Jaipur, Rajasthan

 

Pop: 1.5 million
Phone Code: 0141

Jaipur is the fast-moving capital of Rajasthan and one of the most visited places in India. Many of the buildings within the walled city are painted pink. Hence the city is known as the “Pink City.” When one enters this city, one is charmed by the old-world, picturesque atmosphere.

It takes a few days to see all the sites in the area. Most people do not stay more than a day or two because of the city’s fast pace and the constant assault by the local businessmen.

If you are in a hurry, you can see the important places in one day. Thexe "Govindaji Temple" Govindaji Temple is especially interesting during the mangala-arati ceremony at five in the morning.

History
Jaipur was built by and named after Maharaja Jai Singh II (1699-1744). In 1727, Jai Singh decided to move down from the fortified stronghold of Amber to build a city on the plains below. Before the city of Jaipur was built, the kingdom was known as the Amber kingdom. The city was built according to the Shilpa Sastra, an ancient Hindu composition on architecture. The city was laid out with six blocks surrounded by a city wall. The city streets are wide. Jai Singh built the Jantar Mantar (a large observatory) in 1728.

Orientation
The City Palace, Jantar Mantar, Hawa Mahal, Radha-Govinda Temple, and the other main tourist sites are located within the walled section of the northeast part of the city. Johari Bazaar, the jewelry market, is also in the old part of the city. The main gates of the old city are Ajmeri, Chandpol, and Sanganeri.

The new parts of the city are to the south and west. MI Rd, where many of the restaurants are located, runs east–west, just south of the walled part of the city. The railway station and the main bus station are located about 1km southwest of the old city. Most of the hotels and restaurants are in this area. The Amber Fort is 11km northeast of the city going towards Delhi. Overlooking the city in the north is the Nahargarh Fort.

Information
The helpful Government of India Tourist Office (237-2200, 236-0238), in the Khasa Kothi Hotel has some brochures. Open Mon to Fri 9 am to 6 pm and Sat 9 am to 1 pm.

The helpful RTDC Tourist Office (220-2152, 220-0595 fas: 220-1145; Email: rtdc@jp1.dot.net), behind RTDC Hotel Swagatam, in the RTDC Tourist Hotel is open daily except Sun 10 am to 5pm.

The Tourist Office,(237-5466, 220-0778) on platform No 1 in the railway station, has some good literature and gives good information (open 24-hour. Open daily 6 am to 8 pm. There is a tourist counter on platform 3 at the bus station and one outsde the RTDC Tourist Hoet (237-5466).

Guides can be hired from the tourist offices. It could be a good idea to get a government-approved tourist guide. Other guides will just want to bring you shopping all day, as they get a commission.

A good Jaipur site is (http://www.jaipur-rajasthan)

Tours
The RTDC has half-day and full-day tours of Jaipur and Amber. The tour goes to the City Palace and Museum (except Fri), Amber Fort, Hawa Mahal, and Jantar Mantar. The full-day tour also goes to Nahargarh Fort, Birla Mandir and the Doll Museum. The half-day tour is rushed, so it is better to take the full-day tour.

The tour departs from the railway station, but you can be picked up at any RTDC hotel. The full-day tour goes from 9 am to 6 pm and costs Rs 150-200. The hours for the half-day tour are: 8 am to 1 pm, 11.30 am to 4.30 pm, and 1.30 to 6.30 pm; Rs 70.

On Saturday and Sunday the RTDC organizes a tour from 6 to 10 pm to Nahargarh Fort and Chowkhi Dhani.

The Hotel Bissau Palace organizes a Camel Cart tour to some Rajasthani villages. It is Rs 600 per person if there are six or more people and Rs 850, if there are less. This includes lunch. This tour should be reserved in advance at the Hotel Bissau Palace

Rajasthan Travel Service (236-5408; fax 237-6935; Email.com dilip@datainfosys.net), Ganapati Plaza, arrange a car to bring you to the torust site with a guide included.

Money
A good place to change money is Thomas Cook (236-0940), 1st floor, Jaipur Towers, MI Rd. (daily except Sun 9.30 am to 6 pm).

