The Pink City

This past weekend, I ventured to Jaiput, a city in Rajasthan that is known as the 'Pink City' because of its sand colored walls. It was built in the early 1700s by Raja Sawai Jai Singh II and is a part of the often-traveled Golden Triangle (Delhi - Agra - Jaipur).

The city is located 250km south of Delhi, which translates into a 5 hour train ride. I awoke early on Friday morning and took the Shatabdi Express to my destination. Shatabdi trains are among the best the Indian Railway system has to offer. A train ticket includes meal service, bottled water, morning newspapers and minimal stops. And train announcements are in Hindi AND English. All this for $10!

Upon my arrival in Jaipur, I immediately headed for the tourist sights. First, I visited the Palace of Winds or Hawa Mahal. Today, basically only the facade remains, but it overlooks the busy streets of Jaipur, including the Johari Bazaar. It was originally built to allow the women of the royal household to watch everyday life below. Today, it offers a great vantage point to take in the rest of the city.

Next, I visited the City Palace, which sits inside the walls of the old city. The royal family (the son of the last Maharaja and his family) still resides in part of the City Palace complex. I also visited Jantar Mantar (Instrument of Calculation), a stone observatory that was also built by Sawai Jai Singh II, who was an avid astronomer. This one is the largest of the 5 observatories that were constructed across the country. It contains 13 different instruments that can calculate the movement of celestial bodies.