After visiting Taj Mahal in the morning on my third day in India, we drove to Jaipur for another day tour. On the way to Jaipur, i had a quick stop in Fatehpur Sikri.
Fatehpur Sikri
It is built during 16th century by the Emperor Akbar, Fatehpur Sikri, is a walled city that was known to be the capital of the Mughal Empire for only some 10 years. The complex has several monuments and temples which are built using red sandstone like the Agra Fort. Moreover, the complex has a resemblance of the Red Fort in New Delhi and Agra Fort.
To reach the complex, you need to take a shuttle bus which is just few meters away from the parking area, 10 rupees each way. Entrance fee to Fatehpur Sikri is 550INR for foreigners. You can explore the grounds of the complex by yourself. There are several touts that will offer a guide but just ignore them. The mosque that you usually see in the picture when you search Fatehpur Sikri is the back side of the complex (southwest). You can follow these map to get to the mosque.
After exploring Fatehpur Sikri, you can also stop by in Chand Baori Stepwell. Unfortunately i was not able to visit the place as I was so sleepy and it was already late.
We reach Jaipur by 7pm, and checked in Hostel Lumb’s Nest Jaipur. Thumbs up for this hostel with a very homy feel. Check out my vlog here for the room tour.
Jaipur
Fourth Day in India. This is the third leg of my India Golden Triangle tour. Time to explore the #PinkCity and home of the Maharajah. Jaipur is the largest city in Rajasthan and one of the major destination in Northern India. It host several attractions like Amber For, City Palace Museum and Hawa Mahal (Palace of the Wind). It became known as the Pink City when Maharaja Ram Singh painted the entire city pink to welcome the Prince of Wales to the city. The tradition has been maintained and today all residents in the old city has to abide by the city law to paint the exterior of their building with pink color.
Amber Fort
First stop. Amber Fort.
One of the most well-known fort when visiting Golden Triangle of India. It is a UNESCO world heritage site together with other 5 hill forts of Rajasthan. It’s design is a fusion of Hindu and Mughal Islamic styles. The fort was also built with sandstone and marbles. Entrance fee is 550INR for foreigners and it is open daily from 8am to 5:30pm. Access to the hill fort is possible with car and also elephant but I personally do not encourage elephant riding. Audio Guide is available to help you better understand the history of the fort for only 200INR.
After visiting several forts in New Delhi and Agra, I was already having second thoughts of going in Amber Fort, thinking the designs will also just be the same with the others. However, when I get inside, i was really happy I decided to disregard the idea of skipping Amber. The palace complex of the Amber fort has very attractive apartments that served as residence of the Maharajah. The gate is decorated with mosaics, which makes it look colorful and grand. The main attraction here in the fort is the Sheesh Mahal or the Hall of the Private Audience where the walls are inlaid with exquisite mirrors.
City Palace Museum
Next stop, Jaipur City Palace Musuem. It is located in the middle of the old city wall of Jaipur. It is open from 9:30am to 5PM. There are two type of entry fee, first is the museum only ticket which cost 300INR and the second is for the Chandra Mahal the allows you to access the inner part of the Palace. Chandra Mahal Royal Grandeur Tour ticket cost 3000INR. Audio guide is also available for 200INR. I didn’t avail the Grandeur Tour as this is way out of my budget which is even more expensive that the Taj Mahal. I only took the museum ticket and the audio guide. There are 3 halls that exhibit 3 different collections.
Textile Museum
First is the Textile museum that houses ornaments and clothings which are worn by the Kings and the other people of the Royal families that belong to the medieval period. The most fabulous piece of the museum is the dress which was worn by Sawai Raja Madho Singh II and it is also the most attractive part of the museum.
Armory Museum
This hall displays various kinds of weapons that the soldiers used duRing 16th – 17th century. We can see the different kinds of pistols swords and daggers here.
Arts and Painting Museum
This hall exhibits portraits of the previous maharajah family. In addition, there are also paintings from different art schools and manuscripts of great epics like Mahabharata that are written on the rice paper are also been placed in this art museum.
Just be aware that photography inside the museum is strictly prohibited. There are marshalls roaming around checking and they can also inspect your mobile phones when you exit the hall to see if you capture something.
In conclusion, the City Palace Museum in Jaipur is a place which one must visit while visiting the Pink City in Rajasthan. This museum gives us a closer look of the lives of the rulers of Jaipur.
Hawa Mahal (Palace of the Wind)
Less than five minute walk from the City Palace Musuem towards the main road you will see the Hawa Mahal. It is known because of its unique five-storey exterior that has perfectly symmetrical design. In addition, it has 953 small windows called jharokhas through which the breeze flows in and keeps the palace cool. You can take a picture just in front of it, however ito get a whole view of the facade, one has to find a good spot across the street.
After visiting the landmarks of Jaipur, i stop over for lunch in Green Pigeon just right outside the Old City. It’s time to go back to New Delhi. My last day India.
Check out my summarized 5 Days Golden Triangle Itinerary