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Jaipur, the “pink city” in Western India is one of the most sought after travel destinations in India. It forms the golden triangle of tourism along with Delhi, the capital and Agra which hosts the Taj Mahal. Situated about 260 km from Delhi, it is easily accessible by air, rail and road during India vacation packages.

Jaipur is an ancient city that has existed since many thousand years. During the earlier times it was known as the kingdom of ‘Amer’. The ruins of a seventh century fort still exist near the Amer fort which is a comparatively new construction made in different parts between twelfth to sixteenth century. These forts, like most forts of Rajasthan are constructed at heights, usually over a high point in the Aravali Hills, which are the one of oldest mountain chains existing on the planet. The latest fort was built even higher in nineteenth century and is called Jaigarh (Jai means victory and garh means fort). India holidays

The main city lies around 10 km away from hills that host the forts. It was built in late seventeenth century by King Sawai Jai Singh, who was great scholar of mathematics and astrology of his time. His genius is reflected in the town architecture and planning. The old city of Jaipur, constructed over three centuries back, remains largely unchanged, still capable of taking care of the enormous population explosion that has taken place. Its roads are all perpendicular to each other so you can never get lost there. The drainage system can still compete with any modern system and is undoubtedly the best in India. One of the classic features of the town planning is that none of the buildings on the two sides of the road directly open on the road, allowing privacy as well as preventing traffic obstructions.

Sawai Jai Singh built a planetarium in Jaipur, and subsequently, on the request of the Delhi Emperor, he also helped get one constructed in Delhi. These have instruments of those times for analysing the movement of stars and planets and predicting the happenings in the outer space.

Jaipur and Rajasthan were the abode of princes, who were famous both for their royal tastes as well as their valor. They belonged to the Rajputs, a warrior class which was known by its fearlessness. It is said that for Rajputs both life and war were a game to prove their chivalry. Their history is still preserved in the two main museums of Jaipur, which are one of the richest ones in India. The first is the City palace in the center of the old city, which was actually the residence of the King,  called ‘Maharaja’. The other is the Albert Palace situated in the midst of a sprawling garden. Then there is famous “Hawa Mahal’ a building which provides for a natural ventilation that maintains its coolness even when the temperature touches 45 degree Celsius.

The old city is characterised by the pink color of its structures, arising largely from the red stone used in construction, hence called the ‘Pink city’.  car rentals India Today the city has spread far beyond the limitsof old Jaipur. The new city is equally soothing to the eyes, with wide roads and nice buildings. There are hotels for every budge, beginning with palace hotels which allow you to experience the luxury of princes, multistory five star hotels, and many very comfortable ones that would fit in to lower budgets. Usual mode of transportation within city will be by taxis, but if you are used to it or wish to experience it , three wheeler may be an option. The public transport is not so well developed.

The best time to visit is from October to March, with November and February being the best months to travel. The markets offer exiting shopping opportunities for those looking some unique taste, in showpieces, clothes, fabric and designs. Jaipur has long been a big market for semi-precious stones, so if you understand them and make your selection, it can offer you great bargain deals along with hotel booking. The famous food is ‘Dal, bati, choorma’ and if yo wish to eat in the traditional way you have the option of visiting ‘Chokhi Dani’ – a traditional style resort where you would feel having fled back a couple of centuries.