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Rajasthan - Jaipur Pink City
 March or April is the time for the Elephant Festival of
Jaipur. At the festival of Holi, where people spray each other with
colours, the elephants come dressed up in their finery, regale tourists with
sports and douse them with colour.
Amer, Jaigarh and Nahargarh,
all close to Jaipur, are called 'garland forts' because they seem to be strung
together though they were constructed at different times. Sprawling on a
hillside, overlooking a lake which reflects its ramparts, Amer is a
fascinating blend of Hindu and Muslim architecture, built in the 16th century
by Raja Man Singh. The red sandstone and white marble Palace complex has some
interesting apartments that cannot be found anywhere else. Jai Mandir,
Sheesh Mahal, Sukh Niwas and Ganesh Pol are also worth visiting. Today,
caparisoned elephants take visitors up the steep slopes to
Amer.
Jaigarh or the Fort of Victory, built by Sawai Jai Singh in
1726 just near Amer, housed the royal treasury for many years. It has the
world's largest cannon on wheels and its water storage system is famous as a
marvel of planning. Nahargarh Fort or Tiger Fort lies to the north-west
of City Palace and provides an excellent view of the city during the daytime as
well as at night. A royal retreat for the Maharanis, it was also used as a
personal treasury.
Forty kms from Jaipur is Samode Palace, one of the many heritage hotels of Rajasthan. Instead of
staying in Jaipur, tourists can stay at Samode and move out for day excursions.
This delightful palace of 31 rooms belong to the Nathawat family who held high
office in the Kachhawaha kingdom. The architecture of Samode gives the
impression that the building is growing upwards towards the fort. The finest
painters and craftsmen were commissioned to work at the Palace and the
collection of art objects is said to be richer than that of the Jaipur royal
family.
Samode Palace was thrown open as a hotel in 1986. Tourists are
advised, if they can, to hand-pick their rooms because some are better
furnished than the others. Durbar Hall, Sheesh Mahal and Sultan Mahal, a lounge
for visitor, have all the charm of royal living. Indian and continental cuisine
is served while puppeteers and 'phad' singers - traditional ballad singers who
use hand-painted tapestries as back drops, liven up the evenings. On request,
the Samode Palace can recreate a battle victory procession with camels, horses,
elephants and buggies led by a group of musicians. There are fire works,
traditional Rajasthani music and dance and a royal repast in the Durbar
Hall.
For the finest block printed fabrics you can dash down to
Sanganer, a half hour's drive from Jaipur. While in the inner alleys you
find artisans preparing the vegetable dyes and printing the fabric, you can buy
them from any of the shops that crowd the main road. For just Rs 250 to Rs 600,
or six to fifteen American dollars, you can pick up the most attractive block
printed or vegetable dyed bedspreads. There is also an amazing assortment of
cushion covers, cloth bags, toilet bags, table cloths, table mats and thin,
soft quilts which are a speciality of Rajasthan.
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