Located in the heart of the walled city, The City Palace Complex gives you an idea about the farsightedness of the founder of Jaipur Sawai Jai Singh. He left behind a legacy of some of the most imposing and magnificent architecture, art and craft structure in the city. An important landmark in the Pink City, the City Palace is an exciting tourist spot in Jaipur. The City Palace complex is a group of palatial buildings, where members of the royal family used to stay. Maharaja Jai Singh II built the palace complex, later his successors added a few other mansions to the complex. The palace complex has been divided into courtyards and beautiful gardens. Mubarak Mahal is the main entrance to the complex. Some of the important palaces inside the complex include Badal Mahal, Sh. Govind Dev Temple, City Palace Museum and Chandra Mahal. The Maharani's Palace, the palace of the Queen paradoxically puts a display of the Rajput weaponry. The inestimable collections of weapons date back to even 15th century and are in a remarkable state of preservation. Remarkable amongst them is scissor-action dagger. This deadly weapon when thrust in bodies the handles were release to spread the blades. The art gallery is located in the Diwan-I-Aam, which literally mean the Hall of public audience. The exhibits here included some very precious and ancient handwritten original manuscripts of Hindu scriptures. Particularly intriguing in miniature copies of Bhagwat Gita made in this manner so that it can be concealed out of sight of Emperor Aurangzeb’s onslaught on Hindu scriptures. Some very delicate miniature paintings in Rajasthani, Mughal and Persian schools on various themes including the Ramayana are very engrossing displays. Visitors must also take a good at preserved painted ceilings. Also on display are elephant saddles called “haudha”. |
