The Royal City Palace of Jaipur

    The history of the palace is so related to the Jaipur city itself and its rulers over the years which made it an icon for the richness and royalty of Indian history. The construction was initiated by Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II who built the outer wall for the complex. Firstly, he was ruling from Amber city which is 11 km from Jaipur, and then he decided to move the capital to Jaipur due to the water shortage and the population increase. He assigned a Bengali architect, called Vidhyadhar Bhattacharya, to design the complex and to follow the rules of Vastushastra. Later, his successors added and extended the complex.  Maharaja Ram Singh, for example, has the credit for most of the monuments and important attractions in Jaipur till now including the City Palace and the city took its popular name “Pink City” during his ruling time as well. Although the Jaipur kingdom merged with the Indian Union in 1949 after India got its independence in 1947 with other Rajput states of Jaisalmer, Jodhpur, and Bikaner, the palace continued to serve as a residence place for the royal family.  

     The City Palace is in the center of the city of Jaipur, specifically in the northeast part, located in a unique pattern with wide avenues. It is a unique and special complex of several buildings, courtyards, pavilions, temples, and gardens. The most attractive and most visited structures in the complex are the Mubarak Mahal, Chandra Mahal, Shri Govind Dev Temple, and the City Palace Museum. On reaching the City Palace, you will see its famous gates which also serve as the various entrances to the palace. First, it is the Tripolia Gate and it is for the entry of the royal family into the palace. The other gates are Udai Pol and Virendra Pol and they are for the visitors and common people. These gates were built at different times across the 18th, 19th, and 20th centuries and they are richly and artfully decorated in the modern architectural styles.

Govind Dev Ji Temple: This temple is one of the most prominent buildings inside the complex. It is dedicated to the Hindu god Lord Krishna. Govind Dev is a famous important deity and he has been featured in many paintings and in the photography gallery.

Sarvato Bhadra (Diwan-e-Khas): This is also a unique architectural icon inside City Place. It is an open hall, one floor, in the form of a square along with rooms at the corners. The main usage for that hall is for the private meetings that the ruler can hold with his guests or with nobles and officials of the kingdom in a more intimate space. Due to its unique location between the private residential area and the public area, it is considered to be the "living heritage" and one of the most important ritual buildings. It hosted the coronations of the Maharajas of Jaipur for years. Till now, it houses more royal festivals and celebrations like Dusshera, and it is sometimes used for more modern occasions like weddings and parties as well.

Chandra Mahal: This building is the oldest among them all in the City Palace complex. It consists of seven floors built in a form that gives you the impression of seeing the last floor as a crown for the other floors underneath. The first two floors are Sukh Niwas which means the house of pleasure. Then, it comes the third one 'Rang Mahal' with its stunning colorful glasswork and Chhavi Niwas with its white and blue decorations. The last floors are 'Mukut Mandir' with a bangaldar roof and a quarter flag.

 Mubarak Mahal: The Mubarak Mahal courtyard at the City Palace complex was completely created by the architect Lala Chiman Lal who decided to build it in the center of the complex in the late 1900s. The State’s official engineer, Samuel Swinton Jacob, joined him to complement the work at its finest and they constructed Rajendra Pol almost at the same time as Mubarak Mahal. In the façade of Mubarak Mahal, you see a hanging balcony copied on all four sides, carved in white (andhi marble) and beige. This place was essentially built to be a welcoming spot for the foreign guests but now it has a different function; it includes a library and the museum offices on the first floor and on the ground floor, there is the museum's Textile Gallery.

    Generally, the best time to visit Jaipur is when the temperature is cool which is between October and March. Jaipur is naturally a hot city but it has a moderate winter, that's when we recommend visiting it. Try to go to the palace in the early morning before it gets too sunny since most of the palaces are open in the complex.  

    The City Palace is a very popular tourist spot and it is a landmark in Jaipur. Apart from the rich architecture it has, you can have an amazing view of the Pink City and also a closer look into the rich heritage of a bygone era. We recommend a guided tour during your visit to the City Palace to explain the rich history.  Inside the complex, there is a specific section for the artisans where you can buy replicas of monuments made from wood and also paintings with organic colors that you can have as souvenirs back home.  The City Palace is a must-see while you’re staying in Jaipur and can’t be missed by anyway.