A PROJECT REPORT ON EXPLORING JAIPUR AS A TOURIST DESTINATION"

Submitted in partial fulfillment for the Award of Degree of Bachelor of Science in Hospitality and Hotel Administration
Submitted By: Ritesh Singh Roll No. : 102888 Sandeep Giri Roll No. : 102900 Under Guidance of: Mr. Tarun Bansal Sr. Lectuer

INSTITUTE OF HOTEL MANAGEMENT LUCKNOW

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

The report on the project work of EXPLORING JAIPUR

AS A

TOURIST DESTINATION in the following pages are the outcome of my research study done chiefly at LUCKNOW.

Moreover, I am also grateful to Mr. Tarun Bansal (Sr. Lectuer) of IHM, in LUCKNOW who made available their valuable time & for their constant encouragement to me.

Ritesh Singh Roll No. : 102888 Sandeep Giri Roll No. : 102900

TABLE OF CONTENT
INTRODUCTION HISTORY ARCHITECHTURE HAWA MAHAL AMER FORT JAIGARH FORT NAHARGARH FORT CITY PALACE JANTAR MANTAR JAL MAHAL ALBERT HALL MUSEUM CHOKHI DHANI SUSTAINABLE TOURISM IN JAIPUR ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT OF TOURISM SUGGESTIONS SWOT ANALYSIS CONCLUSION

 BIBLIOGRAPHY

INTRODUCTION
Jaipur is the capital and largest city of the Indian state of Rajasthan. It was founded on 18 November 1727 by Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II, the ruler of Amber, after whom the city has been named. The city today has a population of 3.1 million. Jaipur is known as the Pink City of India. The city is remarkable among pre-modern Indian cities for the width and regularity of its streets which are laid out into six sectors separated by broad streets 34 m (111 ft) wide. The urban quarters are further divided by networks of gridded streets. Five quarters wrap around the east, south, and west sides of a central palace quarter, with a sixth quarter immediately to the east. The Palace quarter encloses the sprawling Hawa Mahal palace complex, formal gardens, and a small lake. Nahargarh Fort, which was the residence of the King Sawai Jai Singh II, crowns the hill in the northwest corner of the old city. The observatory, Jantar Mantar, is one of the World Heritage Sites. Included on the Golden Triangle tourist circuit, along with Delhi and Agra, Jaipur is an extremely popular tourist destination in Rajasthan and India.

ARTS AND CRAFT

The prior rulers of Jaipur patronized a number of arts and crafts. They invited skilled artisans, artists and craftsmen from India and abroad. The communities settled in the city and made Jaipur their home. As a result, Jaipur is a major hub for arts and crafts. Some of the crafts include bandhani;block printing; stone carving and sculpture; tarkashi; zari, gota, kinari and zardozi; silver jewellery; gems, kundan, meenakari and jewellery; miniature paintings; blue pottery; ivory carving; shellac work; leatherware, etc.

CUISINE
Typical dishes include Dal Baati Churma, Missi Roti. Sweet dishes include Ghevar, Feeni, Gajak, Chauguni ke laddu, Moong Thal.

FESTIVALS
A number of festivals are organized in the city. Some of them include Gangaur Festival, Jaipur Literature Festival, and Teej,oothappam,festival.

SPORTS
The main cricket stadium in the city, Sawai Mansingh Stadium, has a seating capacity of 30,000, and has hosted many national and international cricket matches; it also contains other sports facilities. The city is represented in the IPL by the team Rajasthan Royals.

TRANSPORT Road
The city of Jaipur is the capital of the state of Rajasthan and is centrally located. National Highway No.8 links Delhi to Mumbai, National Highway 12 links to Kota, Baran District and National Highway 11 links Bikaner to Agra, passing through Jaipur district with a total length of 366 km. RSRTC operates bus service to all the

parts of Rajasthan and New Delhi, Uttar pradesh, Haryana, Madhya pradesh, and Gujarat.

City bus
City buses are operated by Jaipur City Transport Services Limited (JCTSL).[12] of RSRTC under JNNURM. The service operates more than 300 regular and low-floor buses. The three major bus depots are Vaishali Nagar, Vidyadhar Nagar and Sanganer.

Jaipur BRTS
Jaipur Bus Rapid Transit Service was approved by government in August 2006 for implementation. The responsibility for managing Jaipur BRTS has been given to JCSTL, a special purpose vehicle formed by Jaipur Development Authority and Jaipur Nagar Nigam in a joint venture. The BRTS is expected to cater to city's growing traffic for next 1520 years. In Phase I, two corridors have been proposed: a "North-South Corridor" from Sikar Road to Tonk Road and an "East-West Corridor" from Ajmer Road to Delhi Road. A section of the North-South Corridor from C-Zone Bypass near Harmada to Pani Pech became operational in 2010.]

Rail
Jaipur is connected to Delhi and a number of towns in Rajasthan.

Jaipur Metro
A rapid transit rail project by the name Jaipur Metro is under progress. It will provide means of faster commutation for the city residents. It is expected to be operational by June 2013.

Air
Jaipur International Airport is in the satellite town of Sanganer, 10 km from city center, and offers sporadic service to major domestic and international locations. Terminal 1 is used for international and domestic flights, while Terminal 2 is reserved for domestic carriers. The airport handled 255,704 international and 1,267,876 passengers in 20092010. Jaipur Airport also provides air cargo services. The up-gradation of airport has offered improved connectivity and wider choice of services to air travelers, boosting international tourism and economic development of the region. Frequently, during winter, many flights for Indira Gandhi International Airport are diverted to Jaipur airport due to heavy fog in Delhi.

HISTORY
In ancient time Jaipur region came under the Matsya kingdom. Modern Jaipur was founded in 1727 by Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II of Amber who ruled from 16991744. Initially, his capital was Amber, which lies 11 km from Jaipur. He felt the need of shifting his capital city with the increase in population and growing scarcity of water. The King consulted several books on architecture and architects before making the layout of Jaipur. Finally, under the architectural guidance of Vidyadhar Bhattacharya, (initially an accounts-clerk in the Amber treasury, later promoted to the office of Chief Architect by the King) Jaipur came into existence on the classical principles of Vastu Shastra and similar classical treatises. After waging several battles with the Marathas, Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II wanted to improve the security aspects of the city. Being a lover of astronomy, mathematics and astrophysics, Jai Singh sought advice from Vidyadhar Bhattacharya, a Brahmin scholar of Bengal, to aid him in designing many buildings, including the Royal Palace in the center of the city. The construction of the city started in 1727. It took around four years to complete the major palaces, roads and square. The city was built following the principles of Shilpa Shastra, the science of Indian Architecture. The city was divided into nine blocks, of which two contain the state buildings and palaces, with the remaining seven allotted to the public. Huge fortification walls were built, along with seven strong gates. For the time, architecture of the town was very advanced, and certainly the best in the Indian subcontinent. In 1876, during the regime of Sawai Ram Singh, the whole city was painted pink to welcome Edward, Prince of Wales. Today, avenues remain painted in pink, giving Jaipur a distinctive appearance. In the 19th century, the city grew rapidly; by 1900 it had a population of 160,000. The city's wide boulevards were paved and lit.

The city had several hospitals. Its chief industries were metals and marble, fostered by a school of art (named Madarsa Hunree) founded in 1868. The city had three colleges, including a Sanskrit college (1865) and a girls' school (1867) initiated under the reign of the enigmatic Maharaja Sawai Ram Singh II.

ARCHITECHTURE
The city was planned according to Indian Vastu Shastra (Vedic Planning for the comfort and prosperity of the citizens). The directions of each street and market are East to West and North to South. The Eastern gate is called Suraj (Sun) Pol, while the Western gate is called Chand (Moon) Pol. There are three gates facing East, West, and North and a Northern gate (known as Zorawar Singh gate) which faces toward the ancestral capital of Amber, while many gates face South. For Jai Singh II and his advisor Vidyadhar, the founding of

Jaipur was a ritual and opportunity to plan a whole town according to the principles of Hindu architectural theory. The city was originally within walls, though it has expanded outside of the original walls over time. The gates used to be closed at sunset and opened at sunrise. The town of Jaipur is built in the form of an eight-part Mandala known as the 'Pithapada'.

MAJOR SIGHTING
FORTS AND MONUMENTS Jaipur has a number of forts and monuments like Hawa Mahal , Amber Fort , Jaigarh Fort , Nahargarh Fort , City Palace ,

 Jantar Mantar , Jal Mahal , Albert Hall Museum .

HAWA MAHAL
Hawa Mahal is a palace in Jaipur, India. It was built in 1799 by Maharaja Sawai Pratap Singh, and designed by Lal Chand Ustad in the form of the crown of Krishna, the Hindu god. Its unique five-storey exterior is also akin to the honeycomb of the beehive with its 953 small windows called jharokhas that are decorated with intricate latticework. The original intention of the lattice was to allow royal ladies to observe everyday life in the street below without being seen, since they had to observe

strict "purdah" (face cover). Built of red and pink sandstone, the palace is situated on the main thoroughfare in the heart of Jaipurs business centre. It forms part of the City Palace, and extends to the Zenana or women's chambers, the chambers of the harem. It is particularly striking when viewed early in the morning, lit with the golden light of sunrise.