Tata Finance Amex (236-4026 also fax), Sarat House, MG Rs (open Mon-Fri 10 am to 6 pm, Sat 10 am to 2:30 pm)) represents American Express.

LKP Merchant Financing, first floor Sunil Sadan, 2 MI Rd (Mon-Sat 10am-6pm) is a good place to change money.

Most of the banks are open only on weekdays 11 am to 2 pm. Some of the main banks are the State Bank of India, Sanganeri Gate, MI Rd; the State Bank of Bikaner and Jaipur, across from the GPO (daily except Sun 2 to 4 pm); the Punjab National Bank, near Hawa Mahal; and the Bank of Baroda, Johari Bazaar. Bank of Rajasthan in the Rambagh Palace (8 am to 8 pm).

Bank of Rajasthan (238-1416) at the Rambagh Palace Hotel changes money (daily 8 amt to 8 am)

Central Bank of India (231-7419), Anand Building, Sansar Chandra Marg, gives cash advances on MasterCard and Visa. The Andhra Bank (236-9606), MI Rd, gives cash advances on Visa and MasterCard.

ICIC, Ganapati Plaxa, MI Rd and HDFC, Ashoka Marg, has 24-hour ATM

Most of the higher-class hotels exchange money, although the rates they give are usually below that of the local banks.

Post, Email and Medical
The GPO is on MI Rd. Outside the GPO is a man who sews up parcels at reasonable rates. (open Mon-Fri 10am-6pm, Sat 10 am-5pm. There is a person by the door that sews up packages..

A good courier service is DHL Worldwide Express (236-2826), C-scheme, Geeta Enclave, Vinoba Marg. It is on a small street off MI Rd. They send freight all over the world. You can pay the custom charges in advance if you want.

Internet at Mewar Cyber Cafe (220-6172, email mewar@jp1.dot.net.in), near the bus station on Station Rd (open 25-hr) charges Rs 40 per hour.0 Communication (240-3204; Email: communicatotipl@yahoo.com) Jaipur Tower, MI Rd (Mon-Sat 9am-9pm, .Sun 11 am-3pm) charges Rs 30 per hr.

Medical & Hospitals
Santokba Durlabhji Hospital (256-6251), Bhawan Singh Marg: Sawai Mansingh Hospital (256-0291), Sawai Ram Singh Rd, and Zanana Hospital, Chanpol Gate, are some of the better hospitals in town.

A recommended doctor is Dr Chandra Sen (982-906-1040) and Galundia Clinic (236-1040. He can even come to you room and offer 24 hour service.

Ambulance nubmer (102)

Bookshops
There is a good selection of English books at Books Corner by Niro’s Restaurant on MI Rd. There is a good book shop at the Rambagh Palace Hotel, and there is a small, decent selection of books at the Arya Niwas Hotel by Sansar Chandra Rd.

Meeting the Maharaja
It is possible to meet the present Maharaja of Jaipur, Sawai Bhawani Singh (usually on a weekday). He is the High Commissioner to Brunei. To arrange an appointment you speak to the Maharaja’s private secretary at the Aide de Camp (ADC) Office. It is best to give a few days notice. It is advised to dress conservatively and to be respectful.

Jaipur Deities and Temples
It is said that Vajranabha, Krishna’s great-grandson, had three Deities of Krishna carved. He never saw Krishna, so the Deities were carved according to the description given by Uttara, the mother of Maharaja Parikshit. He had three different images carved, but none of them were perfect. Govindaji resembled Krishna’s face (Mukhara­vinda),

Madana-Mohan resembled Krishna from the navel down to the lotus feet, and Gopinatha resembled Krishna from the navel to the neck. In one book about the temples of Vrindavan, the Padma Purana is quoted saying that to get the full vision of Sri Krishna, pilgrims have to visit and offer obeisances to all three Deities during a single day, while the sun is still up. Srixe "Govinda" Govinda and Srixe "Gopinatha" Gopinatha are now in Jaipur, and Madana-Mohan is in Karoli, a small town in Rajasthan. The Deities in the Govindaji, Gopinatha, and Radha Damodar temples are important Krishna Deities, and were originally installed in Vrindavan.

