| Jaipur |
| Population 3.3 million (in 2005) Altitude 431m Area 200 square km Languages Rajasthani, Marwari, Hindi and English |
| Jaipur, also popularly known as the Pink City, is the capital of Rajasthan. Historically rendered as Jeypore, Jaipur is the former capital of the princely state of Jaipur. It was founded in 1727 by Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh. The city is surrounded by a crenellated wall with seven gates meant for protection against the invading enemies. It took almost six years to complete the city, which was interestingly the country's first modern city to be designed in a grid form over two centuries ago. The streets are laid out into six sectors, the urban quarters are further divided by networks of gridded streets. Five quarters wrap around the east, south, and west sides of a central palace quarter, with a sixth quarter immediately to the east. The Palace quarter encloses a sprawling palace complex (the Hawa Mahal, or palace of winds), formal gardens, and a small lake. Nahargarh Fort crowns the hill in the northwest corner of the old city. Another noteworthy building is Sawai Jai Singh's observatory, Jantar Mantar. The glorious city boasts of its cultural heritage from every corner. Jaipur is a reservoir of Indian customs and traditions. The city lies at a distance of 260 kms from Delhi and is the major business centre for the natives of Rajasthan with all requisites of a metropolitan city. The lively city observes its ethnicity by celebrating various festivals like the Kite festival, Elephant festival and many others. Jaipur makes up one of the three points in the Golden Triangle of Indian tourism, the other two being Delhi and Agra. It is also the gateway to Rajasthan and a visit to the city gives you a glimpse of the entire Rajasthan experience, including forts, palaces, pink sandstone monuments and museums. |
| Banks and Internet There are numerous banks in Jaipur for changing money and travelers cheques. there are also plenty of ATMs. There is a large number of internet cafes in town, prices vary. |
| No Link |