Of all the princely states of yore in
India, Rajputana (the region around Jaipur) is undoubtedly the
one with the most martial record. Jaipur was the first city in
India that was planned according to the grid pattern. Its founder
Sawai Jai Singh (1699 - 1744) was a lover of mathematics and
science and he consulted a Brahmin scholar, Vidyadhar
Bhattacharya of Bengal to help him design the city architecture.
Construction of the city started in 1727 and the major palaces,
roads, and square took 4 years to complete. Architecture of the
town was much advanced to its time and it was no doubt the best
in Indian subcontinent. Pink, the sign of welcome was used to
paint the buildings in Jaipur in 1853 to honor of the visiting
Prince of Wells and is still used. Interestingly, the royal
family's earlier residence at Amber, was only 11km away, and had
been since the 10th century. Seven hundred years later, the
Maharaja chose to raise a "City of Victory", and aptly christened
it Jaipur. Co-incidentally, the name also incorporated the first
name of the Maharaja thus immortalizing the builder both through
his nomenclature of dynasty and concept of ideals. Jaipur was and
remains the only city in the world symbolizing the nine divisions
of the universe through nine rectangular sectors dividing it.
It a bustling capital city and a business centre with all the
trapping of modern metropolis but yet flavoured strongly with an
age-old charm that never fails to surprise a traveller. Jaipur's
past is never too far from hand. Stunning backdrop of ancient
forts Nahargarh, Amer, Jagarh and Moti Dungri are dramatic
testimonials of the bygone era and a reminder of their lingering
romance. The palaces and forts of the yesteryears that were
witness to royal processions and splendor are now living
monuments, accepted quite naturally into the lifestyles of the
people of the pink city. Except for the busy traffic of bicycles,
cars and buses, little seems to have changed. There is a timeless
quality to Jaipur's bazzar's with it's colorful people and
moderate climatic conditions. Jaipur is a royal city, and this is
its most noticeable aspect. Buildings testify to it. Festivals
testify to it. Its palace hotels testify to it. The life style of
its society testifies to it. And very, obviously, tourists
testify to it as they pay homage to the grand capital of princes
and kings, a city of the past that belongs to India's future.