Forts & Palaces
Udaipur Palace
Rajasthan is awash with Rajput palaces and forts. Each with its own distinct history & character.
The Udaipur Palace is the largest Palace complex in Rajasthan. Many Maharajahs have enlarged it over the centuries in their different styles. Architecturally, it looks a hotch-potch, albeit a large fantastic hotch-potch!
Udaipur is known as the White City, you can see why in this photo of us outside the entrance.
There are extensive views of Udaipur from the top of the Palace. Everything is so photogenic here. Each Maharajah tried to outdo his predecessors in the splendid decorations of their additions.
Many of the rooms were very colourfully decorated. Yes, that’s us in the mirror on the left.
On the right a clash of decorative styles – Mughal & European. I am not sure which one won out in this room.
Toilet. One Maharajah had special needs ……
Jaisalmer Fort
Jaisalmer is in the Thar Desert, with an impressive mountain-top fort overlooking the city.
Many cities are associated with a colour. Jaisalmer is known as the Golden City, reflecting the fact that it is in the middle of the Thar desert. The phot below was taken at dusk.
The main square inside Jaisalmer Fort.
The Havelis (mansions) and streets are great to wander round inside the fort. Silly note: – my spell checker didn’t recognise the word haveli & recommended as a substitute “hovel” ☹️
Jodhpur – Meherangarh Fort
This is one of the largest forts in India; 15th Century.
Jodhpur is known as the Blue City. Blue being a colour particularly associated with the Brahmins. With this View over the city from the battlements of the Meherangarh. You can see why it is called the Blue City.
The Citadel has some sumptuous state rooms.
In the Meherangarh Fort Museum, I noticed this Howdah (elephant seat). I thought it odd to have the image of a lion on the side, when there aren’t any in India. However, I was told there used to be, but the Maharajas hunted them all to extinction.
Below an ornate Palanquin in the same museum.
Jaipur – Amber Fort
This fort was on top of a particularly high hill with tremendous views over the city & countryside. Jaipur, the capital of Rajasthan is known as the Pink city. It was painted pink by the maharajah for the visit of the Prince of Wales in 1876.
This fort was on top of a particularly high hill, so there was nothing for it but to go up in style….
…..Maharajah style!
There are recent restrictions on the number of tourist rides up to the fort to stop ill-treatment of the elephants. There are 100 elephants and each one can only do three trips a day. We were the third last to go that day. There wouldn’t have been a problem, but we noticed various people queue-jumping. On complaining, we were told that they were VIPs in the Bollywood business; in other words they simply bribed their way in – perfectly common – apparently, they take after politicians.
City Palace At the heart of the Palace complex is the seven-tiered Chandra Mahal where the royal family is still in residence.
In the Jaipur Palace Ann is standing next to one of a pair of enormous sterling-silver vessels, the largest in the world. They were made for a Maharajah so that he could take sufficient water from the Ganges with him when he visited England in 1902 for Edward VII’s coronation.
Jaipur – Jantar Mantar. Jai Singh began construction of this observatory early in the 18th Century after sending scholars round the world. Each of the constructions has a specific astronomical purpose. I was standing on top of what must be one of the world’s largest sundials to take this photo. Note: the Chandra Mahal is in the background.
Fatehpur Sikri
This ghost city was built by emperor Akbar as his new capital of the Mughal empire in 1571, but then quickly abandoned due to lack of a suitable water supply.
It now appears as spookily empty palace complex, but in pristine condition.
The Diwan-e-Khaas, or the Hall of Private Audience, is a majestic building within the Fatehpur Sikri Fort. The Lotus Throne, is the central pillar serving as the support for Akbar’s throne.
