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Among the parched hills of Rajasthan state, Jaipur was carefully laid out as Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh’s capital in the 18th century -- India’s first example of civic planning. The “Pink City,” named for the terra-cotta hue of many of its prominent buildings, is a popular destination for its wonderful forts, palaces, temples and other Rajput and Mughal monuments. The maharaja’s City Palace is a rambling collection of gardens and royal mansions; a ride atop an extravagantly adorned elephant brings tourists to the stunning Amer Fort, a few miles away. On the way, Jai Mahal (Water Palace) seems to float like a dream, reflected on the hyacinth-filled waters of Man Sagar Lake.
When Prince Alfred visited the capital of Rajasthan in 1853, Rajputs painted the city pink -- their traditional color of hospitality -- in preparation for his visit. The practice continues today and in the evening light, Jaipur exudes a rosy glow. Maharaja Jai Singh II, the great warrior-astronomer, founded Jaipur on the Rajasthani plains in 1727. Jai Singh had an orderly vision for the city to be, crafting its design according to the Shilpa-Shastra, an ancient Hindu treatise on architecture, and creating a city more geometrically rigorous than any other in India. Today Jaipur, with its population nearing 1.5 million, sprawls beyond Jai Singh's original designs, but most of its attractions are located within the walled old city. Must-see places include the Hawa Mahal, or Palace of the Winds, a stunning example of Rajput artistry with its elaborate five-story facade. Built in 1799 to enable women of the royal household to watch street processions while remaining in a strict state of purdah, Hawa Mahal is part of the City Palace complex in the heart of Jaipur's old city. Surrounded by decadant gardens and courtyards, the City Palace was conceived by Jai Singh, but constructed over several centuries, resulting in an intriguing blend of Rajasthani and Moghul architecture. Today the City Palace still houses the royal family as well as the Sawai Man Singh Museum and the Jantar Mantar - Jai Singh's astronomical observatory. The observatory is filled with astronomical instruments of Jai Singh's own invention that identify the position and movement of stars and planets, tell the time, and even predict the intensity of the monsoon. In the old city's colorful bazaars, merchants trade everything from elephants to tie-dyed saris to Jaipur's much celebrated silver.