Govindaji Temple
Sri Govinda was originally installed nearly 5,000 years ago by Lord Krishna’s great-grandson. Govinda is one of the four presiding Deities of Braja-mandala (greater Vrindavan). This temple is located right next to the City Palace within the innermost walls of the old city.

Govinda was originally worshiped by Srila Rupa Goswami and installed at the Radha Govinda Temple in Vrindavan. Govindaji was later brought to the city of Amber, near Jaipur, by Maharaja Jai Singh II to protect the Deity from destruction at the hands of the Muslim emperor Aurangzeb. Jai Singh’s grandfather had originally constructed the Govindaji Temple in Vrindavan. Govindaji was moved to the present temple in Jaipur about 1728 (some say 1735). Maharaja Jai Singh created his “City of Victory,” the city of Jaipur, as a dedication to Lord Govindaji. The temple is in a garden of the palace complex, and when the temple doors were opened, Maharaja Jai Singh in the past could see his beloved Deity from the royal quarters.

On the altar are full-sized Deities of Govinda, a beautiful black marble Deity, and Radha. There is also a small Deity of Krishna named Gaura-Govinda, which was once worshiped by Kasiswara Pandit. There is beautiful tile work on the altar. The maha-prasada booth is located to the left of the Deities. It is customary for devotees to purchase maha-prasada, then distribute it to other devotees, who eagerly rush to get it. Behind the temple is a large garden.

Mangala-arati draws about 5,000 people a day. It is an absolute must to attend. The devotees enthusiastically chant prayers in praise of Lord Govinda.

The translation to the mantra that is chanted in front of Govindaji is: “We hunger for the sight of your face, and we wish to fix you constantly in our thoughts while meditating on your lotus face. This life is full of responsibilities and now we are in the middle of the ocean; please give us your blessing so that we can relieve ourselves of life’s burdens and understand the meaning of life.”

During Kartika (Oct-Nov) the Arati times are 5, 8, 10, and 11.30 am and 5.15, 6.15, and 8.15 pm. Every month the times for the aratis change.

Radha-Gopinatha Temple
These are the Deities worshiped by Madhu Pandit Goswami and discovered at Vamsivata in Vrindavan by Paramananda Bhattacarya, the disciple of Gadadhar Pandit. Vajranabha originally installed Gopinatha in Vrindavan. This Deity was brought to Jaipur from Vrindavan when the Muslims raided Vrindavan. Gopinatha is said to exactly resemble Lord Krishna from the shoulders down to the waist.

This temple has beautiful carved silver doors and gorgeous paintings on the walls. On the ceiling are paintings of the rasa-lila. A unique embroidered tulasi-bead jacket and tulasi japa beads, both of which belonged to Madhu Pandit, are displayed in the courtyard.

How to get there The temple is located in the Topkhanadesh area of Jaipur by Chandpol Bazaar. If you are on Tripoliya Bazaar Road, you go west until you get to Gangori Bazaar Road. Tripoliya Bazaar Rd is the main road, right next to the inner wall. Youxe "Radha Damodara Temple:Jaipur" make a right and go down a few streets and then you make a left and go about a half-km down the road. The temple is on the left.

Radha Damodar Temple
There are two sets of Deities on the main altar. The smaller set of Deities is Jiva Goswami’s original Radha Damodar Deities from Vrindavan. To the left of the Deities is a Govardhan-shila said to have been worshiped by Sanatana Goswami. On an altar, left of the main one, are Deities of Lakshmi Narasimha and Prahlada Maharaja. You have to look closely to see Prahlada Maharaja. There are beautiful paintings of Krishna’s pastimes in this temple.

How to get there  Coming from Tripoliya Bazaar Rd, the temple is located about 60m (200 ft) down Chaura Rasta Rd on the right side. It is about a ten-minute walk to here from the Radha-Govinda temple. There is another temple next to the Radha-Damodar Temple. Radha-Damodar is on the left while facing the temples.

