Situated 190 miles (300km) southwest of Delhi, Jaipur is an
essential stop in any tour of Rajasthan. The old walled section of
the city is known as the Pink City; it was painted red (a lucky
colour in Hindu culture) to welcome England's Prince Alfred in 1853
and the fading old buildings retain their hue. Jaipur is one of
India's newer cities, founded in 1727, and was the creation of Jai
Singh II, the Maharaja of the Kuchwaha Rajputs, who decided when
Mogul power was on the decline to move from his outmoded hillside
fortress at Amber to establish a new capital on the plains further
south.
The Pink City was built in only eight years. Much of it was
designed by Jai himself, including the City Palace and the Jantar
Mantar, a fascinating astronomical observatory with massive
instruments used to predict the monsoon and identify the movements
of the stars. Most impressive is a 27 metre high sundial that is
accurate to the nearest two minutes. All seven gates into the old
city remain, one of which leads into Johari Bazaar - the famous
jewellers' market that has the best selection of precious stones in
India.
Jaipur is now a thriving commercial city and at the last count
it was home to two million people. Although some visitors are put
off by the over zealous traders, most are enthralled and enchanted
by this still-welcoming city.
