Amber India. Amber Fort and other forts of Jaipur - Phototravel independent travel
Amber is famous for its fort, with which it is immediately connected 2 misunderstandings.
Amber - city, and not a fort, although Amber Fort is often written, but the fort has its own name - Jaigarh, i.e. glory.
Amber's Fort in English it means both Amber Fort and Amber Fort, the second name is not correct, since they came several centuries after the city was founded and its name has nothing to do with amber.
Amber was the capital of the Rajput Kachwaha clan from 1037 to 1728, after which it moved to nearby Jaipur when Jai Singh founded a new city there.
Although the buildings of Amber are less impressive than in Jaipur, the city produces an unforgettable experience - it is located on narrow rocky ridges among the hills, and its high walls, as it were, continue the natural surroundings.
Amber Palace
Entrance ticket to the palace: 200 rupees, there is also a ticket for 300 rupees for 2 days, which includes 4 more Jaipur. Palace opening hours: daily from 8 am to 6 pm.
Entrance to the palace complex through Suraj Pol (Solar Gate) on the main square Jaleb Chowk. In the courtyard on the left, Sri Sila Devi - (a form of Kali), the statue of the goddess is in an unusual arch of stylized carved banana leaves. Nearby is a staircase, steep steps lead to Lions Gate (Singh Paul) where is the entrance to the palace.
The architectural style of the palace is traditionally Rajput, although the Mughal influence in the design is very noticeable. Passing through the first of the three courtyards, on the opposite side of the Diwan-i-Am (hall of public audience), built in 1639, an open pavilion similar to the halls of the Mughal era in Delhi and Agra.
Exquisitely decorated with mosaic panels Gate of Ganesh (Ganesh Pol) lead to the second courtyard, on the left Shesh Mahal (Sheesh Mahal), created by Raja Jai Singh, it has mosaic panels inlaid with glass and mirrors and marble. There are also doors made of sandal (!) Wood, inlaid with ivory.
Man Singh Palace- the old part of the palace, with an interweaving of narrow stairs and passages, interesting place for studying.
Amber Fort - Jaigarh
Opening hours: daily from 9 to 5 pm, entrance is 75 rupees, 50 is charged for, by and large there is nothing to shoot there, 100 rupees.
Rising above Amber, Jaigarh Fort, built in 1600 or even in the 11th century (according to various estimates), offers breathtaking panoramas of neighboring hills and plains.
In the fort are two ancient temples- Ram Harihar (10th century) and Kala Bhairava (12th century).
Small museum filled with old maps and photographs, as well as cannons - since 1588 - Jaigarh has been an important weapons manufacturing center. At the top of the fort there is a huge Jaivana cannon, the largest in Asia, for 1 shot of which you need 100 kilograms of gunpowder, the cannonball flies 35 km, but no one has ever fired from it.
You can get to Jaigarh Fort by jeep (asked 750 rupees), by elephant - like Rajput rulers (categorically not recommended, they suffer a lot from such walks) or you have to walk about 30 minutes along steep road, which we did.
How to get to Amber
Regular ones to Amber leave Jaipur from the Hawa Mahal palace, they go often, the journey takes about 20 minutes, the price was 7 rupees in the fall of 2010.
Guidebooks advise you to come to Amber in the morning so as not to run into tourist groups and I support this recommendation, large groups of tourists are brought on excursions to Amber, who scream, flicker, take pictures against the backdrop of sights and greatly interfere with seeing what you want.
Opening hours: 8:00 – 17:30
Entrance: 500 rupees.
How to get there: from Chandpole station by taxi or auto rickshaw. You get out of the subway and say "Hawa Mahal". And for a hundred rupees they take you to the palace of the winds. By the way, two metro stations are currently under construction, and soon the exit will be right at Hawa Mahal. When you get to the Palace of Winds, you need to go up to it and catch bus 29, which you can stop right at the Palace and go north (direction from the square with the metro under construction outside the city). See the pond and the walls of Amber Fort, get out. The locals are also actively suggesting that it is time.
Amber Fort is built in the style of romantic Rajasthani architecture and is located 11 km from Jaipur. The fort is surrounded on all sides by hills, along the tops of which there is a fortress wall with watchtowers.