Vinodilal Temple
This is a small temple up some stairs on Tripoliya Bazaar Road. Vinodilal was installed by Lokanath Goswami. He was the first devotee sent to Vrindavan by Sri Chaitanya. He has one famous disciple, Narottama dasa Thakur, who was a great poet and who composed many beautiful Vaishnava songs in praise of the Lord. Vinodilal is a beautiful Deity about 30cm (12 inches) tall.

Arati times are 5.30, 7, 11 am and 6, 8.30 pm. At night the Deity darshan is from 4.30 to 8.30 pm.

How to get there It is a very difficult temple to find, as few people come here. From the Radha Damodar Temple you walk to Tripoliya Bazaar Road and make a left. Walk 50 big steps and you will find a flight of stairs to your left. To the right of the stairs is a hose shop, which is shop number 295. If you look at the building, it will not look like a temple. The temple is situated one flight up.

Jaipur City Palace and Museum
Jai Singh built this palace located in the middle of the old Pink City between 1729-32. It is huge, but much of the palace cannot be visited because it is used as the home of the current Maharaja, Sawai Bhawani Singh. The palace was opened to tourists in the 1950s. Over 400 films have been shot here. The palace has seen many important visitors, including Queen Elizabeth II, Jawaharlal Nehru, the King of Nepal, Jacqueline Kennedy, and the Shah of Iran. It is an interesting place that takes an hour or two to see. The Radha-Govinda Temple is next to the palace.

When you enter the palace by the main entrance, you find yourself in a large courtyard. In the center of the courtyard is the Mubarak Mahal with its arched balconies and marble pillars. The building was once a secretariat and contained offices used by the Maharaja for state business. On the ground floor is a library, which can only be visited by scholars. It contains nearly 90,000 items, including hundreds of years old manuscripts and photo albums. On the top floor is the Textile Museum, which has a collection of old clothes and costumes. There is an outfit worn by Sawai Madno Singh I, who was 2.15m (7 ft) tall and is said to have weighed over 250 kg (550 lb). There are also musical instruments and glasswork. There are 19th century prints made in the nearby village of Sanganer made by the wood-block process.

In the northwest corner of the courtyard is the Arms and Weapons Museum. There is a large collection of old weapons here dating from 1580 onwards. The sword of Maharaja Man Singh, the 17th century king of Jaipur, weighs about 5 kg (11 lb). There are daggers whose handles contain secret chambers, and gunpowder holders made from seashells.

You then enter another courtyard by passing through the gate with huge brass doors and two marble elephants standing on either side. In the center of the courtyard is the Hall of Private Audience (Diwan-i-Khas), which is open-sided, with a roof over it. There are two large, 1.5m high Gangajalis, silver containers that were made to hold a large amount of Ganges waters so that the Maharaja of Jaipur could take it on a trip to England. Each container weights 345kg and holds 9,000 liters of water. A sign says that the Guinness Book of Records claims they are the biggest pieces of silver in the world.

In a corner of the courtyard is the Hall of Public Audience (Diwan-i-am), which houses the Art Museum. There is a magnificent painted ceiling and the second largest chandelier in India. The walls are covered with carpets, most of them woven in the Persian style. There are a large number of ancient manuscripts and remarkable miniature paintings. There are 16th century translated editions of Aristotle’s writings. There is also a collection of black and white 19th century photos taken by the then Maharaja.

If you leave the courtyard and go into a smaller one, you come to the seven-storey Chandra Mahal, the Maharaja’s residence. There is also a Carriage Exhibit near the back entrance.

The palace (260-8055; fax: 260-8169; Web Site: http://www.royalfamilyjaipur.com )is open from 9:30 am to 4.30 pm. Admission foreigner/Indian Rs 150/40, childer 5-12 Rs 100/30; camera Rs 50; video Rs 150/100. Photography is not allowed in the galleries. You can hire a guide for Rs 100.