HISTORY
Maharaja Sawai Jai singh, the ruler of Rajasthan of the Kachwaha clan, was the original planner and builder who built the Jaipur city in 1727. However, it was his grandson Sawai Pratap Singh, son of Maharaja Sawai Madhosingh I, who built the Hawa Mahal in 1799 as a continuation of the Royal City Palace. Pratap Singh's deep devotion to the Hindu god Lord Krishna is inferred to have prompted him to build it as a dedication, in the form of a Mukuta or headgear, adorning the Lord. Though no historical record is available to its exact history, it is conjectured that Royal family ladies, who were under strict observance of purdah (the practice of preventing women from being seen by men), had to be given opportunity to witness proceedings in the market centre and watch the royal processions and festivities sitting behind the stone carved screens. Hawa Mahal did just that in style, amidst its luxurious comforts and behind strict screened exclusivity, unseen by outsiders. Royal family of Jaipur, during their reign, also used the palace as a hot weather retreat, during the suffocating summer season of Jaipur, for several years, since the unusually designed window screens provided the much needed cool breeze and ventilation.

ARCHITECTURE

The palace is a five-story pyramidal shaped monument that rises to a height of 50 feet (15 m) from its high base. The top three floors of the structure have a dimension of one room width while the first and second floors have patios in front of them, on the rear side of the structure. The front elevation, as seen from the street, is like a honeycomb web of a beehive built with small portholes. Each porthole has miniature windows and has carved sandstone grills, finials and domes. It is a veritable mass of semi-octagonal bays, which gives the monument its unique faade. The inner face on the back side of the building consists of need-based chambers built with pillars and corridors with least ornamentation, and reach up to the top floor. The interior of the Mahal has been described as having rooms of different coloured marbles, relieved by inlaid panels or gilding; while fountains adorn the centre of the courtyard. Lal Chand Ustad was the architect of this unique structure who also planned Jaipur city, considered then as one of the bestplanned cities in India. Built in red and pink coloured sand stone, in keeping with the dcor of the other monuments in the city, its colour is a full testimony to the epithet of Pink City given to Jaipur. Its faade depicts 953 niches with intricately carved Jharokhas (some are made of wood) is a stark contrast to the plain looking rear side of the structure. Its cultural and architectural heritage is a true reflection of a fusion of Hindu Rajput architecture and the Islamic Mughal architecture; the Rajput style is seen in the form of domed canopies, fluted pillars, lotus and floral patterns, and the Islamic style is evident in its stone inlay filigree work and arches (as distinguished from its similarity with the Panch Mahal - the palace of winds - at Fatehpur Sikri). The entry to the Hawa Mahal from the city palace side is through an imperial door. It opens into a large courtyard, which has double storeyed buildings on three sides, with the Hawa Mahal enclosing it on the east side. An archaeological museum is also housed in this courtyard.

Hawa Mahal was also known as the chef-d'oeuvre of Maharaja Jai Singh as it was his favourite resort because of the elegance and built-in interior of the Mahal. The cooling effect in the chambers, provided by the breeze passing through the small windows of the faade, was enhanced by the fountains provided at the centre of each of the chambers. The top two floors of the Hawa Mahal are accessed only through ramps. The Mahal is maintained by the archaeological Department of the Government of Rajasthan.

HAWA MAHAL

AMER FORT
Amer Fort is located in Amer (a town with an area of 4 square kilometres (1.5 sq mi) 11 kilometres (6.8 mi) from Jaipur, Rajasthan state, India. It is one of the principal tourist attractions in the Jaipur area, located high on a hill. Amer Fort was built by Raja Man Singh I. Amer Fort is known for its artistic style, blending both Hindu and Rajput elements. With its large ramparts, series of gates and cobbled paths, the fort overlooks the Maota Lake, at its forefront. The aesthetic ambiance of this formidable fort is seen within its walls on a four level layout plan (each with a courtyard) in a well turned out opulent palace complex built with red sandstone and marble consisting of the Diwan-e-Aam or the "Hall of Public Audience", the Diwan-e-Khas or the "Hall of Private Audience", the Sheesh Mahal (mirror palace) or Jai Mandir, and the Sukh Niwas where a cool climate is artificially created by winds that blow over the water cascade within the palace. Hence, the Amer Fort is also popularly known as the Amer Palace. The palace was lived in by the Rajput Maharajas and their families. At the entrance to the palace near the forts Ganesh Gate, there is also a temple dedicated to Sila Devi, a goddess of the Chaitanya cult which was given to Raja Man Singh when he had defeated the Raja of Jessore, Bengal in 1604. (Jessore is now in Bangladesh). This fort, along with Jaigarh Fort, located immediately above on the Cheel ka Teela (Hill of Eagles) of the same Aravalli range of hills, is considered as one complex, as the two are well connected by a subterranean passage. This passage was meant as an escape route in times of war for the royal family members and others in the Amer Fort to shift to the more redoubtable Jaigarh Fort.

HISTORY
Amer was known in the medieval period as Dhundar (meaning attributed to a sacrificial mount in the western frontiers) and ruled by the Kachwahas from the 11th century onwards between 1037 and 1727 AD, till the capital was moved from Amer to Jaipur. The history of Amer is indelibly linked to these rulers as they founded their empire at Amer. Earlier to the Kachwahas, Amer was a small place built by [Meenas] in the town they consecrated to Amba, the Mother Goddess, whom they knew as `Gatta Rani' or `Queen of the Pass'. The Amer Fort, as it stands now, was built over the remnants of this earlier structure during the reign of Raja Man Singh, Commander in Chief of Akbars army and a member of the Emperor's inner circle of nine courtiers, in 1592. The structure was fully expanded by his descendant, Jai Singh I. Even later, Amer Fort underwent improvements and additions by successive rulers over the next 150 years, until the Kachwahas shifted their capital to Jaipur during the time of Sawai Jai Singh II, in 1727. Many of the ancient structures of the medieval period of the Meenas have been either destroyed or replaced. However, the 16th century impressive edifice of the Amer Fort and the palace complex within it built by the Rajput Maharajas are very well preserved.

LAYOUT
The fort is divided into four main sections each with its own entry gate and courtyard. Main entry is through the Suraj Pole (Sun Gate) which leads to Jaleb Chowk, which is the first main courtyard. This was the place where armies would hold victory parades with their war bounty on their return from battles, which were also witnessed by the Royal family women folk through the latticed windows. This gate was built exclusively and was

provided with guards as it was the main entry into the palace. It faced the eastern direction towards the rising Sun and hence the name. Royal cavalcades and dignitaries entered the palace through this gate. Jaleb Chowk is an Arabic usage, which means a place for soldiers to assemble. This is one of the four courtyards of the Amer Palace, which was built during Sawai Jai Singhs reign (16931743 AD). The Maharaja's personal bodyguards held parades here under the command of the army commander or Fauj Bakshi. The Maharaja used to inspect the Guards contingent. At this location, the horse stables were also located where its upper level rooms were occupied by the guards.

FIRST COURTYARD
An impressive stairway from the Jaleb Chowk leads into the main palace grounds. Here, at the entrance itself to the right of the stairway steps is the Sila Devi temple where the Rajput Maharajas offered worship, starting with Maharaja Mansingh in the 16th century till the 1980s, when the animal sacrifice ritual (sacrifice of a buffalo) practiced by the royalty was stopped . Ganesh Pol or the Ganesh Gate, named after the Hindu god Lord Ganesh who removes all obstacles in life, is the entry into the private palaces of the Maharajas. It is a three level structure which has many frescoes and was also built at the orders of the Mirza Raja Jai Singh(16211627) and leads to the private quarters of the royal family. Above this gate is the Suhag Mandir where ladies of the royal family used to watch through the latticed windows functions held in the Diwan-i-Am.

SILA DEVI TEMPLE

Embossed double leaf silver door entry in to the Sila Devi temple On the right side of the Jaleb Chowk there is a small but

an elegant temple called the Sila Devi (an incarnation of Kali or Durga) temple. The entrance to the temple is through silver sheet covered double leaf gate with raised relief. The main deity inside the sanctum is flanked by two lions made in silver. The legend attributed to the installation of this deity is that Maharaja Man Singh sought blessings of Kali for victory in the battle against the Raja of Jessore in Bengal. The goddess instructed the Raja, in a dream, to retrieve her image from the sea bed and install and worship it. The Raja, after he won the battle of Bengal in 1604, retrieved the idol from the sea and installed it in the temple and called it as Sila Devi as it was carved out of one single piece of a stone slab. At the entrance to the temple, there is also a carving of Lord Ganesha, which is made out of a single piece of coral stone. Another version of the Sila Devi installation is that Raja Man Singh, after defeating the Raja of Jessore, received a gift of a black stone slab which was credited with link to the Mahabharata epic story in which Kansa had killed older siblings of Lord Krishna on this stone. In exchange for this gift Man Singh returned the kingdom he had won to the Raja of Bengal. This stone was then used to carve the image of Durga Mahishasuramardini who had slain the demon king Mahishasura, and installed it in the fort temple as Sila Devi. The Sila Devi was worshiped from then onwards as the lineage deity of the Rajput family of Jaipur. However, their family deity continued to be Jamva Mata of Ramgarh. Another practice that is associated with this temple is the religious rites of animal sacrifice during the festival days of Navrathri (Nine days festival celebrated twice in a year). The practice was to sacrifice a buffelo and also JAIPUR ts on eighth day of the festival in front of the temple, which would be done in the presence of the royal family, watched by a large gathering of devotees. This practice was banned under law from 1975,

where after the sacrifice is being held within the palace grounds in Jaipur, strictly as a private event with only the close kin of the royal family watching the event. However, the practice of animal sacrifice has been totally stopped at the temple premises and offerings made to the goddess are only of the vegetarian type.

