JAIPUR
Population : 1,510,000
By
Air
Indian
Airlines has direct and daily flights to Jaipur (40
minutes) and Mumbai (2 hour 20 minutes). IC also operates
flights between Aurangabad, Jodhpur and Udaipur.
By
Train
The best trains from
Delhi are Shatabdi Express (4.5 hours) and the Pink
City Express (5 hour 15 minutes). From Agra, take
the Marudhar Express (7 hours); from Ajmer, Shatabdi
Express (2 hours) or Jaipur-Ajmer Link Express (2
hours); from Jodhpur, Intercity Express (5.5 hour)
and Jodhpur Express (7 hours) and from Udaipur, Chetak
Express (12.5 hours) and Ahmedabad Express (13 hours).
If you wish to enter Jaipur in style, book a ticket
on the RTDC Palace on Wheels, a special tourist train
service which departs from Delhi every Wednesday from
September to April. The itinerary includes Jaipur,
Chittorgarh, Udaipur, Sawai Madhopur (for Ranthambhor
national Park), Jaisalmer, Jodhpur , Bharatpur (for
the Keoladeo national park) and Agra.
By
Road
Jaipur has frequent
bus (6 hours) connections from Delhi, every half an
hour by both deluxe and regular buses. Jaipur is 306
km from Delhi. Other road distances from Jaipur are:
Agra (230 km) and Bharatpur (174 km). From both, there
are buses every hour till evening to Jaipur.
The best season for a visit to Jaipur is between late
October and mid-March when day temperatures are milder,
evenings are pleasant and the nights are cool.
From
the Airport
Sanganer Airport is 15 km from the city centre. Taxis
charge around Rs 450 to downtown areas. Buses are
available from the airport for transfer.
From
the Railway Station
Taxis, Auto-rickshaws and buses are available from
the railway station.
From
the Bus Station
The Central Bus Terminus is located at Sindhi Camp
on Station Road. City buses, auto and cycle rickshaws
are available from the bus station.
The most convenient way to do the sightseeing is to
hire a car or taxi. Charges: Rs 600 for 4 hours within
Jaipur and Rs 1050 to include Amber. In 1876, the Prince
of Wales arrived in Jaipur to royal treatment. Not
only did his royal host, Maharaja Man Singh II lay
out the red carpet but he painted the entire city
in pink, the ceremonial colour of welcome. Jaipur,
named after its founder Maharaja Jai Singh II, remains
pretty in pink to this day. (Every home in the city
is obliged by law to maintain this façade.) This is
a city whose past co-exists with the present. Here
camels and cars stand side by side on the streets
and showrooms are busy with artisans making gold glitter
with kundan and meena (typical Rajasthani jewellery)
work. Maharaja Jai Singh II (1693 - 1743), who came
to power at the age of 12 founded and ruled Jaipur
form 1727. Even though 28 kings ruled for 6 centuries
at Amber, today Jaipur (only 10 Maharajas have sat
on the throne in the past 250) is much better known.
The city, laid out in a grid pattern, was designed
by a young Bengali artist, Vidyadhar Bhattacharya.
Jaipur's walled old city lies in the northeast and
the new town spread to the southwest. The major tourist
attractions are in the old city with its principal
shopping centre being the broad and open Johri Bazaar.
The new part of the city has three main interconnecting
roads, namely Mirza Ismail Road (MI Road), Station
Road and Sansar Chandra Marg. Jaipur dresses in festival
colours during Holi (in early March) and Gangaur (March
end), the latter as boisterous an affair - long parades
by elephants, camels and dancers joining in the procession.--
as the Rodeo in the 'cowboy region' of America. .
The summer temperature of Jaipur is 41°C (Max) and
21°C (Min). Winter temperature ranges between 31°C
(Max) and 8°C (Min). The average rainfall is around
700 mm between mid-July and September. It rains at
times in December. . |
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