Tourist tip: At the box office you can buy a complex ticket for 1000 rupees for several attractions, which is valid for 2 or 3 days, with it you can definitely get to the Hawa Mahal Palace, the Albert Hall Cultural and Historical Museum, the ancient Jantar Mantar observatory and two more palace complex.
One of the biggest impressions is made by the wall surrounding the ford. Its length is about 20 km, and it is akin to the Great Wall of China, there is where to turn around.
The Ford itself is shabby, unkempt, unprepossessing, I would say, because. the government is not involved in its restoration. Therefore, to get more pleasure, you need to move away from the current state of the fort, and looking at the openwork patterns of buildings, imagine how it looked before.
Mirrored walls are especially memorable. In the hall of mirrors, a magic flower is carved on one marble column, in which about 20 animals are hidden.
If you do not go to the Elefantastic nature reserve, then here you can catch up and ride an elephant on top of the fort. Such a walk costs 1000-1300 rupees. During the trip, locals will actively take pictures of you, and then try to sell the album for money. The price starts from 1000 rupees, at the end of the auction near the bus you can agree for 200 rupees - it all depends on your talent as a negotiator.
The fort is located on a hillside, and its walls are reflected in the waters of the lake. This place is historical, so in order for the trip to be useful, you need to either take a guide or prepare in advance.
The territory of the fort is divided into three main parts: the first is a service yard, the second part is courtyards with private apartments, the treasury and chapels, the third part is women's apartments with small terraces.
The interior of the fort is exquisite and rich in terms of architecture. Balconies, stone lattices, columns, arches, arbors.
Inside the fort, in the first courtyard, there are many souvenir shops. A little further - the temple of Shila Devi, dedicated to the warlike goddess Kali. On the huge open terraces you can often see wild monkeys. If you move deeper into the temple, you find yourself in the Pleasure Hall, not far from which there is a canal that was previously used as a water storage. From the Jai Mandir temple, next to the Maharaja's chambers, there is a wonderful view of the entire complex and the lake below.
Here you will get acquainted with the local color, you will see Indian women in traditional dresses. The palace in its architecture resembles a labyrinth, from room to room, along a long corridor to the hammam, from the hammam to the sofa room, from the sofa room to the harem and again room-room-room.
Plan 2 hours to visit this place. It is better to come early in the morning, while it is not so hot and there are no tourists. Do not forget to take water with you and wear comfortable shoes, as you have to go up a lot and then go down, and it's very stuffy and hot outside.
Tourist tip: At Amber Fort, you can enjoy the light and sound show that takes place every day in the evenings. A ticket for the show in English costs 200 rupees, in Hindi - 100. You will hear a story about the history of the fort and significant events from the life of the state, accompanied by the colorful illumination of the fort. The show lasts about 1 hour. In addition, after 6 pm you can walk around the night fort. The cost of this entertainment is 100 rupees, while in the daytime it is 500.
If at the end of the path you have time and energy left, visit the art gallery, very interesting paintings.
The only thing that can spoil the impression a little is the obsessive sellers of unnecessary rubbish. But it's better to get used to it - this is India.
Tourist tip: If you are traveling alone, don't pick up pushy guides at the entrance. There are many police officers on the territory of the palace who will be happy to tell you the direction, and if you give one of them 100 rupees, even closed places will be shown.
Another fort - Jaigar - is located above the Amber Fort.
Fort Jaigar.
Opening hours: 9:00 - 16:30.
Entrance: 200 rupees.
It was built by Jai Singh in 1726. The observation towers of this fort are well preserved, and it is here that the world's largest wheeled cannon is located.
The palace has a park where a James Bond movie was filmed. The monkeys here are not frightened, but be careful with them and stay away just in case - quite large individuals come across.
Tourist tip: The fortress is located above the Amber fortress. They are often confused. You can climb through the underground passage directly from Amber, or you can immediately drive up from the city along a beautiful mountain road. The fort itself is dirty and of little interest, but the views of the mountains, and the open space, are probably the most impressive in Rajasthan.
