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A 'Chattri' On Umaid Bhawan's Roof |
Umaid Bhawan is located in a quiet residential colony in Jaipur,
the capital of India's desert state; Rajasthan.
Only a kilometer from the central bus stand (Sindhi Camp) and the
railway station, we are 13 kilometers away from the airport. Click
here for a map of Jaipur that you can save and/or print.
We offer a free pickup on arrival to Jaipur from the bus
stand, the railway station, the city centre and the airport. Use
our contact form to request a pickup.
Jaipur is well connected. Being right next to the national capital,
New Delhi, it is easy to get to.
A flamboyant showcase of Rajasthani architecture and flair at its
most irresistible, the Pink City of JAIPUR has long been established
on tourist itineraries as the third corner of India's "Golden
Triangle", just 300km southwest of Delhi and 200km west of
Agra.
As with most of India, Jaipur too, offers a unique combination
of the ancient and the modern. While you can relax in the evenings
in modern pubs, you can discover the massive ancient forts during
the day.
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Traditional wall paining in Umaid Bhawan can
be seen reflected in the pool |
Places to see
Though the "Pink City" label applies specifically to
the old walled quarter of the Rajasthani capital, in the northeast
of town, glorious palaces and temples, in an assortment of styles
that span the centuries, are scattered throughout the whole urban
area. The walled city is suffused with a gentle pink light, flashed
through by bright turbans and saris, while in the pink shops and
houses that line its orderly streets, craftsmen create objects of
delicate beauty with time-honored traditional skills, in full view
of the hectic swirl of shoppers and tourists outside.
Lying on the bed of a long-dry lake, Jaipur laps against hills
in the north, east and west, and rolls across the open plains to
the south towards Bundi. Getting and keeping your bearings is simple;
even if you can't see the Pink City, the hills behind it in the
northeast, topped by the high walls of the Nahagarh Fort, are always
conspicuous.
The Pink City houses the principal tourist attractions - the Palace
of Winds or Hawa Mahal, and Jai Singh's City Palace and Observatory
- while the Ram Niwas Garden, Zoo, Albert Hall (Central Museum)
and Modern Art Gallery are a short way south of the walls, within
easy walking distance of its gates. Broad and widely spaced roads
in the newer areas outside the walls accommodate the industries
and businesses that underlie the economy of the modern city, as
well as most of Jaipur's hotels. Mirza Imail Road is the main route
from west to east (south of the old city), on which you'll find
the GPO, hotels and restaurants and some of the larger boutiques
and jewellery shops. Station Road runs from the railway station
in the west, past the bus stand and on to Chand Pole, the westernmost
gate of the old city.
Most travelers spend a good few days visiting the sublime palaces,
exploring the ruins and wandering through the bazaars, renowned
for carpets, clothes,and the best selection of precious stones and
metals in India.
If you're anywhere near Jaipur in March, don't
miss the Elephant Festival,one of India's most flamboyant parades,
celebrated with full Rajput pomp. Makar Sankranti (14 Jan), predominantly
celebrated in the east of India,here takes the form of a kite festival,
filling the air with gaudy paper kites for days leading up to it.
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