SECOND COURTYARD
The second courtyard, up the main stairway of the first level courtyard, houses the Diwan-i-Am or the Public Audience Hall. Built with double row of columns, the Diwan-i-Am is a raised platform with 27 colonnades, each of which is mounted with elephant shaped capital with galleries above it. As the name suggests, the Raja held audience here to hear and receive petitions from the public.

THIRD COURTYARD
The third courtyard is where the private quarters of the Maharaja, his family and attendants were built. This courtyard is entered through the Ganesh Pol or Ganesh Gate, which is embellished with mosaics and sculptures. The courtyard has two buildings, one opposite to the other, separated by a garden laid in the fashion of the Mughal Gardens. The building to the left of the entrance gate is called the Jai Mandir, which is exquisitely beautified with glass inlaid panels and multi-mirrored ceilings. The mirrors are of convex shape and designed with coloured foil and paint which would glitter bright under candle nights at the time it was in use. Also known as Sheesh Mahal (mirror palace), the mirror mosaics and coloured glasses were "glittering jewel box in flickering candle light". However, most of this work was allowed to deteriorate during the period 197080

but has since then been subjected to a process of restoration and renovation. Carved marble relief panels are placed on walls around the hall. The hall provides enchanting vistas of the Maota Lake. The other building seen in the courtyard is opposite to the Jai Mandir and is known as the Sukh Niwas or Sukh Mahal (Hall of Pleasure). This hall is approached through a sandalwood door with marble inlay work with perforations. A piped water supply flows through an open channel that runs through this edifice keeping the environs cool, as in an air conditioned environment. The water from this channel was led into the garden. Magic flower A particular attraction here is the magic flower fresco carved in marble at the base of one of the pillars around the mirror palace which is identified by two hovering butterflies depiction; the flower has seven unique designs of fish tail, a lotus, a hooded cobra, an elephant trunk, a lions tail, a cob of corn and a scorpion, each is viewed by a particular way of partial hiding of the panel with hands.

PALACE OF MAN SINGH 1

South of this courtyard lies the Palace of Man Singh I, which is the oldest part of the palace fort.The palace took 25 years to build and was completed in 1599 during the reign of Raja Man Singh I (15891614). It is the main palace. In the central courtyard of the palace is the pillared baradari or pavilion; frescoes and coloured tiles decorate the ground and upper floor rooms in this palace. This pavilion (which used to be curtained for privacy) was used as the meeting venue by the maharanis (queens of the royal family). All sides of this pavilion are connected to several small rooms with open balconies. The exit from this palace leads to the Amer village, a heritage town with many temples, palatial houses and mosques.

GARDEN
The garden, located between the Jai Mandir on the east and the Sukh Niwas on the west, both built on high platforms in the third courtyard, was built by Mriza Raja Jai Singh (162368). It is patterned on the lines of the Chahar Bagh or Mughal Garden. It is in sunken bed, shaped in a hexagonal design. It is laid out with narrow channels lined with marble around a star shape pool with a fountain at the centre. Water for the garden is led from the Sukh Niwas cascades of water channel and also from the cascade channels called the "chini khana niches" that originate from terrace of the Jai Mandir.

TRIPOLIA GATE
Tripolia gate means three gates. It is an access to the palace from the west. It opens in three directions, one to the Jaleb Chowk, another to the Man Singh Palace and the third one to the Zenana Deorhi on the south.

LION GATE
The Lion gate, the premier gate, was once a guarded gate, leads in to the private quarters in the palace premises and is titled 'Lion Gate' indicative of strength. It was built during the reign of Sawai Jai Singh (16991743 AD). It is covered with frescoes and its alignment is zigzag, probably made so from security considerations to attack intruders.

FOURTH COURTYARD
The fourth courtyard is where the Zenana (Royal family women, including concubines or mistresses) lived. This courtyard has many living rooms where the queens resided and who were visited by the king at his choice without being found out as to which queen he was visiting, as all the rooms open into a common corridor. The queen mothers and the Rajas consorts lived in this part of the palace in Zanani Deorhi, which also housed their female attendants. The queen mothers took deep interest in building temples in Amer town. Jas Mandir, a hall of private audience with floral glass inlays and alabaster relief work is also located in this courtyard

AMER FORT

JAIGARH FORT
Jaigarh Fort is situated on the promontory called the Cheel ka Teela (Hill of Eagles) of the Aravalli range; it overlooks the Amber Fort and the Maota Lake, near Amber in Jaipur, Rajasthan, India. The fort was built by Jai Singh II in 1726 to protect the Amber Fort and its palace complex and was named after him. The fort, rugged and similar in structural design to the Amber Fort, is also known as Victory Fort. It has a length of 3 kilometres (1.9 mi) along the north-south direction and a width of 1 kilometre (0.62 mi). The fort features a cannon named Jaivana, which was manufactured in the fort precincts and was then the world's largest cannon on wheels. The palace complex (Laxmi Vilas, Lalit Mandir, Vilas Mandir and Aram Mandir) located within the fort has a well-tended garden where the royal family resided, the Shubhat Niwas (an assembly hall of the warriors), an armoury and a museum. Jaigarh Fort and Amber Fort are connected by subterranean passages and considered as one complex.

HISTORY
Amber was known in the ancient and medieval period as Dhundhar (meaning attributed to a sacrificial mount in the western frontiers) and ruled by the Kachwahas from the 10th century onwards. The history of Amber and Jaigarh is indelibly linked to these rulers, as they founded their empire at Amber.

CANNON FOUNDRY
During the reign of the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan, Jaigarh Fort, which is located 150miles south-west of Delhi, became one of the worlds most efficient Cannon foundry mainly due to the abundance of Iron ore mines in the vicinity of the fort. The cannon foundry Jaigarh Fort had a massive wind-tunnel that

sucked air from the high mountains into its furnace creating temperatures as high as 2400degrees Fahrenheit, the heated air would melt the metal. The liquid molten metal would fill a reservoir chamber and into a cannon mold in the casting pit. Most of those Cannons were massive mostly 16 ft long and had to be prepared within a single day. The Rajput also built a large ingenious mechanical device that had a precision gear system driven by four pairs of Oxen, the device was used for hollowing out the Cannon barrels. When the Mughal war of succession broke out in the year 1658 Dara Shikoh secured the Cannon outpost of Jaigarh Fort until he was defeated and executed by his younger brother Aurangzeb . Later however, the Mughal Emperor Muhammad Shah appointed Jai Singh II as the official Mughal Qiladar of Jaigarh Fort according to a Firman, ultimately Jai Singh II is known to have molded the great Jaivana Cannon by utilizing the important foundry and devices inside Jaigarh Fort.

ARCHITECTURE
The fort is highly fortified with thick walls of red sandstone and is spread over a layout plan with a length of 3 kilometres (1.9 mi) and a width of 1 kilometre (0.62 mi); it has an impressive square garden (50 metres (160 ft) square) within it. Ramparts in each corner are sloping and provide access to the upper level structures. The palaces have court rooms and halls with screened windows. A central watch tower on a raised ground provides excellent vistas of the surrounding landscape. The Aram Mandir and the garden within its courtyard, on the northern side of the fort complex, has a triple arched entrance "The Awani Darwaza" which was refurbished in recent times to get fine views of the Sagar Lake (an artificial lake); water from this lake used to be transported to the fort in pouches loaded on elephant backs and also by humans carrying water pots. The triple arch gateway with fortification walls above it is painted red and yellow. It is oriented in an east west direction

and faces west. The architectural features are of Indo-Persian style with cyclopean walls built with dressed stone and plastered with lime mortar. There are two temples within the fort precincts, one is the Ram Harihar temple of the 10th century and the other one is the Kal Bhairav temple of 12th century vintage. Charbagh garden at Jaigarh Fort. The water supply facilities in the fort was met by creating water harvesting structures in the vicinity in the Aravalli catchment and conveying water through a canal on the west side of the fort over a 4 kilometres (2.5 mi) distance (seen at site) to be stored in three underground tanks below the central courtyard (one tank was used by prisoners for bathing, the second was used to store gold and jewellery and the third one was empty; the largest tank had capacity to store 6 million gallons of water. These tanks also created a stir in the recent political history of the fort when they were searched for hidden treasure stashed for gemstones and jewellery (said to have been kept hidden safely by the royal family), which turned out be untrue. It was also rumoured that a treasure belonging to the Kachwaha rulers of Amber had been stacked in the fort precincts. The search had been ordered during the Emergency declared by the Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi during 19751977. A futile search was also launched, in 1977, of all the buildings in the fort, by the Income Tax department, using metal detectors. There was also a Parliament Question on this issue where a question was posed whether a "Search for treasure carried out from 10th June 1976 till November 1976 by the Income Tax Authorities at Jaigarh Fort on the Jaipur Delhi Road was closed to ordinary traffic for one or two days so as to make way for military trucks carrying treasures to the residence of the then Prime Minister, Smt. Indira Gandhi?". However, the search carried out for treasures by an Army unit at Jaigarh Fort, after a three-month search had found no treasures. It was then conjectured that Sawai Jai Singh probably used the treasure to build the city of Jaipur.