If there is free time after this fort, then you can walk or take a tuk-tuk to Nahargarh Fort. If you go on foot, walk about 4 km,
Inside the Ambar complex is the Jal Mahal - a palace surrounded by thousands of cercals.
jal mahal
Here, the ceilings and walls in all the halls of this small room are decorated with small mirrors. They say that thanks to this it becomes light even from one candle. And on one of the columns of the palace, the “Magic Flower” is carved from marble. This is a special attraction. A lot of animals are hidden in this flower: a fish tail, a lotus, a hood of a cobra, an elephant, a scorpion and others, each of which is visible in a special way, partially hiding individual elements hands.
Like a mirage in a hot desert, the Jal Mahal Palace, standing on the water surface, appears before your eyes. How and why did he end up in the middle of the lake, where is the road leading to him - many questions arise, and it turns out that each of them has a completely reasonable answer.
The Jal Mahal Palace in India was originally built on land as architectural complex designed for the summer holidays of the rulers of India. The palace is located among low green mountains, in a beautiful valley, striking everyone with its picturesqueness. But when a terrible drought began in India, threatening people with starvation, the ruler decided to install a dam, thus blocking the valley where the Jal Mahal was located. Over time, the formed basin was filled with water, which people began to use to irrigate the fields. The famine receded, the inhabitants were saved, and the first floors of the building forever plunged into the water surface. Therefore, there is no gap between the palace and the surface of the water, and therefore there are no roads leading to the palace.
The building of the palace is a building typical for hot countries - four walls limit the space of the courtyard, and in the corners - dome towers. Unfortunately, you can admire all this beauty only from afar - the palace is closed to the public. But even a glance from the outside is enough to appreciate the unusualness and originality of this place.
The decoration of the building is inlaid with local semi-precious stones and mirrors from Belgium. The lower part of the mirrors was replaced with new ones (unfortunately, the original ones were destroyed by people, not by time), but this does not spoil the overall impression. And even more so, how nice it is to look at old pieces of mirrors with a touch of time, comparing them with the ideal new “brothers”. It is a pity that you can not get inside, but outside you can spend a lot of time admiring this beauty.
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The fort is located near the mountain on a plateau, turning into terraces. At the very top stands the Jaigarh fortress, whose name translates as the Victory Fort. She guards both Amber and the city of Jaipur. Amber has a very good position, it stands in such a way that it is surrounded on all sides by hills and mountain ranges. Fortifications with a palisade stretched almost along the entire length of the ridge.
The construction of the structure began in 1592 under the leadership of Raja Man Singh I. At that time, this man commanded the troops of Akbar's empire. The construction was completed after his death, when all the work was supervised by the descendant of Raja Jai Singh I. The fort got its name from the goddess Amba, whom all residents know as Durga.
Surprisingly, only local stone and wood were used for the foundation of such a magnificent structure. Thus, the builders have achieved that from a distance it is completely impossible to understand whether this structure is natural or nevertheless created by human hands. In those days, this effect was very useful, since the territory of the fort was constantly attacked. In Amber, you can trace clear, even lines, which are a characteristic feature of the Rajasthani style. At first glance, such a simple external design cannot carry luxury, but the first impression is deceptive. Inside, the fort is richly decorated with stucco and carved balconies, which were skillfully hidden from prying eyes. Under the outer austerity, a piece of paradise was hidden with numerous gazebos, lattice windows and unusual arches.
All local forts at that time were created according to the same scheme.
In the very center was the main building with several floors, which was surrounded by two-story pavilions. The palace itself was divided into several parts: a service courtyard, a square and halls for solemn meetings, and private chambers overlooking the alley. There was also a treasury and a small chapel.
Journey to Amber Fort
The path to the fort starts from Lake Maota, with an island on which the garden of Dalarama is located. From here, a large road leads to the palace complex, along which elephants constantly walk with numerous tourists and travelers. The first stop is Jai Pol Gate. For those who like to travel on horseback, a special road has been built leading there. After you get to Suraj Pol or the Gate of the Sun. They open the way to the courtyard with military barracks. Further along the course is the Gate of the Moon, leading to the temple of Vishnu.
After the Lion's Gate, all tourists enter the audience hall. This is a beautiful building, the roof of which is supported by 40 columns made of white marble. They differ from others in that the very tops are in the form of elephant heads, the trunks of which, as it were, hold the base of the roof.
