The Pink City
History Of Jaipur Traditions of Jaipur
The history of Jaipur is immersed in the quest of
making it the most protected and powerful capital
of its time. The city itself is named after the king
who founded it in 1727, Maharaja Jai Singh II; he
decided to shift his state's capital city from Amber
to present day Jaipur due to scarce basic
amenities and consistently growing population.
He wanted his new capital to be so scientifically,
culturally, and architecturally accurate that the
science and mathematics aficionado took help
from a Bengali Brahmin scholar Vidyadhar
Bhattacharya to construct a Vastu Shastra
compliant city over the course of four years. The
most advanced and fortified layout of the city was
made, with two out of the nine blocks reserved for
palaces and administrative buildings and the rest
for the public. The reason behind Jaipur being
called "The Pink City" is also an interesting one: The
whole city was quite literally dipped in pink paint
to welcome the Prince of Wales in 1856 and to
continue its otherworldly magical charm, the pink
colour is still maintained to this day. Jaipur is, in
fact, India's first ever planned city, and is therefore
rightly translated as the "City of Victory". Once an integral part of the most powerful
province in India, Jaipur, popularly known as the
"The Pink City" can undoubtedly boast of
embracing modernity while maintaining
traditional values. An extremely well-organised city
planned according to the principles of Vastu
Shastra and Shilpa Shastra, Jaipur weaves a sense
of royalty and grandeur equipped with its vibrancy
and charm.
The city is a visual treat for tourists with its
beautiful palaces, forts, and lakes, the architecture
of which highlights the influence of Mughals in
the Rajput empire. The brilliant architectural plans
of the centuries old constructions like the Jantar
Mantar is one of the reasons for Jaipur's popularity.
From the Hawa Mahal to the numerous forts, each
corner of Jaipur provides evidence of a strong
historical background and will undoubtedly
transport tourists to the majestic era of the
Rajputs.