 Located in the capital of Rajasthan, the City Palace of Jaipur or
the main palace is an imposing blend of traditional Rajasthan and
Mughal architecture. The vast palace complex occupies one seventh of
the walled city of Jaipur. Originally built by Maharaja Jai Singh II
of the Kachhwaha clan of Rajputs, additions have been made to the
palace complex by many of his successors. The complex is divided into a series of courtyards, sprawling
gardens and buildings. It is home to several palatial structures
like the Chandra Mahal, Mubarak Mahal, Badal Mahal, Shri Govind Dev
Temple and the City Palace Museum.
In the first courtyard is the 'Mubarak Mahal', built by Maharaja
Madho Singh II in the late 19th century. The Mubarak Mahal, or the
Auspicious Palace, contains the textile section of the Maharaja
Sawai Man Singh II Museum. There is a magnificent gateway with a
grand door in brass opening to a stately courtyard. There lies the
Diwan-I-Khas or 'Hall of Private Audience'- an open hall with a
double row of columns with scalloped arches. On display are the two
largest silver vessels in the world figured in the Guinness Book of
World Records. These were used for carrying water from the holy
Ganges for personal use, by Madho Singh II on his journey to
England. Across the paved square, with its intricate decorations in
deep red and gold, Afghan and Persian carpets, miniature paintings,
astronomical manuscripts in Persian and Sanskrit lies the 'Diwan-E-Aam'
or the 'Hall of Public Audience'. At the other corner is the
gateway Ridhi Sidhi Pol, with four small doorways decorated with
motifs depicting the four seasons.
To the north-west is the graceful seven storeyed 'Chandra Mahal',
or the Moon Palace, home to the present Maharaja of Jaipur;
Bhavani Singh, providing a fine view of the gardens and the city.
Paintings, floral decorations, mirror walls and ceilings in the
traditional style adorn the palace. Each storey has a distinctive
name and is a place of sheer beauty and luxury. The ground and first
floor of the Chandra Mahal, form the Maharaja Sawai Man Singh II
Museum. The museum has an extensive collection of art, carpets,
enamelware and 15th century weapons. The paintings include
miniatures of Rajasthani, Persian and Mughal schools. A section of
museum also contains dresses and costumes of the former Maharajas
and Maharanis of Jaipur.
'Sukh Nivas' or Hall of rest holds the drawing and dining room of
the Maharaja, furnished with Mughal miniatures, European silver,
glass dining tables and peep holes decorated with gold leafs, for
ventilation. On the fourth floor of the 'Chandra Mahal' is the
'Shobha Nivas' or Hall of Beauty with mirror encrusted walls having
exquisite blue tiled dadoes and glittering gold leaf and mica
decoration. When the room was lit after dark the Maharajas
could enjoy a breathtaking spectacle of the room bursting into a
thousand flickering images. The Shobha Nivas and the Sukh Nivas is
still occupied by the present Maharaja. The fifth floor is the 'Chhavi
Nivas' or Hall of Images, the maharajas retreat in the rainy season,
with a polished floor of eggshell stucco and blue and white painted
walls. The sixth floor with its mirrored ceiling and stucco floor
has rows of double columns through which one can have a magnificent
view of the rugged hills. The uppermost storey is called the 'Mukut
Mahal' or the Crown Building.
Opposite the Chandra Mahal lies the 'Badal Mahal'. The Govind
Devji Temple stands in the middle of the Chandra Mahal and the Badal
Mahal. A delightful system of fountains is placed in the middle of
the paved path between the Chandra Mahal and the Badal Mahal.
Another integral part of the palace complex is the
Hawa
Mahal of unusual architecture, standing away from the main
complex.
Travel
Map Jaipur
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