Cycling in Jaipur

The rich heritage and architecture of Jaipur have rendered it to the name ‘Paris of India’, and Jawahar Kala Kendra is no different. It resides at the heart of this Pink City and attracts many tourists due to its cultural significance. It is en route the Jawahar Lal Nehru Marg. The architectural design of Jawahar Kala Kendra was laid out by the renowned MIT graduate Mr Charles Correa. The structure of this building is similar in appearance to the nine grids of our solar system.The walls and high ceilings are interspersed with elegant artwork from ancient and modern times, which only adds to the aesthetic appeal of the place. Theatres of Jawahar Kala KendraThe theatre at Jawahar Kala Kendra hosts frequent performances by artists, students and scholars that make for an engaging platform of profound creativity. It is constructed out of three theatres – 1 open and two closed. Most of the youngsters come to the open theatre and perform or act out their dramas, dance forms or other culturally eloquent forms of acting. The other two theatres are called Rangayan and Krishnan. Rangayan is mostly a haven for modern plays and playwrights debuting their dramas on-stage. On the other hand, Krishnayan hosts various Rajasthani festivals inviting artists from all across India. This theatre hosts distinct performances in varying styles and outcome and a major tourist attraction of Jaipur. Kala Galleries, Exhibitions and MuseumThe Alankar Museum is one of the most popular museums in Rajasthan and is situated within the peripherals of Jawahar Kala Kendra. They have a repertoire of music that stirs the soul, artworks and sculptors decorating these galleries and museums, enhancing every instrument required to produce a masterpiece. The exhibitions held portray exquisite craftsmanship and blue pottery items available on sale.  

Standing tall overlooking the city of Jaipur, Nahargarh Fort is a monumental edifice built by Sawai Madho Singh in the eighteenth century. The fort is situated on Cheel ka Teela (Hill of Eagles) and Nahargarh means “abode of tigers”. Nahargarh fort along with Amer Fort and Jaigarh Fort once formed a strong defense around the city of Jaipur. However, Nahargarh fort was also used as a summer retreat by the Jaipur kings considering that there are several palaces, temples and landscaped gardens within its complex. There is an extended wall at Nahargarh Fort which connects it to Jaigarh Fort.The Madhavendra Palace is the hotspot attraction at the fort which has an opulent suite for the king and nine suites for his concubines. The Madhavendra palace looks spellbindingly magnificent and the walls of the suites are intricately designed with delicate fresco paintings.Within the fort lies the famous Nahargarh Biological Park and a zoo that gives tourists a sneak peek into the wilderness of the regions like Asiatic lions and Bengal tigers. Another huge attraction is the Sculpture Park that has astounding pieces of sculpture on display at the Madhavendra Palace. The fort complex even has two restaurants that offer breathtaking views of the city below and serves zesty Indian cuisine.History of Nahargarh Fort Nahargarh Fort was built by Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh in the year 1734. Interestingly, the fort was never attacked during the entire history. But, historical events in the eighteenth century like the signing of treaties with Maratha forces happened at the fort.The fort also has another intriguing history attached to it. During the construction of the fort, something things strange used to happen every single day; whatever was built during the day used to collapse at night. The King believed that the construction work was hindered by the restless spirit of Rathore prince, Nahar Singh Bhomia. So, based on the advice of astrologers, the king decided to build a temple devoted to him and also name the fort on his name to honor him. After doing so, the construction works of the fort went unhindered.The architecture of Nahargarh FortThe imposing Nahargarh Fort has been built in the Indo-European style of architecture and is decked up with scalloped archways, domed ceilings, and sprawling gardens. The tall exterior walls of the fort run for several kilometres and the main entrance of the fort, Padi Gate stands as a testimony to the magnificent architecture. The most prominent structure within the Nahargarh Fort is Madhavendra Bhawan aka Madhavendra Palace. This two-story palace was built by King Sawai Madho Singh for himself and his nine queens. The palace features one majestic suite for the king himself and nine identical suites for his nine wives. The suites are lavish with bedrooms, lobby, kitchen, and a store. An open-air corridor connects all the suites. Interestingly, the suites are built in such a way that the king can visit one of his nine wives without the knowledge of the other eight wives. Another amazing structure is the Diwan-i-Aam, which is a sprawling hall where the king addressed the grievances of his subjects. There are also two temples within Nahargarh Fort - one for the deity of Jaipur rulers and another one for Rathore prince, Nahar Singh Bhomia.