ARMOURY
The armoury chamber here has a wide display of swords, shields, guns, muskets and also a 50 kilograms (110 lb) cannon ball. Pictures on display are old photographs of Jaipur's Maharajas namely, Sawai Bhawani Singh and Major General Man Singh II who served in the Indian Army as senior officers.

MUESEUM
The museum is located to the left of the Awami Gate; it has exhibits of photographs of the Royalty of Jaipur, stamps and many artefacts, which include a circular pack of cards. A spittoon of 15th century vintage and also hand drawn plan of the palaces are seen in the museum.

JAIVANA CANNON
The Jaivana cannon Jaigarh Fort was a centre of artillery production for the Rajputs. It is now home to the Jaivana at the time of its manufacture in 1720, it was the world's largest cannon on wheels of the Early Modern Era. The foundry where it was manufactured is also located here. A plaque at the entrance to the enclosure where the Jaivan Cannon is displayed gives relevant information on the history of the Cannon, its size and use. This cannon was never used in any battle as the Rajput rulers of Amber had friendly relations with the Mughals. This testifies to well-preserved features of fort. The cannon was fired only once with a charge of 100 kilograms (220 lb) of gunpowder and when fired covered a distance of about 35 kilometres (22 mi). The Jaivana was manufactured during the reign of Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II (1699 1743) at a foundry in Jaigarh. The barrel is 20.19 foot (6.15 m) in length and weighs 50 tonnes. It has a diameter of 11 inches (280 mm). The barrel has decorations carved on it which depict trees, an elephant scroll and a pair of birds (ducks). It is mounted on wheels and has the mechanism of two back

wheels mounted on roller pin bearings, to turn it 360 and fire in any direction. A tin shed was built to protect the cannon against weather. The cannon had a range of 22 miles and used 50 kilograms (110 lb) Balls.

JAIGARH FORT

NAHARGARH FORT
Nahargarh Fort stands on the edge of the Aravalli Hills, overlooking the pink city of Jaipur in the Indian state of Rajasthan. The view of the city from the fort is breathtaking. Along with Amber Fort and Jaigarh Fort, Nahargarh once formed a strong defence ring for the city. The fort was originally named Sudarshangarh, but it became known as Nahargarh, which means 'abode of tigers'. The popular belief is that Nahar here stands for Nahar Singh Bhomia, whose spirit haunted the place and obstructed construction of the fort. Nahar's spirit was pacified by building a temple in his memory within the fort, which thus became known by his name. Built mainly in 1734 by Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II, the founder of Jaipur, the fort was constructed as a place of retreat on the summit of the ridge above the city. Walls extended over the surrounding hills, forming fortifications that connected this fort to Jaigarh, the fort above the old capital of Amber. Though the fort never came under attack during the course of its history, it did see some historical events, notably the treaties with the Maratha forces who warred with Jaipur in the 18th century. During the Indian Mutiny of 1857, the Europeans of the region, including the British Resident's wife, were moved to Nahargarh fort by the king of Jaipur, Sawai Ram Singh, for their protection. The fort was extended in 1868 during the reign of Sawai Ram Singh. In 1883-92, a range of palaces was built at Nahargarh by Sawai Madho Singh at a cost of nearly three and a half lakh rupees. The Madhavendra Bhawan, built by Sawai Madho Singh had suites for the queens of Jaipur and at the head was a suite for the king himself. The rooms are linked by corridors and still have some delicate frescos. Nahargarh was also a hunting residence of the Maharajas.

Until April 1944, the Jaipur State government used for its official purposes solar time read from the Samrat Yantra in the Jantar Mantar Observatory, with a gun fired from Nahargarh Fort as the time signal. Some scenes of the movie Rang De Basanti were shot at Nahargarh fort.

NAHARGARH FORT

CITY PALACE
City Palace, Jaipur, which includes the Chandra Mahal and Mubarak Mahal palaces and other buildings, is a palace complex in Jaipur, the capital of the Rajasthan state, India. It was the seat of the Maharaja of Jaipur, the head of the Kachwaha Rajput clan. The Chandra Mahal palace now houses a museum but the greatest part of it is still a royal residence. The palace complex, which is located northeast of the centre of the grid patterned Jaipur city, incorporates an impressive and vast array of courtyards, gardens and buildings. The palace was built between 1729 and 1732, initially by Sawai Jai Singh II, the ruler of Amber. He planned and built the outer walls, and later additions were made by successive rulers right up to the 20th century. The credit for the urban layout of the city and its structures is attributed to two architects namely, Vidyadar Bhattacharya, the chief architect in the royal court and Sir Samuel Swinton Jacob, apart from the Sawai himself who was a keen architectural enthusiast. The architects achieved a fusion of the Shilpa Shastra of Indian architecture with Rajput, Mughal and European styles of architecture.

HISTORY
The palace complex lies in the heart of Jaipur city, to the northeast of the very centre, located at 26.9255N 75.8236E. The site for the palace was located on the site of a royal hunting lodge on a plain land encircled by a rocky hill range, five miles south of Amber (city). The history of the city palace is closely linked with the history of Jaipur city and its rulers, starting with Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II who ruled from 16991744. He is credited with initiating construction of the city complex by building the outer wall of the complex spreading over many acres. Initially, he ruled from his capital at Amber, which lies at

a distance of 11 kilometres (6.8 mi) from Jaipur. He shifted his capital from Amber to Jaipur in 1727 because of an increase in population and increasing water shortage. He planned Jaipur city in six blocks separated by broad avenues, on the classical basis of principals of Vastushastra and other similar classical treatise under the architectural guidance of Vidyadar Bhattacharya, a man who was initially an accounts-clerk in the Amber treasury and later promoted to the office of Chief Architect by the King. Following Jaisingh's death in 1744, there were internecine wars among the Rajput kings of the region but cordial relations were maintained with the British Raj. Maharaja Ram Singh sided with the British in the Sepoy Mutiny or Uprising of 1857 and established himself with the Imperial rulers. It is to his credit that the city of Jaipur including all of its monuments (including the City Palace) are stucco painted 'Pink' and since then the city has been called the "Pink City". The change in colour scheme was as an honour of hospitality extended to the Prince of Wales (who later became King Edward VII) on his visit. This colour scheme has since then become a trademark of the Jaipur city. Man Singh II, the adopted son of Maharaja Madho Singh II, was the last Maharaja of Jaipur to rule from the Chandra Mahal palace, in Jaipur. This palace, however, continued to be a residence of the royal family even after the Jaipur kingdom merged with the Indian Union in 1949 (after Indian independence in August 1947) along with other Rajput states of Jodhpur, Jaisalmer and Bikaner. Jaipur became the capital of the Indian state of Rajasthan and Man Singh II had the distinction of becoming the Rajapramukh (present day Governor of the state) for a time and later was the Ambassador of India to Spain.

STRUCTURES
The City Palace is in the central-northeast part of the Jaipur city, which is laid in a grid pattern with wide avenues. It is a unique and arresting complex of several palaces, pavilions, gardens and temples. The most prominent and most visited structures in the complex are the Chandra Mahal, Mubarak Mahal, Mukut Mahal, Maharani's Palace, Shri Govind Dev Temple and the City Palace Museum.

Entrance gates
Virendra Pol, Udai Pol near Jaleb chowk and the Tripolia Gate (triple gate) are the entry gates to the City Palace. The Tripolia gate is reserved for entry into the palace by the royal family. Common people and visitors can enter the place complex only through the Virendra Pol and the Udai Pol or the Atish Pol (Stable Gate). The entry from Virendra Pol leads to the Mubarak Mahal. The gateways are richly decorated.

Mubarak Mahal
Mubarak Mahal, meaning the 'Auspicious Palace', was built with a fusion of the Islamic, Rajput and European architectural styles in the late 19th century by Maharaja Madho Singh II as reception centre. It is a museum; a fine repository of variety of textiles such as the royal formal costumes, sanganeri block prints, embroidered shawls, Kashmiri pashminas and silk saris as part of the Maharaja Sawai Man Singh II Museum. A noteworthy display here is of the set of voluminous clothes worn by Sawai Madhosingh I, who was 1.2 metres (3.9 ft) wide and weighed 250 kilograms (550 lb) but interestingly had 108 wives.

Chandra Mahal
Chandra Mahal or Chandra Niwas is the most commanding building in the City Palace complex, on its west end. It is a seven-storeyed building and each floor has been given a specific name such as the Sukh-Niwas, Ranga-Mandir, PitamNiwas, Chabi-Niwas, Shri-Niwas and Mukut-Mandir or Mukut Mahal. It contains many unique paintings, mirror work on walls and floral decorations. At present, most of this palace is the residence of the descendents of the former rulers of Jaipur. Only the ground floor is allowed for visitors where a museum is located that displays carpets, manuscripts and other items that belonged to the royal family. There is beautiful peacock gate at the entry to the Mahal. It has screened balconies and a pavilion at the roof from where a panoramic view of the city can been seen. It is set amidst well laid out gardens and a decorative lake in the foreground. Also seen at the top of the Chandra Mahal is the flag of the royal family, which is seen unfurled when the Maharaja is in the palace. It is a one and quarter sized flag. However, when the king is away, the queen's flag is hoisted on the building. There is an interesting anecdote narrated about the 'one and quarter flag', which is the insignia flag of the Maharajas of Jaipur. Emperor Aurangzeb who attended the wedding of Jai Singh, shook hands with the young groom and wished him well on his marriage. On this occasion, Jai Singh made an irreverent remark to the Emperor stating that the way he had shaken hands with him made it incumbent on the Emperor to protect him (Jai Singh) and his kingdom. Aurangzeb, instead of responding in indignation at the quip, felt pleased and conferred on the young Jai Singh the title of 'Sawai', which means "one and a quarter". Since then the Maharajas have pre-fixed their names with this title. During residence there, they also fly a one and a quarter size flag atop their buildings and palaces.