Jantar Mantar
Across from the City Palace is a large observatory built by Maharaja Jai Singh in 1728. It is the largest stone observatory in the world. Jai Singh also built observatories in Delhi, Varanasi, and Ujjain. There are eighteen gigantic instruments in the observatory. Each instrument is used to make intricate astronomical calculations. Without a guide (Rs 100-200) you will have no idea what most of them are.

One of the most interesting instruments is the sundial (Samrat Yantra), which has a gnomon (slanted centerpiece) 27m (90 ft) high. The time is accurate within two minutes. Before building this observatory, Jai Singh sent scholars around the world to study the observatories in other countries.

Open daily 9.30 am to 4.30 pm; admission Rs 10 (Monday free); camera foreigner Rs 50/20, video Rs 100/50, guide Rs 100-200

Hawa Mahal (Palace of the Wind)
This five-storey pink, sandstone building, built about 1799, is a major tourist site. It has hundreds of screened windows and small balconies. It was built by Raja Sawai Pratap Singh to allow the royal ladies to overlook the city, as they were usually confined to the zenana quarters. This mahal enabled them to climb to the top and get a good view of the city. It is also said that the Maharaja had the Hawa Mahal built so he could have a nice place to write devotional songs about Govindaji (Krishna). There is an interesting view from the top floor, and the place is interesting to walk around. 7:30 am to 9 am in the morning is the best time to take a photo.

The entrance of the building is in the rear. To get in, go to the intersection on your left, as you face the Hawa Mahal and make a right. At the first archway, make a second right and you will see the entrance sign. Open daily 9 am to 4.30 pm; Admission Rs 5 (Mon free), foreigner/Indian camera Rs 50/10, video Rs 100/20

Iswari Minar Swarga Sal (Heaven Piercing Minaret)
Located near Tripolia Gate was errected by Jai Singh. There are good views from the top. You reached it by walking about 50m west on Chandpol Bazaar..Admission Rs 2. Camera Rs 10

Central Museum (Albert Hall)
This museum is located in the middle of Ram Niwas Garden, south of the Old City. The museum has pillars, arches, and the building itself is as interesting as the exhibits (which are not particularly interesting). The ground floor has miniature paintings, stone sculptures, painted shields, portraits of former Jaipur maharajas, musical instruments, and ivory carvings. The central hall features blue pottery, which has been made in Jaipur for a long time. Open daily except Fri 10 am to 4.30 pm; admission Rs 5 (Mon free); photography prohibited.

Jaipur Zoo
The zoo is 50m south of the Central Museum in Ram Niwas Garden. Open daily 9.30 am to 4.30 pm; admission Rs 2. You may be asked to show your ticket stub along the way.

Museum of Indology
There are very interesting exhibits in this museum, which include the marriage contract of the last Mughal emperor, a strand of hair which has the entire Bhagavad-gita written on it, and a grain of rice with a map of India painted on it. There are textiles, drawings, a manuscript written by Aurangzeb, coins, jewelry, and many more items. This is a privately-funded museum. Open daily 9 am to 6 pm. Admission with a mandatory guide Foreigner/ Indian Rs 40/20. This place is 2km south of Ram Niwas Garden, by itself, just off Nehru Marg.

Doll Museum
It has a collection of dolls made both in India and around the world. It is 2km south of Ram Niwas Garden on Nehru Marg. Open daily 10 am to 4 pm; admission Rs 1.

Lakshmi Narayan Mandir
This beautiful, white marble temple is dedicated to Narayan (another name of Vishnu) and his consort Lakshmi (the Goddess of Fortune). It is also called the Birla Mandir because the Birla family constructed it. There are lotus flowers on the ceiling carved from a single piece of marble, and impressive stained glass windows. Open daily 8 am to 7.30 pm. There is a free guide 8 to 11.30 am and 4.30 to 7.30 pm. Usually the door of the altars are closed from 1 to 4 pm.

Motidungri Fort
The Motidungri Fort is located on the hill overlooking the Lakshmi Narayan temple. The Maharaja owns it, but it is not well-maintained. There is a Siva temple in the fort, which is open only to the public once a year on Siva-ratri.