Jal Mahal is one of the most splendid architectural palaces sitting in the centre of Man Singh Lake on the outskirts of Jaipur. This masterful creation was earlier a shooting lodge for the Maharajas, but now it has become the most famous spot for sightseeing in Jaipur. Jal Mahal was built by Maharaja Madho Singh in the 1750s for himself and his companions to rest after their duck hunting endeavours. Jal Mahal is a four storeyed building built with red sandstone. It offers a breathtaking view of the Nahargarh hills and Man Sagar Lake that border it. The most alluring feature of this mahal is that four storeys of this site are submerged underwater, and only one storey lies above the water level. It has a garden at the top that consists of varieties of trees and beautiful flowers.Jal Mahal is extremely popular among the visitors for it’s striking architecture and detailed craftsmanship. This palace has been built by combining Rajput and Mughal style of architecture. Due to it’s alluring beauty and rich architectural magnificence it has also been touted as one of the most photographed sites in India. The entry is prohibited inside the fort but you can have a view of this magnificent fort from a considerable distance.History of Jal Mahal JaipurIn 1956 AD severe famine was experienced by the people of the area where Jal Mahal is currently standing. This led to an acute shortage of water, and the ruler of Ajmer, therefore, decided to build a dam to deal with the problem of scarcity of water. The dam was initially built with quartzite and earth in the eastern side of the breathtakingly beautiful Ajmer Hills. Later, it was renovated in the 17th century into a masonry structure.This dam is still standing today, and it’s 28.5-34.5 meters wide and 300 meters long. Three gates have also been built in the dam to release a sufficient amount of water to irrigate the nearby agricultural lands. This dam has undergone renovation and restoration by different rulers, but the final renovation was done by Maharaja Jai Singh 11. Other historical places and religious spots like Jaigarh Fort, Amer Fort, Kanak Vrindavan Valley, and Nahargarh Fort were built in the nearby areas of this lake. These are now connected with a tourist corridor of road networks. It is believed that Jal Mahal was built in 1799 by Maharaja Sawai Pratap Singh as a spot to relax after duck hunting. It is also surmised that this palace was built in 1750 by Maharaja Madho Singh 1. The beauty of this palace was later amplified by Maharaja Jai Singh 11 who completely renovated this palace and added a few more striking structures to it. It is also believed that the Man Sagar Lake was also built by Maharaja Sawai Pratap Singh after constructing a huge dam that served as a source of water for the people in that area. The architecture of Jal MahalJal Mahal is known for its exquisite architecture and splendid design that beholds the mind of the visitors. It is the finest example of excellent Rajput architecture, and the technical excellence that were not in vogue in the 18th century. The architectural grandeur of this palace comes to life, especially in the evening when the entire complex is covered by floodlights. The beautiful cravings on the shrines and the white marbles that have been used to build the palace make it look like a gem on its own. The reflection of the palace in the Man Sagar Lake gives an illusion of multi storeys standing over the water level.At the corner of the palace there are four octagon-shaped chhatris and beautiful domes. In the centre, there is a chhatri made in Bengali style. Twenty one decorative pillars are also located in this palace that are considered to be the cenotaphs of the royal family. A platform is there in the centre of the garden area where dance performances and recitals were organized. The original garden got damaged in the past but now it has been recreated again to captivate the attention of the visitors.