There is also a tragic story linked to this palace. Ishawri Singh, son of Jai Singh who was unwilling to face the advancing army of Marathas, ended his life humiliatingly by getting bitten by a snake. Following this, his 21 wives and paramours also committed the then accepted ritual of sati or jauhar (self immolation on the funeral pyre of their husband).

Pitam Niwas Chowk

It is the inner courtyard, which provides access to the Chandra Mahal. Here, there are four small gates (known as Ridhi Sidhi Pol) that are adorned with themes representing the four seasons and Hindu gods. The gates are the Northeast Peacock Gate (with motifs of peacocks on the doorway) representing autumn and dedicated Lord Vishnu; the Southwest Lotus Gate (with continual flower and petal pattern) suggestive of summer season and dedicated to Lord Shiva-Parvati; the Northwest Green Gate, also called the Leheriya (meaning: "waves") gate, in green colour suggestive of spring and dedicated to Lord Ganesha, and lastly, the Rose Gate with repeated flower pattern representing winter season and dedicated to Goddess Devi.

Diwan-I-Khas
Diwan-I-Khas was a private audience hall of the Maharajas, a marble floored chamber. It is located between the armoury and the art gallery. There are two huge sterling silver vessels of 1.6 metres (5.2 ft) height and each with capacity of 4000 litres and weighing 340 kilograms (750 lb), on display here. They were made from 14000 melted silver coins without soldering. They are officially recorded by the Guinness Book of World Records as the world's largest sterling silver vessels. These vessels were specially made by Maharaja Sawai Madho Singh II, who was a highly pious Hindu, to carry the water of the Ganges to drink on his trip to England in 1901 (for Edward VII's

coronation) as he was finicky about committing religious sin by consuming the English water. Hence, the vessels are named as Gangajelies (Gangeswater urns). There are a number of crystal chandeliers hanging from the ceiling (normally covered with plastic sheets to prevent dust collection), which are uncovered on special occasions.

Diwan-I-Aam
The 'Diwan-E-Aam' (Sabha Niwas) or the 'Hall of Public Audience' is an enchanting chamber, with the ceiling painted in rich red and gold colours, which still looks vibrant. It is a major attraction in the Mubarak Mahal courtyard. This chamber, functioning now as an art gallery, has exhibits of exquisite miniature paintings (of Rajastahni, Mughal and Persian art), ancient texts, embroidered rugs, Kashmir shawls and carpets. The ceiling is richly decorated. At present, it is an art gallery showcasing enthralling painted ceilings and rare ancient handwritten original manuscripts of Hindu scriptures (the Hindu holy scripture of the Bhagavad Gita handwritten in tiny script). Also seen in the art gallery is the Golden throne (called as Takth-e-Rawal) that was the seat of the Maharaja during public audience. It was mounted on an elephant or carried by palanquin bearers during the Maharajas visit outside the palace. At the entry gateway to the hall, two large elephants, each made out of single marble rock are on display.

Maharani palace
Maharani's Palace was originally the residence of the royal queens. It has been converted into a museum, where weapons used by the royalty during war campaigns are displayed, including those belonging to the 15th century. The ceiling of this chamber has unique frescoes, which are preserved using jewel dust of semiprecious stones. A particular weaponry on display is the scissor-action dagger, which when thrust into an enemy's body is said to disembowel the victim, on its withdrawal. The

other artefacts on display include swords with pistols attached to it, the sword presented by Queen Victoria to Maharaja Sawai Ram Singh (183580) which is inlaid with rubies and emeralds, guns serving as walking sticks and a small canon.

Bhaggi Khana
Bhaggi Khana is a museum in the palace complex where a collection of old carriages, palanquins and European cabs adopted as baggis to Indian situations are on display here. The baggi which attracts attention is the one gifted by Prince of Wales to the Maharaja in 1876, called the Victoria baggi. Also on display here are the mahadol, a palanquin with a single bamboo bar that was used to carry the priests and a ratha (chariot) that was used for carrying the idols of Hindu gods in procession on festive occasions.

CITY PALACE

JANTAR MANTAR
The Jantar Mantar is a collection of architectural astronomical instruments, built by Maharaja (King) Jai Singh II at his then new capital of Jaipur between 1727 and 1734. It is modeled after the one that he had built for him at the Mughal capital of Delhi. He had constructed a total of five such facilities at different locations, including the ones at Delhi and Jaipur. The Jaipur observatory is the largest and best preserved of these. It has been inscribed on the World Heritage List as "an expression of the astronomical skills and cosmological concepts of the court of a scholarly prince at the end of the Mughal period". Early restoration work was undertaken under the supervision of Major Arthur Garrett, a keen amateur astronomer, during his appointment as Assistant State Engineer for the Jaipur District.

NAME
The name is derived from jantar [disambiguation needed] ("instrument"), and Mantar ("formula", or in this context "calculation"). Therefore jantar mantar means literally 'calculation instrument'. This observatory has religious significance, since ancient Indian astronomers were also Jyotisa masters.

DESCRIPTION
The observatory consists of fourteen major geometric devices for measuring time, predicting eclipses, tracking stars' location as the earth orbits around the sun, ascertaining the declinations of planets, and determining the celestial altitudes and related ephemerides. Each is a fixed and 'focused' tool. The Samrat Yantra, the largest instrument, is 90 feet (27 m) high, its shadow carefully plotted to tell the time of day. Its face is angled at 27 degrees, the latitude of Jaipur. The Hindu chhatri (small cupola) on top is used as a platform for

announcing eclipses and the arrival of monsoons. Built from local stone and marble, each instrument carries an astronomical scale, generally marked on the marble inner lining. Bronze tablets, all extraordinarily accurate, were also employed. Thoroughly restored in 1901, the Jantar Mantar was declared a national monument in 1948. An excursion through Jai Singh's Jantar is a unique experience of walking through solid geometry and encountering a collective astronomical system designed to probe the heavens. The scale to which they have been built has been alleged to increase their accuracy. However, the penumbra of the sun can be as wide as 30 mm, making the 1mm increments of the Samrat Yantra sundial devoid of any practical significance. Additionally, the masons constructing the instruments had insufficient experience with construction of this scale, and subsidence of the foundations has subsequently misaligned them. The samrat yantra, for instance, which is a sundial, can be used to tell the time to an accuracy of about two seconds in Jaipur local time. The Giant Sundial, known as the Samrat Yantra (The Supreme Instrument) is the world's largest sundial, standing 27 meters tall. Its shadow moves visibly at 1 mm per second, or roughly a hand's breadth (6 cm) every minute, which can be a profound experience. Today the observatory is a popular tourist attraction. However, local astronomers still use it to predict the weather for farmers, although their authority is becoming increasingly questionable. Students of astronomy and Vedic astrology are required to take some of their lessons at the observatory, and it can be said that the observatory is the single most representative work of Vedic thought that still survives, apart from the texts. Many of the smaller instruments display remarkable innovation in architectural design and its relation to function, for instance the Ram Yantra.

JANTAR MANTAR

JAL MAHAL
Jal Mahal (meaning "Water Palace") is a palace located in the middle of the Man Sagar Lake in Jaipur city, the capital of the state of Rajasthan, India. The palace and the lake around it were renovated and enlarged in the 18th century by Maharaja Jai Singh II of Amber. "The Jal Mahal palace has got an eye-popping makeover. Traditional boat-makers from Vrindavan have crafted the Rajput style wooden boats. A gentle splashing of oars on the clear lake waters takes you to Jal Mahal. You move past decorated hallways and chambers on the first floor to climb all the way up to the fragrant Chameli Bagh. Across the lake, you can view the Aravalli hills, dotted with temples and ancient forts, and on the other side, bustling Jaipur. The most remarkable change is in the lake itself. The drains were diverted, two million tonnes of toxic silt were dredged from the bottom, increasing its depth by over a metre, a water treatment system was developed, local vegetation and fish reintroduced, the surrounding wetlands regenerated and five nesting islands created to attract migratory birds."

HISTORY
In the past, at the location of the lake, there was a natural depression where water used to accumulate. During 1596 AD, when there was a severe famine in this region there was consequent acute shortage of water. The then ruler of Ajmer was, therefore, motivated to build a dam to store water to overcome the severe hardships caused by the famine to the people inhabiting the region. A dam was constructed, initially using earth and quartzite, across the eastern valley between Amer hills and Amagarh hills. The dam was later converted into a stone masonry structure in

the 17th century. The dam, as existing now (see picture), is about 300 metres (980 ft) long and 28.534.5 metres (94113 ft) in width. It is provided with three sluice gates for release of water for irrigation of agricultural land in the down stream area. Since then, the dam, the lake and the palace in its midst have undergone several rounds of restoration under various rulers of Rajasthan but the final restoration in the 18th century is credited to Jai Singh II of Amer. During this period, a number of other historical and religious places, such as the Amer Fort, Jaigarh Fort, Nahargarh Fort, Khilangarh Fort, Kanak Vrindavan Valley were also built in the vicinity of the lake. All these places are now linked under a tourist corridor of road network.