Nahargarh Fort
Nahargarh Fort(267-1848) is also known as the Tiger Fort (built 1734). The fort overlooks the city of Jaipur and is floodlit at night. You can wander around the fort and get lost in time. There is an outstanding view of the valleys below. You get to the fort by taking a winding 8km road from Jaipur. It is a difficult 2km walk up from the northwest part of the city.

Open daily 10 to 5 pm. Foreigners/Indians Admission Rs 20/15; camera Rs 25; video Rs 70. There is a cafeteria next to the fort where you can get cold drinks and food.

Sisodia Rani-ka-Bagh
Located here are palaces and beautiful gardens, built in 1710 by Maharaja Jai Singh for his wife. The palaces have been recently repainted. On the outer walls are paintings of Krishna and scenes depicting hunting pastimes. This place is located 5km east of the main part of the city on Agra Rd. Open daily 8 am to 6 pm; admission Rs 3.

Vidyadharji-ka-Bagh
Vidyadharji-ka-Bagh is a well-maintained garden named after the Bengali Brahmin, Vidyadhar Bhattacarya, who helped design Jaipur. It is about half a km east of Sisodia Rani-ka-Bagh, on Agra Rd. Open daily 9 am to 6 pm; admission Rs 2.

Galta
Galta, on the east outskirts of Jaipur, there is a temple dedicated to Surya, the sun-god, and natural springs said to possess curative properties. There is a tank here, which is constantly filled with spring water coming from a stone-carved cow. There are about 30 shalagram-shilas here. You can get a good view of the city in the valley below from the temple. There are red-faced monkeys here. You can take a taxi (15km) to here; it is a 2km walk from Surajpol Gate.

Located here is the Dhammathali Vipassana Medition Centre which offers 10-day Vipassana courses.

Meditation & Yoga
Dhammathali Vipassana Meditation Centre (268-0220), at Galta offers 10-day Vipassana meditation courses, which should be arranged in advance.as they are popular.

Madhaveanand Ashram (220-0317), Behari Marg, Bani Park offers free yoga courses.

Places to Shop
Jaipur is a great place to shop. You should always bargain hard, because there are many tourists in Jaipur who will pay more than five times the correct price. Shops around the city palace and other tourist areas will be more expensive than other shops, but they often have better selections.

Bapu Bazaar and Nehru Bazaar are the main places to buy cloth. Johari Bazaar is famous for jewelry and gems. Also on two alleys off Johari Bazaar, Gopalji Ka Rasta and Haldiyon Ka Rasta (near Hawa Mahal), there are semiprecious stone shops and assorted silversmiths.

Rajasthan Government Handicrafts Emporium, on MI Rd, has fixed prices and gives you a good idea of what everything should cost. Normally this place is more expensive than other shops. They have a good selection of Rajasthan handicrafts.

Rajasthan Handloom House, next door, has a good selection of textiles. Anokhi, 2 Tilak Marg, near the Secretariat, is a good place to buy textiles, including bed sheets, bags, and printed clothing. You can get a good selection of homespun cotton khadi items at Khadi Gramodyog. Everything in the shop is handmade.

Jaipur is the main market for gems in India. Gem prices in Jaipur are about 50% of what the prices are in London. Gem Palace, MI Road; Lall Gems, MI Road; Beg Gems, Mehdi-ka-Chowk near Hawa Mahal; and Yogi Durvabhji’s Emerald House, Subhash Marg, C-Scheme are reputable jewelry shops. Silver and Art Palace is a good place. Surana, Ratnasangam, and DY Durlabhji are well-known places in Johari Bazaar. Even though these shops are mentioned here, still be careful when buying gems.

Silver bangles are rarely over 50% silver, even if the shop owner swears they are 100% silver. A good silver shop is Balaji Silvercraft, 102 Siredeori Bazaar, just off Johari Bazaar.

One of the best places to shop for low-end ready-made jewelry is Chameliwala Market, down the side street that leads to the Evergreen Guest House. There are about 20 jewelry stores on this street, which often have a much better selection than the shops in Johari Bazaar.