After the audience hall, tourists enter the courtyard with the living rooms of the rulers and a small garden. On the right side is Sukh Niwas. This architectural structure is inlaid with jewels and decorated with carved details. The room is always cool. This is achieved by streams of water passing right across the floor and falling into a miniature pool. The channel is decorated with white and black marble, which enhances the effect of running water.
Walking a little further than the palace, you find yourself on the terrace of Nat Mahal. In those distant years, meetings or, in other words, darbars were held here. Near Jaya is a zanana, which is the bedrooms, closets, bathrooms and courtyards. All tourists, having been here, note the special atmosphere of the presence of monarchs.
Tourists
Most often, tourists get to the fort on elephants, along the road of the same name. Once upon a time, ammunition and weapons were delivered through it to Amber. Before the trip, merchants with souvenirs will definitely come to you. Wooden figurines of elephants are in demand. For three such souvenirs, sellers will ask for 1000 rupees, but do not open your wallet right away, bargain. Indians are quite easy to persuade, and then you will pay the same money for 10 nice figurines. All guides advise you to buy something right away, otherwise the Indians will follow you for a long time on the way to the fort. by the most the best option will still be buying souvenirs on the way back. Firstly, they will cost much less, and secondly, they will not need to be constantly carried with you during the tour.
Are you ready to go back to India and wander with us through the unknown passages of the ancient fort? To be honest, Mishutka and I were not ready ourselves, but it so happened that quite by accident we taxied into the closed area of the Amber Fort, where only maharajas now eat. This is all me in my search for where to stick my nose, where it can be more interesting =)) But we were not just not driven away, but on the contrary, they gave us a rather cordial welcome, mistaking for foreign journalists. Me and a three-year-old child ... Well, a strange bunch for journalists)) Well, okay, we fulfilled our blogging duty - we looked into every corner, filmed everything, did not pay for anything. What else do you need for a good report? ;)
We drove up to the ancient walls of the Amber fortress ourselves as maharajas - by taxi, but rented for the whole day. It was the first and only time in my life when we even rode around India by car)
But the day before, we honestly tried, as usual, to move around Jaipur on our own and it was wildly expensive (Jaipur rickshaws take money just like that), wildly tiring (noise and exhaust gases from everywhere), and wildly long (it turned out that the city is so big, that walking at all in any way). In general, when one driver offered to take us for 8 hours in a brand new air-conditioned car to all popular attractions for only 1000 rupees (then it was ~ 550 rubles), I immediately agreed. In general, feeling like at least millionaires, we drove up to the gates of the fort importantly) You can enter them absolutely free of charge. Inside the Amber Fort is large area walled.
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Elephant ride to Amber Fort
Elephant to Amber Fort
With the sights of Jaipur, my acquaintance began from the Amber Fort. He is 11 km from the city, recalls Lyudmila.
Amber Fort is also called the Amer Fortress-Palace. It used to be the capital of the state of Rajasthan. But since 1727, the state capital was moved to Jaipur.
The excursion began from the fact that in the morning a taxi guide came for me, says Lyudmila. Together with two Kyrgyz women who were already sitting there, we drove to the fort.
Immediately outside the city, the flat terrain gave way to hills with sparse vegetation. We didn’t drive for long, and soon we saw the ancient defensive structures. They settled down on the hills, and along the ridges many kilometers of defensive walls with towers. If I were in China, I would think that the famous Chinese Wall is in front of me.
View of the Amber Fort from the town at the foot of the hill
At the very top of a large hill, the Jaigarh fort was firmly hooked. And on the slope, just below the middle, on the plateau, there is the Amber Fort, surrounded by powerful amber-colored fortress walls.
It is said that it got its name from a translation into English language words amber. But opponents claim that he was named after the goddess Amer. Whatever it was, but the walls of the fort are yellow, and they were built from local sandstone. They are very well reflected in Lake Maota, which is located below. And next to the lake, at the very foot of the hill, an ancient town sheltered.
Three roads led to the Amber Fort: one for pedestrians, another for cars, and a third for elephants. By the way, they came up with a very convenient idea - no one interferes with each other. The road is not difficult, it takes only 10 minutes to walk up. But where can we go on foot if we can ride on elephants!
Having stood in line at the ticket office to board such an exotic "taxi", and having paid 450 rupees, we perched on a device in the form of a rocking chair, which is on the back of an elephant, and swaying strongly, slowly set off on our way.
