Welcome to Jaipur...popularly known as the Pink
City, was founded
in 1727 AD by one of the greatest rulers of the Kachhawaha clan, the
astronomer king Sawai Jai Singh. The pink color was used at the time of
making to create an impression of red sandstone buildings of Mughal
cities - and repainted in 1876, during the visit of the Prince of
Wales. |
The pink color was used originally to create an impression of red
sandstone buildings of Mughal
cities - and repainted in 1876, during the visit of the Prince of Wales.
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Inside the City Palace.
Sawai Jai Singh's Chandra Mahal (Moon Palace), better known as the City
Palace, is the official residence of the royal family. The royal family
still lives in a portion of this palace, while the outer courtyards and
the ground floor halls have been converted into the Maharaja Sawai Man
Singh II Museum that is open to public.
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The museum (inside, which we couldn't photograph) houses an extensive
collection of rare
manuscripts, Mughal and rajasthani miniatures, mughal carpets, costumes
and textiles, arms and weapons and royal paraphernalia.
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Across the road from the palace is the Jantar Mantar,
one of the five observatories built by Sawai Jai Singh. A collection of
complex astronomical instruments, chiseled out of stone- most of which
continue to provide fairly accurate information to this day - is the
highlight of this observatory.
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Liza next to the Capricorn sundial.
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Victor Emanuel (the VE in VENT).
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