Famed for its iconic shade of pink – everywhere you look all the buildings and walls are a rosy shade – the hustle and bustle of Jaipur has so much to offer!
From historic sites, ornate palaces, to trendy rooftop bars and museums brimming with treasures, Jaipur also provides endless eye-opening cultural encounters with its manic traffic, colourfully dressed crowds and exhuberently brash attitude to city life!
Breathe in the scent of wafting incense mixed with fiery curry in the city’s famed bazaars teeming with shiny souvenirs, marigold garlands and the occasional holy cow. The ancient and modern worlds collide in an intense whorl of spellbinding palaces, lavish city gates and dreamy havelis against a backdrop of cell phone towers, rubbish heaps, clamorous traffic, crumbing facades and calls of the fruit-cart sellers, wheeling their wares through the city’s hive-like hubbub . The whole experience is intense and perhaps a little alarming at first, though peace can be sought in quiet corners of the City’s palaces and landmark attractions.
places to Pause & perceive
There’s so much to take in just navigating and experiencing a city like Jaipur but if you want to do some sightseeing, here are our top Pendour Picks, a few suggestions to get you on your way, though we’re sure you’ll find your own special places too!
P) Amber Palace
pendour pick - a place to perch :
Jai Niwas Garden Hotel
Pendour Preferred **
LOCATION:
3, Jalupura Scheme, Gopinath Marg, M.I. Road, JAIPUR – 302001
EMAIL: ch****@******as.com
It was a delight to stay in this clean and fresh-feeling family-run hotel. The staff are friendly and attentive and the whole place has a real homely charm.
The bedrooms have recently been remodelled with beautiful floor tiling, cosy beds and comfy chairs/furniture and new curtains. Great ceiling fans too! Most rooms face the garden or inner courtyard green, which is lovely to wake up to, sit out on the terrace and enjoy the open space.
Although simple in design, the garden really promotes a sense of peace and expansive space in this bustling city! The balconies and pretty railings are a real feature of this classic hotel, located not too far away from the train station.
Clean drinking water is provided from an outside tap with pitchers to fill and take to your room so no need for plastic water bottles to ruin the vibe. There is a very nice breakfast buffet, but don’t arrive too late as it gets busy!
The evening food in the hotel’s little restaurant is fantastic value! Very tasty, homecooked food and miles better than anywhere else nearby!
Pendour Passages - Getting around Jaipur :
Whilst the Jai Niwas Garden Hotel will happily arrange a trustworthy taxi service so you can explore this large bustling city, you may fancy your chances with Jaipur’s Tuktuks! The talented drivers can not only navigate this seemingly endless city, but the crazy driving style!
Hold on to your hat!
There are few rules of the road here; namely if you are ‘beeped!’ – get out of the way! Just be careful however, as the Tuktuk drivers will always take a detour to treat you to an unexpected visit at their cousin’s friend’s uncle’s sister’s husband’s silk clothing shop or fabric printing studio, where you will feel obliged to fill your boots (or perhaps travel case)! The drivers are of course enthusiastic to introduce you and show you their favourite places from elephant reserves to the best masala chai for a financial incentive, even if you’ve already agreed on a set route/itinerary. But hey. Their charismatic personalities and even the opportunity to get in the driving seat for a few moments all adds to the experience! When in India. . . .
Catching the train in India is like nothing else! Be prepared to have your photo taken again and again by crowds of locals as you await your ride! The train station is a real hub of life, with family groups picnicking, sleeping and lazing around on the platforms, people everywhere, laid out on blankets and patterned saris. Awaiting a train is a main event! Thankfully there are lots of snack stalls going up and down the platforms, and you can even grab a tasty curry plate on your travels as trains will sometimes stop for a while at different stations. The sounds, smells, noise, sweat and companionship is like nowhere else . . . intense, overwhelming and undescribable – so enjoy the ride as the scenery flashes by!!
The Pink Paradise
Despite its sometimes rough appearance and the crumbling nature of many of the buildings, the strangely beautiful dusty pink shade of Jaipur offers a mystical appeal. This uniform aesthetic is possibly part of a grand story dating back to 1876. Maharaja Sawai Ram Singh I wanted to put on a show for the visit of Queen Victoria’s son, Prince Albert of Wales (who later became Edward VII) to not only spruce the streets up a bit but to indicate the kindness and warmth of the people of Jaipur. He decreed the city to be painted this particular gorgeous hue of rosy pink which at the time symbolised hospitality and welcome. This led Prince Albert to affectionally refer to Jaipur as ‘The Pink City’ but if you look closely, you will notice some variations in all the pink, from teracotta, slightly orange shades to bronze-y browns!
(However, at least one leading historian has asserted that Jaipur was always pink to disguise the low quality of the materials used in its construction.)
In 1877 after the Queen of Jaipur declared she was a fan of the pink paradise the city had lately become, the Maharaja passed a law stating that any further buildings in Jaipur also had to be pink! This law has endured meaning that all new buildings, from temples to bazaars and accomadation are obliged to contribute to the city’s requisite pink haze! Love, friendship and hospitality all thread together in the unparalleled, iconic pinkness of Jaipur today.
Although Jai Niwas Hotel is a creamy, buttery shade of yellow and I’m not sure how this one slipped by? If you have any information on this, please add to the comments at the bottom!
Pendour Pro-tip :
Take a bar of soap with you! Many toilets/communal street sinks do not provide this, so I’d recommend you pack your own for any day trips and especially when on the train.
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