-mother lives.

The Jaipur region is famous for a number of crafts including hand block printing of fabrics, blue pottery, jewellery and gems, and miniature paintings. Whilst there we went to an emporium which had a couple of small demonstration areas.

Hand knotted carpet making, the sheet to the left of the man is a paper pattern of the design. Two men can sit at these looms and it would take a couple of months for two men to make the finished carpet which would be about five feet by 7 feet.

This elephant was printed above, using four different blocks. The dyes were vegetable based and once dry the orange colour had changed to a green.

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