Manglam Arts has a good selection of jewelry, antiques, and Rajasthani paintings. It is like a museum. Their prices are a little high, but they are friendly and can be bargained to a reasonable discount. Some of the more precious items in their collections are so highly valued that they have an armed guard to protect them.

The marble carvers are in the Kheje Walon ka Rasta area, which is southwest of the old city, just south of Chandpol Bazaar. A good deity makers is Pandey Murti Kala Kendra (231-8834; 231-3112), Narain Bhawan, IV Cross, Kheje ka Rasta.

You can get carpets cheaper in Pushkar than in Jaipur, but you will not get as good a selection of expensive items in Pushkar. You can get miniature Krishna paintings cheaper in Udaipur or Nathdwar.

BUYERS’ WARNING!  Jaipur is a great place to shop, but the place is full of rip-offs and con-men who use extremely bad tactics to rip people off. Most of the rickshaw drivers receive a commission on what you buy when they bring you to a shop. Be careful of people trying to convince you to buy gems in Jaipur to sell overseas. I tried this myself and the jewelry shops in London wanted to pay me a price lower than what I paid for them in Jaipur. Unless you know the business, you are throwing away your money.

One time, I was standing on the street waiting for my Indian friend to buy fruit. A gentleman approached me and asked if I would like to come with him to see the rugs in his handicraft shop. As I did not want any rugs and considering the fact that most people who approach you on the street like this in Jaipur are con-men, I was not interested in going to his shop.

Still, to see what would happen, I told him I would come if I could bring my friend, to which he of course agreed. I then pointed out my Indian friend and told him I had to wait until he had purchased his fruit. This man then told me that he no longer had any interest in bringing me to his shop. Obviously he knew he could not cheat me if I had an Indian with me.

Gem Testing Laboratory
At this place off MI Rd, near New Gate, you can have gems tested for quality and value for a small fee. You can ask for a money-back guarantee when you purchase gems and then get them tested. Any of the more reputable dealers will allow you to return items within a few days, but this should be firmly established in advance.

Arrival and Touts
When you arrive by train or bus, there will be no shortage of rickshaw and taxi drivers waiting to take you to a hotel for practically nothing. This is because the hotels they take you to will give them a high commission. If you ask to go to another hotel, you will often be told that it is full, it has burned to the ground, or been the victim of some other disaster. I was told the hotel to which I wanted to go was full, but when I arrived, it was almost empty.

The rickshaw drivers receive a commission, which is at least 20% of the cost of the room. This means you pay a higher price. If you insist on going to the hotel of your choice, the rickshaw driver will then want to charge you at least double the normal fare. This will usually be much cheaper than paying the inflated hotel price.

Amber Fort and On the Way

Gaitor
Gaitor, between Jaipur and Amber, is a complex of stone and marble chhatris (memorials) dedicated to former maharajas. The memorials are covered with sculptures, perforated screens, and ornamental stonework. The marble cenotaph of Maharaja Jai Singh II is splendid. The nearby Maharani-ka-Chhatri are memorials for the departed female members of the royal family.

Admission foreigner/Indian Rs 10/5; video 20/10.

Jal Mahal (Water Palace) is a small palace in the middle of the lake, that is passed on the way to the Amber Fort from Jaipur.

Radha Madhava Temple, Kanak Vrindavan, Birla Mandir
There are two temples here. In the Radha Madhava Temple, to your right as you drive in, are Jayadeva Goswami’s original Deities. They were brought to Jaipur in 1560, almost 450 years ago. There is a 1.3 m (4 ft) tall, black marble Krishna and brass Radharani, as will as a small set of Radha Krishna Deities here.

In the 18th century Natwarji Temple are the Deities of Amarkuar, Jaya Singh’s sister. There is beautiful silver work (known as meena work, done with mirrors and colored glass based in silver or white metal) around the altar.

The temples are closed 1 and 4 pm. This place is on the way to the Amber Fort on Amber Rd, about 5km from downtown. To get here, you pass a large building in the middle of the lake and about 1km later you will see a sign for “Kanak Vrindavan and Govinda Deoji” on your right.

Copyright ©2001 John Howley and Spiritual Guides