Not to say that it was a very pleasant walk, because of the corresponding smells, because a whole line of painted elephants rose along the road. But everything is so unusual! I remembered Thailand, I had my first experience of riding elephants there. At the end of the road, an Indian ran up at the gates of the fort, and with the dexterity of a juggler, he put a turban on our heads, of course, not for free, he immediately demanded 100 rupees for a headdress.
Turban worth 100 rupees - an attachment to an exotic taxi
Amber Fort is divided into 4 parts. Each part has its own gate and its own courtyard.
We entered the fortress through the main gate - Suraj Pol (Sun Gate), and got into the patio with ticket offices and a parking lot for elephants.
Taxi rank in the fortress
Dismounted here, bought for 150 rupees entry tickets to the royal chambers (these are the prices for tourists, for locals 25 rupees), went through three-tiered brightly painted with floral ornaments famous gate Ganesha. Previously, only the Raja himself, his family members and servants passed through these gates, but now thousands of tourists crowd.
Above the very entrance of the gate there is a figurine of the elephant-like god Ganesh, because according to legend, it ensures good luck in all matters, eliminating various obstacles. The figurine is made by skilled craftsmen from solid coral.
Outside the gate, the entire palace complex opened up to our gaze. I was simply stunned by the beauty of the palaces that hid behind the harsh walls of a formidable fortress. The luxury and elegance were amazing. Architectural buildings, made of marble and red sand, showed off in mirrors and gilding! The buildings of the palace complex perfectly combined Hindu and Mughal architectural styles. Main palaces:
Hall of general audience - Divan-I-Am;
hall of private audiences - Divan-I-Khas;
Hall of Victory, or Mirror Palace - Jai Mandir;
entertainment hall, or Pleasure Palace - Sukh Niwas.
I was struck by the beauty of the Mirror Palace - Jai Mandir. These are the chambers of the Raja himself.
mirror palace
The walls of the palace are decorated with inlaid Indian panels of carved marble depicting flowers and graceful figures.
The vaulted ceilings are made of mirror mosaics. Thousands of small mirrors, gilded tiles and glass are laid out so that the slightest ray of light illuminates the entire hall and ignites the starry sky. The effect is amazing.
In those days when the hall was built, such mirrors were made only in Europe. They were expensive, and their delivery to the fort cost the rulers a considerable amount. There were legends about the wonderful view of the hall, many dreamed of visiting it!
In the hall of public audience - Divan-I-Am, beautiful double marble columns, with elephant heads at the top, surprise. Elephant trunks seem to hold the ceiling.
And nearby, 27 offices with snow-white marble columns. Here the local nobility sat.
Opposite the Mirror Palace is the Pleasure Palace - Suks Nivas, also an unusual building. It's all white marble rooms.
pleasure palace
Sandalwood doors with ivory inlays. In the walls of the rooms there are a lot of holes for cool air and gutters through which water flows, cooling the rooms. We can say that this cooling system is the forerunner of modern air conditioners.
Water cooling marble palace pleasures
In the women's quarters (zenana), the rooms are designed quite ingeniously. The Raja visited one of his wives or concubines in her room without being seen by the other wives.
On the third tier of the Ganesh gate there are gazebos that offer excellent panoramic views.
Panoramic view from the windows of the gazebo
From the windows of the pavilions, women had the right to observe the guests of the palace. Behind the beautiful openwork lattices, they were not visible from the outside.
Here I sit alone at the open window
In one of the courtyards is the royal garden of Char Bagh (Garden of Earthly Delights). It is completely different from the gardens we are used to. Once lush and beautiful, now it looked boring. Among the marble paths that divided the garden in a strict pattern, stunted plantings grew. They were once watered by a fountain, but unfortunately it did not work.
Garden at the Mirror Palace
Amber Fort left an ambivalent impression in my memory. On the one hand, this is a powerful fortification with outbuildings: with stables, elephants, large cauldrons, where food was cooked in the yard for the servants and the fort guards lived.
This is the kettle
On the other hand, the implementation eastern paradise, where the nobility enjoyed peace and quiet, surrounding themselves with the luxury of palaces with graceful columns, openwork lattices, carved balconies, countless arches and secluded gazebos on the corners of the roofs. different worlds- a different life.