THE PALACE
The Jal Mahal palace is considered an architectural beauty built in the Rajput and Mughal styles of architecture (common in Rajasthan) providing a picturesque view of the lake (from the Mansagar dam on the eastern side of the lake that acts as a vantage point for viewing the lake and the valley), and the surrounding Nahargarh (abode of the tigers) hills. The palace, built in red sandstone, is a five storied building out of which four floors remain under water when the lake is full and the top floor is exposed. The rectangular Chhatri on the roof is of the Bengal type. The Chhatris on the four corners are octagonal. The palace had suffered subsidence in the past and also seepage due to water logging, which have been repaired under the restoration project undertaken by the Government of Rajasthan. On the terrace of the palace, a garden was built with arched passages. At each corner of this palace semi-octagonal towers were built with an elegant cupola. The restoration works done in the palace in the past (1015 years back) were not satisfactory and an expert in the field of similar architectural restoration works of Rajastahn palaces carefully examined the designs that could decipher the originally existing designs on the walls after removing the recent plaster work. Based on this

finding, restoration works were redone with traditional materials for plastering. The plaster now used consisted of an organic material of a special mortor mix of lime, sand and surkhi mixed with jaggery, guggal and methi (cummins) powder. It was also noticed that there was hardly any water seepage, except for a little dampness, in the floors below the water level. But the original garden, which existed on the terrace had been lost. Now, a new terrace is being created based on a similar roof garden existing on the Amer palace.

THE ROYAL FAMILY CENETOPS

At Gaitore, opposite to the lake, there are Chhatris or cenatophs erected over cremation platforms of some of the Kachwaha rulers of Jaipur. They were built by Jai Singh II within landscaped gardens. The cenotaph monuments are in honour of Pratap Singh, Madho Singh II and Jai Singh II, among others. Jai Singh II's cenatoph is made of marble and has impressive intricate carvings. It has a dome with 20 carved pillars.

JAL MAHAL

ALBERT HALL MUSEUM

Albert Hall Museum is a museum in Jaipur city in Rajasthan state of India. It is the oldest museum of the state and functions as the State museum of Rajasthan. The building is situated in Ram Niwas Garden outside the city wall opposite New gate and is a fine example of Indo-Saracenic architecture. The building was designed by Sir Samuel Swinton Jacob and was opened as public museum in 1887. It is also called the Government Central Museum. Maharaja Ram Singh initially wanted this building to be a town hall, but his successor, Madho Singh II, decided it should be a museum for the art of Jaipur and included as part of the new Ram Nivas Garden. The museum has a rich collection of artefacts like paintings, carpets, ivory, stone, metal sculptures, colourful crystal works etc. It is named after King Edward VII (Albert Edward), during whose visit to the city as the Prince of Wales, its foundation stone was laid on 6 February 1876.

ALBERT MUSEUM

TEMPLES AND PLACES FOR WORSHIP

The landscape of Jaipur is dotted with numerous temples and religious places. It is because of the numerous temples that it is sometimes also known as Chhoti Kashi. Some of the famous temples in Jaipur include Govind Dev Ji Temple , Galtaji , Lakshmi Narayan Mandir commonly known as Birla Temple,

GOVIND DEV JI TEMPLE

The Hindu temple Govind Dev Ji is situated in Jaipur in Rajasthan state of India. It is located in the City Palace complex. The temple is dedicated to Govind Dev Ji (Lord Krishna). The image of the deity (murti) was brought from Vrindavan here by Raja Sawai Jai Singh II, the founder of Jaipur. According to popular legend, Lord Krishna's image in the temple looks exactly like Krishna's form during his incarnation on Earth. The deity originally belonged to Srila Rupa Goswami who was a disciple of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu.

HISTORY
As is the Legend, the Holy Image of Lord Govind Devji was also called "BAJRAKRIT" communicating thereby that it was created by Bajranabh The Great Grand Son of Lord Shri Krishna. SOME 5,000 YEARS BACK WHEN SHRI BAJRANABH WAS AROUND 13 YEARS OF AGE, he asked his Grand Mother(daughter-in-law of Lord Krishna) as to how Lord Shri Krishna looked like; Then He made an image as per the description given by her. She however, said that not all but the Feet of that image looked like those of Lord Shri Krishna. He made another image, yet she said that the Chest looked like

that of Lord Shri Krishna. Thereafter, He made the Third Image and looking at the same she felt Blush and Nodded that yes that was what Lord Shri Krishna Looked Like!!! The First One came to be known with the Name Lord "Madan Mohanji". The Second One got recognition as Lord "GOPI NATHJI". AND the Third One, The LIVE Divine Majestic Holy Image is LORD "GOVIND DEVJI".With passing of ages the glories of the Indian Culture were being forgotten and the sands of time kept piling up. Togetherwith every other thing these pious divine images were also lost from the memories of people. Some 500 years ago Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu took his birth on the Indian Soil and did the massive work to remove the layers of ignorance & infuse back in our lives the forgotten vitality of great grand Indian Past.Vrindavn Dham had become almost a Jungle by the early 16th Century.No trace of the original place was left at the site.Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu had visited the site in 1514 A.D. and had discovered some of the places mentioned in the Bhagvat Purana. But he was not able to stay here long enough to bring out the complete Glory of The Place. For Vaishnavites, particularly followers of Lord Krishna, this is one of the most important temples outside Vrindavan. 'Aartis' and 'Bhog' are offered seven times a day, when the deity is unveiled for 'Darshan'. Thousands of devotees visit the temple daily and even larger number visit during Janmashtami.

GOVIND DEV JI TEMPLE

GALTA JI
Galtaji is an ancient Hindu pilgrimage site in the town of Khaniya-Balaji Indian state of Rajasthan. The site consists of several temples and sacred kunds (water tanks) in which pilgrims bathe. It is believed that Saint Galav[who?] spent his life[when?] at Galtaji, practiced meditation, and did penance (tpasya).[citation needed] The site was of particular importance to the Vaishnavite Ramandandis.

TEMPLES
Galtaji has been a retreat for Hindu ascetics since the early 1500s; its present temple was built by Diwan Rao Kriparam, a courtier of Sawai Jai Singh II, in the 18th Century. The main temple is the Temple of Galtaji, built in pink stone. The temple features a number of pavilions with rounded roofs, carved pillars, and painted walls. There is another temple in the complex, the temple of Balaji. Yet another notable temple at Galta is Surya Temple; Surya is dedicated to the Sun God and was built in the 18th century.

MONKEYS
The place[which?] is known as Monkey temple (Galwar Bagh) in travel literature, due to the large tribe of monkeys who live here. These rhesus macaques were featured in National Geographic channel's Rebel Monkeys series.

WATER TANKS
The temple is famous for its natural water springs. which draw

special attention of the visitors. The water of these springs is accumulated in the tanks (kunds). There are seven tanks, the holiest being the Galta Kund, which never goes dry. It is considered auspicious to take bath in the waters of Galtaji, especially on Makar Sankranti, and thousands come to bathe every year.

GALTA JI TEMPLE

BIRLA MANDIR
Birla Mandir, Jaipur is a Hindu temple located in Jaipur, India and is part of one of the several Birla mandirs located all around the country. The grand temple is located on an elevated ground at the base of Moti Dungari hill in Rajasthan. The temple is sometimes also referred to as the Laxmi Narayan Temple.

DESCRIPTION
At the foot of Moti Dungri fort is the Birla Temple. This temple forms one of the major attractions of Jaipur. Birla Temple of Jaipur looks stunning, when it is brightly lit in the night. The enormous temple was built during the year 1988, by Birla Group of Industries, one of the business tycoons of India. The Temple is dedicated to Lord Vishnu (Narayan), the preserver and his consort Lakshmi, the Goddess of wealth. Due to this reason, Birla Temple is also known as Laxmi Narayan Temple. Birla Mandir is constructed in the finest quality of white marble. The three huge domes of the temple represent three different approaches to the religion. The beautiful white marble temple mesmerizes the onlookers, when it glows at night. Stained glass widows depict the scenes from Hindu scriptures. Ganesh the protector of households, is above the lintel, and the fine quality of marble is evident when you enter the temple and look back at the entrance way. The images of Lakshmi and Narayan attract the attention, being made out from one piece of marble. Many of the deities of the Hindu pantheon are depicted inside the temple, and on the outside walls great historical personages and figures from all religions are shown, including Socrates, Zarathustra, Christ, Budhda, and Confucius. The Laxmi Narayan Mandir is a modern architectural marvel, surrounded by lush green gardens. The fascinating exteriors of the temple are carved

splendidly with beautiful sculptures based of mythological themes, while the interiors have a large marble panel portraying mythological events.

