Royal splendour of Jaipur

Sandip Hor discovers age-old regality in the Rajput palaces and forts of Jaipur

"Yeh hai Gulabi Nagar (This is Pink City)," says Rawal, my expert guide-cum-driver as our car storms inside a walled arena through a colossal arched gate. Without warning, a generous splash of pink greets my eyes. Almost every building, old and new, I see on both sides of a busy thoroughfare, is of a pink shade. It's enough to notify that I am in the fabled "Pink City", formerly called Jaipur, the capital of India's largest state (by area), Rajasthan.
Rajasthan is the homeland of Rajputs, the famous warrior race, and aptly claims to be the epicentre of India's most glamorous royal past. Its very name conjures images of magnificent forts and bejewelled palaces, pleasure gardens and water tanks, victory towers and mausoleums, turbaned soldiers and painted elephants, and maharajas and maharanis attired in colourful costumes attending glitzy royal courts.
Anyone seeking an immersion in royal effervescence thinks of Rajasthan; and Jaipur, the gateway to this princely state, bestows the first impression. Like London, royal aura oozes in every corner of this city. Locals jokingly claim Prince Charles came down to Jaipur in 1992 to personally verify this cliché and gave it a tick after joining fellow royals for a game of polo, a regal sport stilled played with style in Jaipur.
Rajput king Sawai Jai Singh II built this city in 1727 to move his capital from hilltop Amber to the plains, to accommodate growth in population. Designed by an eminent Bengali architect Vidyadhar Bhattacharya, its grid-patterned layout is said to have thoughts of ancient Greek scientists Ptolemy and Euclid induced into it. Surrounded by a series of crenelated walls and pierced by seven majestic gates, the urban tapestry of nine rectangular sectors, embroidered with wide and straight avenues, present some familiarity with European medieval settlements. The city adopted its pink shade much later in 1878, to commemorate the visit of the Prince of Wales - pink being an emblem of welcome as per Rajasthani tradition. Over time, pink and Jaipur became synonymous, with newer buildings opting for the same tint.
Holding on to legacies is a matter of pride for Rajputs. "Even a confectionery owner started making sweets in pink, the gulab jamuns," says Gopal, a Jaipur resident, proudly. Visitors seeking a first-hand experience happily lose themselves in the labyrinth of lively bazaars, opulent palaces, grandiose temples and countless historical sites to seize a feeling of how Jaipur was during its heyday. None are disappointed, as it's said what Jai Singh II and his descendants established in Jaipur can still be seen and felt today.
The first stop for most visitors is the Hawa Mahal or the "Palace of Winds". Honeycombed with 953 intricately-designed sandstone latticed windows and ornate balconies, this multi-storied and bow-shaped edifice is Jaipur's most distinctive landmark - the image of its pink façade featuring in countless tourism brochures. So it's nothing unusual for visitors to land here first to capture the familiar front view from the busy road outside. It's fairytale-like appearance invites onlookers to scramble all over it. This abode was built in 1799 by the grandson of Jai Singh II to provide the royal ladies a vision of life outside through the airy windows, without them being seen from outside.
Jai Singh II, who became king at the age of 12 only, had an obsession with art, architecture and astronomy. At the heart of his dream city, he built next to each other Jantar Mantar, a huge observatory, and the City Palace complex, both ranking at the top end of any Jaipur itinerary. Consisting of 14 geometric devices to measure time, track stars and predict eclipses, Jantar Mantar proclaims the scientific talents of its builders while the City Palace, which is a sprawling complex comprising of several imposing gates, buildings, temples and paved courtyards - a showcase of the wealth of the time. Some of the buildings now display a beguiling collection of royal memorabilia - from weapons and jewellery-studded costumes to utensils and precious samples of art - offering visitors a platform to experience the opulent taste and class of the royals.
The seven-storied Chandra Mahal is the domain's most commanding structure. It's in this building whee the kings and their immediate family lived, though there was a separate quarter for the royal queens. Existing heirs of the royal clan still live here, the royal flag fluttering at the top, symbolising their presence. The architectural splendour of some other buildings that draw attention are the Mubarak Mahal, Diwan-i-Khas (Hall of Private Audiences) and Diwan-i-Am (Hall of Audience). They were mostly used as venues to host members of the public, and dignitaries. The marbled walls, featuring intricate artwork in blue and green with images of peacocks interwoven into them, and the ceilings frescoed with rich red and gold colours still appear vibrant, hanging crystal chandeliers testifying opulence.
The design of the buildings present a wonderful blend of Hindu Rajput and Islamic styles which filtered into Rajasthan as a result of matrimonial alliances between the Rajput royals and Mughal emperors in Delhi. This synthesis is reflected in every royal residence of Jaipur, but very prominent at the Amber Fort, that was built by the ancestors of Jai Singh II in 1592. Perched at a picturesque hilltop location 11 km away from Jaipur, this sandstone citadel is a classic example of exotic art and architecture, some features of which may appear similar to styles of Mughals monuments in Delhi and Agra.
Heady flavours of royalty brews beyond the palace quarters, into the streets of Jaipur, where, at times, passing of a vintage Rolls Royce or a colourful procession with elephants, camels and horses brings alive moments of a rich regal era. When at the bazaars, shops full of precious stones and trinkets or silks in lustrous hues draw pictures of regal attire, while eateries fill the air with aroma of epicurean delights, the recipes of which have been smuggled out of the palace kitchens.
The best of royal experiences grips visitors when staying at one of the former palaces now converted into luxury hotels. In the finest tradition of Rajput hospitality, these heritage-wrapped joints offer guests a taste of an indulgence and extravagance that was once the sole preserve of the kings.
wknd@khaleejtimes.com