City Palace - Jaipur !!!

The Legendary Heritage City Palace !!!
Situated in the state of Rajasthan, the City Palace of Jaipur is a hereditary possession of Kachawaha dynasty. This engrossing palace was originally build under the supreme orders of Maharaja Jai Singh II of Kachawaha clans once you enter this alluring palace, you will get the glimpse of 18th century halls and courtyards, which are decorated with various antique belongings of the royal family. The palace, that covers almost one-seventh of the total Jaipur area, is a widely visited destination by the tourists. The palace is a combination of many beautiful complexes like Mubarak Mahal, Chandra Mahal and Sabha Niwas. A part of the City Palace was later transformed into a heritage hotel by successors of Maharaja Sawai Man Singh. Except on the festive day of Holi, the premises are open to general public on all days. It can be visited between 9.30 AM. to 4.30 P.M There is an entry fees which is different for Indian nationals and foreign tourist. You will have to pay a little extra for using a video camera or a still camera inside the premises.

Living Besides King and Queens !!!
The City Palace also caters to the royal guest depicting the splendor of Rajput architecture in its most royal ambience of heritage palace hotel. In fact, the hotel is used only by the guest of the royal family. The palace hotel is adored with the texture of elegant enclosures, the mansion with luxuriously decorated rooms, giving an essence of the 18th century royalty, mostly opened for the special guests. The guests can also please their eyes with the beautifully adored walls, with the gold leaf motif and ancient Moghul paintings. To welcome the royal guests, the City Palace is lit up every evening and you can see giant elephants in colorful trappings. It will definitely be one of the most memorable moments that you will savor in your life.

Chambers of Royal History - Complexes Inside the City Palace !!!

Mubarak Mahal or Hall of Welcome
The first building that you came across on entering from the Tripolia gate side is the Mubarak Mahal. Completed during the reign of Maharaja Sawai Madho Singh II in 19th century, the building, built under the guidance of Colonel Jacob, is a classic example of architecture with different styles of works on it. It is a blend of Indian, Mughal and European styles of architecture. The complex is now a part of the museum that displays the textile section. One can see splendid collection of royal costumes ranging from stunning shawls to the outfits of Maharaja Madho Singh I. The structure is decorated with fine marbles on the exterior. A gateway opens up to Diwan-i-Khas, which was the place where Maharaja used to hold meetings with important people. This gallery holds two huge silver urns known as Gangajalis. These urns were used for carrying water from River Ganges to England in 1902, when Maharaja Sawai Madho Singh II went to attend the coronation of King Edward VII.

Sileh Khana
This chamber was earlier used by singers and classic dancers for holding training sessions and practicing for themselves. But now it has become a huge tourist attraction because, the building is now a museum for showcasing a large variety of antique weapons used by the rulers and their armies. It also has the original sword of Maharaja Sawai Man Singh. The collection also exhibits different guns, daggers, bows and a range of artillery. Before entering this hall, prepare yourself to get awe struck

Chandra Mahal
Chandra Mahal is a seven floor building, of which, a part is used as residence by the royal family. Only few portions of this building and the surrounding ones are open to general public. On the second floor, Sawai Man Singh II museum houses some of the finest work of arts and embroidery on clothes of the 15th century. The Chandra Mandir and Shobha Niwas, decorated with hundred of colored mirrors are the most stunning parts of this complex. Chandra Mandir showcases rare manuscripts of different languages like Arabic, Persian, Latin and Sanskrit. It also has on display of scenes of war and marriages to portraits depicting the life of Lord Krishna and Radha. Also visit the scintillating Pritam Niwas Chowk famous for 'The Square of the beloved'. It has four craftily designed gateways decorated with Peacocks representing the four seasons.

Sabha Niwas or Diwan-i-Am
Diwan-i-Am, known as Hall of Public Audience, was completed in year 1760. It now houses an art museum. The museum displays manuscripts in Persian and Sanskrit language. The interiors are ornamented with precious stones on the ceiling and pillars painted with Rajasthani motifs. The main attractions are the miniature copies of Bhagwad Gita, other Hindu manuscripts and Jai Singh's translations in Arabic and Sanskrit of the astronomical writings displayed through glass cases.