BIRLA MANDIR

GARDENS RAM NIWAS GARDEN

Ram Niwas Garden is a garden situated in Jaipur city in Indian state of Rajasthan, built by Maharaja Sawai Ram Singh of Jaipur in 1868.

OVERVIEW
The historical garden is located in the heart of the city and covers an area of 33 acres (130,000 m2), and was got built by Maharaja Sawai Ram Singh in 1868. Within the garden which originally spread over 76 acres (310,000 m2) in early 20th century is the Albert Hall Museum (now known as Central Museum), named after KingEdward VII (Albert Edward), during whose visit to the city as the Prince of Wales, its foundation stone was laid on February 6, 1876. Apart from that it also has a bird park, the Zoo, Ravindra Rang Manch Theatre, art gallery, exhibition ground, gymnasium and several cafes and picnic spots are housed in the garden.

SISODIA RANI GARDEN

Sisodia Rani Garden and Palace is a beautiful palace garden 6 kilometres (3.7 mi) from Jaipur city in of Rajasthan state in India. It was built by Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II in 1779. The place consists of tiered multi-level gardens with fountains, watercourses and painted pavilions. A charming double storeyed palace occupies the top terrace of the garden. The palace has many galleries, pavilions and beautiful murals depicting scenes from the life of lord Krishna. The palace lies on JAipur Agara highway. The palace garden derives its name, Sisodia Rani Garden and Palace, from the rani (queen) for whom it was built. She hailed from the Sisodia line of Suryavanshi (Sun- Dynasty) Rajputs, who ruled and now nominally rule the region of Mewar in Rajasthan . The palace was featured in the 1991 Indian film "Lamhe", as the home of actor Anil Kapoor's character Viren. Rambagh Palace, near Jaipur, also served the same function. The film's song "Mohe Chedo Naa", pictured on actress Sridevi's character Pallavi, was filmed at the palace as well.

JAWARHAR CIRCLE
Jawahar Circle is a garden situated in Jaipur city in the Indian state of Rajasthan, built by the Jaipur Development Authority.

OVERVIEW
Jawahar Circle is the biggest circular park in Asia developed on highway. It is situated along Malviya Nagar near sanganer airport on Jawaharlal Nehru Marg. The diameter of the circle is 452 m and the circumference measures 1420 m. This park was fully developed by JDA (Jaipur Development Authority), and is one of the favorite leisure places. There are multiple concentric tracks in the park. It is surrounded by Rose Gardens. A number of attractive features like musical fountains, modern play equipments, jogging tracks are being added to it. JDA is developing Jawahar Circle garden by introducing many attractive features like a musical fountain with video screen, walk-ways, jogging tracks, parking, modern play equipment, kiosks, performance platforms, central plaza, electrification, landscaping and dense plantation work, etc. This Garden is one

of the biggest and most prestigious ones in Jaipur city with an area of about 9.81 hectare.

OTHER PLACES TO VISIT IN JAIPUR

Chand Baori Chokhi Dhani

CHAND BAORI
Chand Baori is a famous stepwell situated in the village of Abhaneri near Jaipur in the Indian state of Rajasthan.

OVERVIEW
It is located opposite Harshat Mata Temple and was constructed in 800 CE. Its 3500 narrow steps in 13 stories extend 100 feet (30 m) into the ground, making it one of the deepest (and largest) stepwells in India. It has served as a location for films such as The Fall and The Dark Knight Rises.

HISTORY

Chand Baori was built by King Chanda of the Nikumbha Dynasty between 800 and 900 CE and was dedicated to Hashat Mata, Goddess of Joy and Happiness upon completion. The state of Rajasthan is extremely arid, and the intent and final structure of Chand Baori was intended to conserve as much water as possible. At the bottom of the well, the air remains 5-6 degrees cooler than at the surface, and Chand Baori was used as a community gathering place for locals during the heat.

CHAND BAORI

CHOKHI DHANI
Chokhi Dhani, a Rajasthani village themed resort, situated in the outskirts of Jaipur, is a representation of the culture, traditions and lifestyle of village life in Rajasthan. Chokhi Dhani village consists of an ethnic village theme resort with 100 (cottages, royal cottages and haveli suites) and it has multicuisine restaurants, banquet halls, spa, barbecue and sheesha (Hookah) lounge. The village fair attempts to encapsulate the feeling of the rural life and culture of Rajasthan, a state known for its cultural and historical richness. The chairman of Chokhi Dhani is Gulraj Vaswani, and the Managing Director is Subhash Vaswani.

HISTORY

Founded in 1989, it is now spread over 22 acres (8.9 ha) of land and has evolved as one of the most popular tourist attractions in Jaipur and continues to be one of the major players in the hospitality industry across India. Located on the suburbs of Jaipur, The Pink City of India, is Chokhi Dhani, replication of ethnic Rajasthani Village. Spread on more than 18 acres of land, Chokhi Dhani is synonymous with Rajasthani Culture since 1989. In 1989 with Chokhi Dhani Village, as a part of ambiance for a restaurant, over the years it has evolved as a tasteful and authentic symbol of ethnic village life of this most colorful state in the country. Built on typical Rajasthani theme, embedded with its rich heritage and lifestyle, it is a place where festivity never ends. Tradition infused with illustrious Rajasthani Hospitality makes Chokhi Dhani an unavoidable choice. Every day thousands of Inbound and Domestic Tourists and corporate clients congregate for a memorable experience. In Chokhi Dhani Village you will find a different theme for each day, a festive celebration every time in a different manner with a purview of real rajasthani village culture in fun, entertainment, games, thrill, shopping, rajasthani diet, Rajasthani Kalbeliya Dance or Ghoomer or other folk dance, music and much more to look... to feel... to breathe... to taste... to experience.... whereas Chokhi Dhani Resort is not merely a modern resort with many facilities, but an experience to the Royal culture of Indian history. Warm hospitality in line with the Rajasthani tradition of "Padharo Mhare Des" transports you to the era of Thakurs, the village lords. Spread over 10 acres of beautifully landscaped area for a rustic look, it is dotted with machaans & platforms where different folk artists perform concurrently. A village fair is created every evening as an ongoing celebration of the rich & vibrant cultural heritage of Rajasthan. The display of traditional huts and workmanship will take you back to the times when splendor was unpretentious. Some of the activities that are found here are live dance, music performances by local folk artists, magic show, puppet show, acrobatics on bamboo, astrology and a tour

through an artificial forest.

CHOKHI DHANI SUSTAINABLE TOURISM IN JAIPUR Tourism JAIPUR , also known as the Rome of the East, is famous for tourism world-wide. Tourism is the mainstay of the JAIPUR n economy and is the main contributor to the exchequer. Besides tourism, mining, farming and fishing are the other important occupations of the people. Tourism caught the imagination of the people in the world in the 1980s and JAIPUR , due to its natural beauty coupled with the charming Portuguese influence and culture, became a favorite destination for hordes of tourists from all over the world. The Government of JAIPUR has already declared tourism as an industry with effect from 01-042000. The master plan for the tourism development has already been prepared by the state and the Tourism Policy of the state

has already been framed, but all this has to be implemented properly if we want tourism to be a success story for the state. (Tourist Statistics 2006-07, Department Of Tourism, JAIPUR ) But the number of tourists descending upon JAIPUR is stretching the limits of what can be handled by the states infrastructure. It is a small state, measuring around 140 km from North to South and just 65 Kmfrom East to West. In many cases, the burden of tourism has started creating a lot of problems for the locals. Most tourists visit JAIPUR primarily for beach tourism; and although JAIPUR is famous for many otherthings (like its old and artistic temples and churches), most of the tourists, both Indian and foreign, comewith the dual focus of the beaches and the alcohol (which is available cheaply in JAIPUR ). In this paper, Ipropose to examine various aspects of tourism and examine them in the light of JAIPUR n economy and society.Tourism is a big business all over the world, and one that is continuously growing. The modern world isfull of stress and people search new ways to relax themselves and become refreshed and rejuvenated.

Definition The definition of a tourist adopted by the UNO is as follows: Any person visiting a country, other than that in which he usually resides, for a period of at least 24 hours India has adopted the following definition to recognize a tourist A person who travels to a country other than that in which he has his usual residence, the main purpose ofwhose visit is other than the exercise of an activity remunerated from within the country visited and isstaying for a period of at least one night but not more than one year in that country (Rai, L 1993) Number of tourists visiting JAIPUR JAIPUR , as was mentioned earlier is a small state, with a total population of 13.48 lakhs as per the 2001 census.Yet every year, JAIPUR receives a large number of domestic and foreign tourists, who come for around 5- 9days, stay in JAIPUR . India received a total of 3915324 tourists in 2005, while during the same time JAIPUR was visited by 336803 tourists (foreign)JAIPUR receives the largest number of tourist from UK followed by Russia. Besides, tourists from Germany, Finland, France, Switzerland, USA and many other countries also visit the state. The domestic touristcomes from all over India, as JAIPUR is a very popular tourists destination. The table shows the number ofdomestic and foreign tourist who have visited the state from 2000 to 2006.Many of the tourists arrive in JAIPUR directly by the charted flights and the table below shows the number ofsuch tourists who have arrived and the number of chartered flights that have come to JAIPUR from variouscountries in the world. The rest of the tourists arrive at Mumbai or Delhi and then come to JAIPUR to visit theplace. Types of Tourism (present and proposed) India has registered a phenomenal growth in tourism of varying types. JAIPUR has an area of 3702 Sq. Km. oflush green mountains, blue waters and white sands, winding rivers and

