10 Things to do in Jaipur

If you are visiting Jaipur for the first time make sure you do these 10 things.

1. Amer Fort

The mind-blowing Amber/Amer Fort can take us on an incredible journey through the rich cultural heritage of Rajasthan. This is a castle that is imprinted on several minds when one takes a tour around this fort. This fort projects the grandeur of the past and its mystifying beauty sure cannot be forgotten.

Located on a hill named Cheel Ka Teel, this majestic fort is one of the top attractions in Jaipur. The Amber fort, which was built in the late 16th century, is situated in a town called Amer, which is located around 20 km from the outskirts of Jaipur. It is open every day between 9.30 AM and 4.30 PM and it attracts tourists in large numbers all year round. Such an enticing destination must have some interesting stories, isn't it? Yes, here are some of the incredible facts on Amber fort that will take you on a roller-coaster ride depicting the tales associated with this fort.

The Light and Sound Show at Amer Fort

Timings:

October to February - 06:30 PM to 07:30 PM

March to April - 07:00 PM to 08:00 PM

May to September - 07:30 PM to 08:30 PM

The Light and Sound show is a spectacular show that combines the power of lighting up the Amber fort and the story of its past through a powerful voice (recorded voice of Indian cine superstar, Amitabh Bacchhan).

The show starts with how the fort was formed continues with the kings who lived in it and ends with how the fort was opened up for the public.

2. Hawa Mahal

Jaipur's photogenic Palace of Winds was built by Maharaja Sawai Pratap Singh in 1799 so that the women of the court (the zenana) could discreetly take some air and watch the activity on the street below. Every story has semi-octagonal overhanging windows, and each has a perforated screen.

This curious five-story structure, named after the westerly winds that blow cool breezes through the 953 windows, or jharokas, is just one room wide, so the wind easily passes through the building and cools the interior (servants also threw water on the lattice, so any breeze would be cooled by the water, and would lower the temperature).

The building facade has a delicate honeycomb design with close to 1,000 windows, and is fashioned from pink sandstone. If you are short of time you don't necessarily have to go into the mahal, though viewing it from the outside is most striking at sunset or sunrise. The entrance is at the side.

Timings: 9.30AM to 4.30PM