Jaipur

Jaipur, the capital of Rajasthan is famous as the pink city. History has it that in 1876, Jaipur dressed itself pink to welcome Prince Albert and Queen Elizabeth II, and thus the name "Pink City" stuck to it. It is high on the itinerary of the tourist visiting India and its close proximity to the cities of Delhi and Agra makes it part of the Golden triangle. 

The tourist attractions in Jaipur are the architectural marvels, perhaps the most popular being the Hawa Mahal.Once used as a veil by the royal women to watch the proceedings on the road, it is today one of the most visited monuments in Jaipur.The City Palace, built by the Kachchwah Rajput rulers of Jaipur is a perfect blending of Mughal and Rajput architecture. 

The palace has a museum, which displays rare manuscripts, weapons, Mughal carpets and costumes and Mughal and Rajasthani miniatures. Ambar Fort built by Raja Man Singh in the 16th century and completed by Sawai jai Singh in the 18 th century offers a magnificent view of the city and its surrounding area. Those interested in stargazing should definitely visit the Jantar Mantar. Built in 1718 by Sawai Jai Siingh, this ancient stone and marble structure is fascinating. There are a number of other tourist attractions in Jaipur that include Jaigarh Fort, Nahargarh Fort, Govind Deoji Mandir, Rambagh Palace, Kanak Valley and Laxmi Naryan Temple.

Excursions from Jaipur

Excursions from Jaipur can be made to interesting places around Jaipur. Bagru, 35 km south of Jaipur is famous for its hand printed cloth industry while Sanganer, at a distance of 16 kms from Jaipur is famous for its traditional crafts. There is also a Digamber temple dedicated to Lord Parswanth here. Pushkar is an important pilgrimage destination for the Hindus and is also famous for the cattle fair called the Pushkar fair. Ramgarh Lake, 32 km north east of Jaipur is a good picnic spot with its huge artificial lake. Samod, 40 km north west of Jaipur has an old place, which is a perfect example of the Rajput haveli architecture. The wild life enthusiasts can head for Ranthambore andSariska, which are famous wild life sanctuaries.