Explore Jaipur: The history of the Pink City and top tourist attractions in the UNESCO Heritage site

Kolkata: Jaipur, the capital of Rajasthan and also its largest city, is one of the most historically significant places in India. One of the most populous cities in the country, the place has a rich heritage and culture which trace their roots to the ancient and medieval times. It is also called the Pink City since the dominant colour scheme of the buildings of the old city is pink.

Apart from being a famous historical place in India, Jaipur is also a popular tourist destination. Along with Delhi and Agra, it is a part of the west Golden Triangle tourist circuit. From the city, people can go to other tourist destinations in Rajasthan like Jaisalmer, Jodhpur, Udaipur, Bikaner, Mount Abu, Kota, and two UNESCO World heritage Sites of Jantar Mantar and Amer Fort. On July 6, 2019, the city was designated by UNESCO as a heritage city. Also called the 'Paris of India', its beauty inspired CV Raman to call it "Island of Glory".

On November 18, 1727, Jai Singh II, the Rajput chief of the Kachhwaha clan founded the city of Jaipur. Notably, he ruled the region from 1699 to 1743. To find a better home for the growing population and to solve the increasing water scarcity, he shifted his capital from Amber to Jaipur. During the planning phase of Jaipur's layout, several architects were consulted and the city was established on the Vastu Shastra and the Shilpa Shastra principles with the chief architect being Vidyadhar Bhattacharya. In 1726, the construction of the city began.

In 1876, during the rule of Sawai Ram Singh II, the city was painted pink to welcome Albert Edward, Prince of Wales, who would later become UK king Edward VII. Many of the avenues in the old city are still pink in colour, giving Jaipur a distinctive appearance and the epithet Pink City. In the 19th century, Jaipur witnessed a rapid growth and by 1900, the population of the city was 160,000. The wide boulevards of the city were paved and its chief industries were the working of metals and marble.

While most of the cities in Rajasthan were established in hilly terrain, the city of Jaipur was established on the plain. Also, unlike many other historical cities in India, Jaipur did not develop over the centuries. Rather, it was remarkably developed in a single phase in the 18th century CE. Notably, the town plan of Jaipur became the trendsetter for many more towns in Rajasthan and India in the 19th century. For the construction of the city, a project approach was taken and most of its infrastructure was completed within a span of four years, from 1727 to 1731 and several traders were sent royal invitations to settle in this newly envisaged trade and commerce city.

In the streets of Jaipur, one can see continuous colonnaded businesses that intersect in the centre, creating chaupars which are essentially large public squares. Along the main streets, there are shops, markets, residences and temples and all of them have uniform facades. The urban planning of the city shows an amalgamation of ideas from ancient Hindu, early modern Mughal and Western cultures. Jaipur was founded as a commercial capital, and the city has maintained its cooperative traditions to this day.

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Jaipur has many tourist attractions including the Hawa Mahal, Jal Mahal, Jantar Mantar, Amer Fort, City Palace, Albert Hall Museum, Nahargarh Fort, Birla Mandir, Jaigarh Fort, Galtaji, Govind Dev Ji Temple, Garh Ganesh Temple, Sanghiji Jain temple, Moti Dungri Ganesh Temple, and the Jaipur Zoo. The Jantar Mantar observatory has 19 astronomical instruments. The Hawa Mahal has 953 windows and is a popular place in the city.

After its construction, Jaipur became a breath-taking departure from the prevalent practices in city development in the sub-continent. It was founded as a trade capital with the main avenues being designed as markets, and even today, the city has its characteristic bazaars. The large public squares at the intersection of roads is a unique feature of Jaipur. Apart from being a city of exemplary planning, the iconic monuments of Jaipur like City Palace, the Govind Dev temple, Hawa Mahal, and Jantar Mantar excel in artistic and architectural craftsmanship of the period.