Amer Fort

Elephant Ride at Amer Fort

Elephant Ride at Amer FortForemost on your list of excursions must be the Amer Fort. Located 11kms. away from Jaipur,this magnificent fort stands gracefully amidst wooded hills overlooking the Delhi-Jaipur highway,with its awe inspiring ramparts reflected in the still waters of the Maota Lake. Most visitors come
to Amer Fort on elephant back, which makes the trip to this magnificent fort even more spectacular. One can find the distinct Mughal architectural influence in the parapets. One has to cross a number of gates to arrive at Man Singh's Palace. There is a marble temple where the deity of Shilamata Yashoreshwari is installed. Originally the statute is of mother Goddess Kali of Bengal. In 1604, when Man Singh Captured Bengal, he brought the goddess to Amber. In the days of yore, cows, goats, and buffaloes were sacrificed here but Raja Sawai Jai Singh stopped this ritual.

The Amer Fort is one of the finest specimens of Rajput architecture and in the days of yore, it used to be the capital of the erstwhile Kachhawah rulers. The original palace was built by Raja Man Singh while renovations were carried out by Sawai Jai Singh.

One can find the distinct Mughal architectural influence in the parapets. One has to cross a number of gates to arrive at Man Singh's Palace. There is a marble temple where the deity of Shilamata Yashoreshwari is installed. Originally the statute is of mother Goddess Kali of Bengal. In 1604, when Man Singh Captured Bengal, he brought the goddess to Amber. In the days of yore, cows, goats, and buffaloes were sacrificed here but Raja Sawai Jai Singh stopped this ritual.

To the south is the Ganesh Pole, which is replete with intricate mosaic and paintings. There is a gate which leads to Andar Mahal or Jenana Mahal which is renowned for its outstanding lattice work. There is also the Sheesh Mahal or Mirror Castle renowned for its mirrored engravings. There is also the Sohag Temple and one must admit that the latticed works on the windows are absolutely top class. It is from the windows of Sohag  Temple that the Queens used to view the festivities and pageantry.Moving on to the western side one comes across Sukh Niwas or the hall of pleasure. It is famed for its while marbled works and the cool air that emanates from the adjoining spring is indeed the very epitome of pleasure.

The palace of Raja Man Singh is absolutely gorgeous. The exquisite ivory works, the stone engraving and the paintings in the dining room are all majestic and eye catching.One can also get a glimpse of King Biharimal's kingdom's ruins. The Krishna temple inside the fort is believed tohave been visited by Meerabai. The pillars and panel bars artistically depict stories from Puranas.Visits to the Fort museum located to the north bank of the Maota Lake have many precious artifacts and handicrafts. The Dilram garden too is strategically located and in the days of yore, the royal guests were entertained here at this magnificent garden.

Elephant Festival Jaipur

The elephant has references in Indian mythology. As goods or Devas and the demons or Asuras churned the oceans during "sagar manthan" for the elixir of life that would make them immortal, there surfaced the "navratnas" - nine jewels.One of these jewels was the elephant. The elephant is therefore absolutely precious, to be preserved and protected as jewels are. Elephants have always occupied a pride of place among the erstwhile Rajput rulers. The Rajput rulers' use of elephants in war is legendary. War aside elephants have been an integral part of Rajasthan's royal courts and were used in royal parades.As a rule of thumb, a Rajput king would always ride on elephant.

 Jaipur, the capital of Rajasthan was a much preferred place for elephant parades in honor of the royal guests. This grand spectacle of elephant parade was given a fresh lease of life courtesy Rajasthan Tourism and every year in the month of March a grand spectacle of impeccably bedecked and ornamented elephants are paraded in full public glare at Jaipur's Chaugan Stadium. The spectacular parade is followed by a bewildering array of special events like playing holi with elephants, elephant race and the amazing game of elephant polo. It is indeed party time for the elephants.

 The most amazing feature of this colorful festival is that the majority of the elephants that take part in the festivities are female of the species. Each elephant is garishly decorated from tusk to tail with charming jewelry. Their foreheads are embossed with floral decoration.Although elephants are the main attraction of the festival, to add charm to the festivities, brightly bejeweled camels and horses with their masters seated on the saddle also take part in this remarkable festival. Traditional Rajasthani folk dancers enthrall the audience by their rhythmic dance.