picturesque villages with local flora\and fauna. It is thus capable of offering a wide variety of entertainment for the discerning tourist and the state has the capacity to diversify into newer fields for the future. People all over the world are aware thatJAIPUR has very beautiful beaches and in recent years, JAIPUR had been actively projected by the JAIPUR Government as a destination of Sun, Sand and Smiles which was later on changed to JAIPUR - 365 Days aholiday. But in the process, JAIPUR s great cultural heritage and other types of potential tourism have beenneglected thanks to this overemphasis on Beach Tourism Sustainable tourism Definition: Sustainability is a characteristic of a process or state that can be maintained at a certain level indefinitely. Thus it is a process that takes care of tomorrow as well as today, conserving resources where necessaryto ensure continuity.Sustainable tourism thus attempts to make minimal impact on the environment and local culture, whilehelping to generate income and employment for locals, as well as to promote the conservation of localecosystems. It is responsible tourism which is both ecologically and culturally sensitive. As tourism grows at a high rate, it tends to place a great stress on the diverse habitats and these will bedestroyed. Indiscriminate tourism could very easily destroy, or at least irretrievably damage, the flora andthe fauna of the state. To quote just one example, JAIPUR is famous for the Olive Ridley turtles (Mandrem inPernem) but as a result of excessive tourism many of the turtles do not find safe nesting grounds. The verypromotion of eco holiday in the area by the hoteliers are defeating the purpose as littering the beach andovercrowding do not allow the turtles to hatch safely.Sustainable tourism is especially important for a small state like JAIPUR since the influx of both Indian andforeign tourists is increasing very year. JAIPUR being a tiny state, the

carrying capacity of the state in terms ofthe size, facilities available and the ecological fragility should be thoroughly studied and taken intoconsideration while allowing tourism; only then would such tourism be beneficial, in the long run, for thestate and the people. The stake holders in sustainable tourism i.e. Community-based management, nongovernmentalorganizations, tourists and locals all should be trained to see that the fragile JAIPUR n ecosystemdoes not suffer as a result of excessive tourism.Tourists, who promote sustainable tourism are aware of these dangers and seek to protect touristdestinations, and to protect tourism as an industryThe local community has an important role to play in sustainable tourism and will have to keep thefollowing points in mind if they wish that, tourism continues to be the mainstay for the economy of thestate 1. Be Courteous: The local people should be courteous to the tourists and help them to have awonderful holiday so that they may go back to their places and send more tourists to the state. This word ofmouth publicity will do wonders for the state tourism. Do not harass the tourists: Many of the tourists from foreign countries are so very different from thelocals that the locals harass them by staring at them and following them unnecessarily Do not over charge the tourist: JAIPUR is a place where the tourists are fleeced ( transport, food, stay) andhence very often the tourism industry is faces a bad impact of this overcharging Do not force tourists to buy your products: tourists in JAIPUR , and other tourist places face a lot of harassment from the local venders ,especially small children who continuously follow the tourists and insist that they buy the products

ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT OF TOURISM Positive impact 1. Financial contributions.(one of the largest contributor to the exchequer) 2. Improving environmental management and planning. 3. Increasing the environmental awareness. 4. Alternate employment. Negative impact Negative impact of tourism occurs when the level of visitors use is greater than the environmental abilityto cope with the situation within the acceptable limits of change. Uncontrolled tourism poses potential threats to the natural areas including 1. Depletion of resources (especially water) 2. Pressure on land and resources (to set up hotels and other facilities) 3. Land degradation (due to nature trails and other facilities to the tourists 4. Pollution ( air, water, noise)

SUGGESTIONS Some of the suggestions that I would like to give to improve the tourism industry and make it moresustainable include: 1. Diversifying the areas of tourism: the tourism industry in JAIPUR has mainly concentrated on beachtourism and neglected other forms of tourism to a large extent. My suggestion is that JAIPUR should diversifyinto other areas , like farm and yoga tourism which have the potential for future growth and development 2. Training the guides and the local people : The local people should be trained in hospitality servicesand the guides should be trained to provide the necessary and the correct information to the tourist. 3. Maintain the control on the prices of goods and the quality of services: the prices of the goods andservices in JAIPUR are very high, and hence many tourists are discouraged from shopping and buying localitems. The local people too, find the cost of living very high and very often the local people cannot affordto purchase their daily requirements. The government should keep a control on the prices of the products so that the local people and the tourist do not suffer. 4. Improving the infrastructure especially the transport: for tourism, transport is very important andin JAIPUR we have variety of transport facilities .Motorcycle pilots are a unique feature of JAIPUR where a personcan travel any distance on a hired bike. Besides we also have many tourist taxis and other buses, but therates charged for a small distance are exorbitant. Most of the rickshaws and taxies do not charge by meter.The public transport facility should be strengthened so that the tourists can visit the place of their choice ata very cheap rate.

5. Improving the safety especially of women. Today many tourist women are facing many problemsfrom the local people, especially as they do not maintain the hours and come back to the hotel or guesthouses late at night. Many of the foreign women have faced molestation and other problems in JAIPUR . 6. Maintaining a control on the beaches. The beaches in JAIPUR are very dangerous for swimming dueto the changes in tides. Even after the posting of lifeguards and many warning signs, foreign and othertourists go swimming, especially when they are drunk and the number of the dead by drowning hasincreased tremendously. The government and the local people should undertake steps to educate the touristsabout the dangers of swimming in the seas. Trained lifeguards should be placed at all the major beaches,with life boats and life belts.

SWOT ANALYSIS STRENGTHS: 1. Dynamism in the Tourism and Hospitality industries. 2. Continuous inflow of Tourists in the country. 3. Indias rich cultural heritage. 4. Low labour costs as against the world standards. WEAKNESSES: 1. Regional imbalance of hotels. 2. Capital intensive 3. Labour intensive. 4. High taxes and tariffs for every service. 5. Disparity in taxes charged by various States. 6. Lack of aggressive and effective marketing and promotional strategies. 7. Land availability is a major hurdle for any hotel project. Release of land at prime locations isdifficult because large tracts of land in such locations come under the Governments control. 8. The prohibitive cost of power in India. 9. High government duty on power tariffs OPPORTUNITIES: 1. Influx of MNCs in the country after liberalization. This has led to a flurry of industrial activityin the country and thus an increased demand for the hotel. 2. Declaration of the Hotel Industry as a High Priority Industry. 3. Government policy of positioning hotel and other tourism related activities in the private sector. 4. Various incentives/concessions extended by the Government. 5. Approval of the hotel by the Department of Tourism. This approval constitutes a certificate ofsuitability of the hotel for occupancy by tourists, both foreign and domestic. 6. Higher interest subsidy for hotel projects that are set up in

special areas and specified destinations as per the Government. 7. Introduction of the Capital Subsidy scheme for the Heritage class of hotels. 8. Declaration of the hotel and tourism industry as a high priority industry for foreigninvestment. 9. Liberalization of imports and concessional customs duty. THREATS: 1. Significant over capacity in places like Madras and JAIPUR . 2. Dual pricing is a major deterrent (Indian and Foreign tourists). 3. The continuous change of Governments over the past years has led to a slowdown in both foreign investment and business travel. 4. High capital costs combined with long gestation periods 5. Inadequate infrastructure development in terms of international airports, roads, communication facilities, cost of communication etc.

OBJECTIVES They dont believe in selling just tour packages, but building long term relationship delivering services with utmost satisfaction to our guests They discuss everything in a crystal clear way before booking the package with customers and we dont have any hidden cost for our services mentioned in our tour packages. Last but not the least, plan your holiday in JAIPUR with us and you will surely be fascinated by the way we manage all the tours and travel related services to provide tourists with incredible holidaying experience in JAIPUR . They Welcome One And All To JAIPUR The Beach Capital of India Atithi Devo Bhava

CONCLUSION In conclusion, I would like to put forth the submission that tourism has an important place in the economyof JAIPUR , but this has to be carried out in a very systematic manner. Only when the Government and the local people come together, implement the policy, which has been framed, it in a vigorous manner, tourism willbe a boon else it will be a burden to the tiny beautiful state of JAIPUR . We Global vision tours a leading JAIPUR tour operator heartily welcomes you all to our site JAIPUR Tour Packages. We are engaged in tours and travel tourism in JAIPUR for years offering tourists tailor made JAIPUR tour packages for enjoyable vacation in this beautiful beach state of India. We have team of professional & experienced staffs with offices in all the major cities of India like Delhi, Mumbai, Pune, Chennai, Cochin and Hyderabad. Our main motto is to provide our guests with world class services and tailor made JAIPUR tour packages, so that tourists have pleasurable touring experience with us. Being a leading JAIPUR travel agent we provide all the tours and travel related services giving much preference to the requirements of tourists and their needs. Our professionals and experienced staffs are always there to provide you with assured services mentioned in our tour packages with a smile. We also promote properties like hotels, resorts, restaurants & bar laying stress on hygiene, warm services and customer satisfaction.

BIBLIOGRAPHY www.indiatourismstat.com www.neoncarrot.co.uk www.flickr.com www.incredibleindiatourism.com www.hinduonnet.com www.trak.in www.hindubusinessline.com www.images.google.com