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The City
Palace complex is divided into a series of courtyards, sprawling
gardens and buildings. The main places inside the complex are the
Chandra Mahal, Mubarak Mahal, Badal Mahal and Shri Govind Devji
Temple.
On entering the palace complex and in the first courtyard lies the
Mubarak Mahal, the palace of welcome or reception. Earlier it was used
as a reception centre where the persons used to com to visit the
Maharaja. The Mubarak Mahal was built by Maharaja Madho Singh II in
the late 19th century. The Mubarak Mahal now contains the textile
section of the Maharaja Sawai Man Singh II Museum. This museum has a
wide array of royal costumes, some very exquisite and precious
Pashmina Shawls, Banarsi Silk Saris, Sanganeri prints and folk
embroidery. An unusual display is that of the clothes worn by Maharaja
Sawai Madho Singh I (1750-68).
There is a magnificent gateway with a grand door in brass opening to a
stately courtyard. In this courtyard lies the Diwan-I-Khas or 'Hall of
Private Audience'. It is an open hall with a double row of columns
with scalloped arches. On display are the two largest silver vessels
in the world which are also placed in the Guiness Book of World
Records. These vessels were used to carry water from the holy Ganges
by Madho Singh II on his journey to England. 242.7 kilograms of silver
was required to cast each vessel, which could contain 8182 gallons of
water.
Across the paved square lies the Diwan-E-Aam or the Hall of Public
Audience. This palace has intricate decorations in deep red and gold,
Afghan and Persian carpets, textiles, miniature paintings, precious
manuscripts and palanquins. At the other corner is the gateway Ridhi
Sidhi Pol, with four small doorways decorated with motifs depicting
the four seasons. The Maharani Palace, the palace of the Queen now has
a vast display of the Rajput weapons. The weapons are as old as 15th
century and are still in a remarkable state of preservation. One of
the main weapon is the scissor-action dagger. Other weapons are the
protective chain armours, pistols, jewelled and ivory handled swords,
a belt sword, small and assorted cannons, guns, poison tipped blades
and gun powder pouches.
To the north west lies the graceful seven storeyed Chandra Mahal, or
the Moon Palace, home of the present Maharaja of Jaipur, Bhavani
Singh. This palace provides a fine view of the gardens and the city.
Paintings, floral decorations, mirror walls and ceilings in the
traditional style adorn the palace. Each storey has a distinctive name
and is a place of sheer beauty and luxury. Chandra Mahal, the main
royal residence, is topped by Mukut Mahal, an elegant pavilion with a
curvilinear roof. The ground and first floor of the Chandra Mahal form
the Maharaja Sawai Man Singh II Museum.
"Sukh Nivas" or the "Hall of Rest" holds the drawing and dining room
of the Maharaja, furnished with Mughal miniatures, European silver and
glass dining tables and peep holes decorated with gold leafs, for
ventilation. Sukh Niwas has been painted in Wedgewood blue, ornamented
with white lining. On the fourth floor of the Chandra Mahal lies the "Shobha
Nivas" or "Hall of Beauty". This palace has mirror encrusted walls
with exquisite blue tiled dadoes and glittering gold leaf and mica
decoration. When the room was lit after dark the Maharajas could enjoy
a breathtaking spectacle of the room bursting into a thousand
flickering images. Through the glass panes you may view the Sri Govind
Devji Temple, the first structure built by Sawai Jai Singh in Jaipur.
The Shobha Nivas and the Sukh Nivas are still occupied by the present
Maharaja. On the fifth floor lies the "Chhavi Nivas" or Hall of
Images. This palace was the Maharajas retreat in the rainy season and
still has a polished floor of eggshell stucco and blue and white
painted walls.
Opposite the Chandra Mahal lies the 'Badal Mahal'. The Govind Devji
Temple stands in the middle of the Chandra Mahal and the Badal Mahal.
A delightful system of fountains is placed in the middle of the paved
path between the Chandra Mahal and the Badal Mahal. Another integral
part of the palace complex is the Hawa Mahal.
The City Palace is open between 0930 to 1630 hrs.
Entrance Fees
The entrance fees of City Palace, Jaipur is Rs. 300 for Foreign
Tourists. |
