Amber was a city of Rajasthan state it is now a part of Jaipur. Amber was settled as far back as 967 AD. In 1037 AD it was conquered by the Kachwaha Rajputs. Amber remained the capital until 1727 when Sawai Jai Singh founded a new capital, named for him as Jaipur.
Situated in the city of Amber, the ancient capital of the Kachhwaha Rajputs. The Fort is a beautiful complex of palaces, halls, stairways, gardens and temples. Amber is the classic romantic Rajasthan fort palace. It is a fusion of Mughal (Muslim) and Hindu architecture built in red sandstone and white marble. Commenced under the reign of Raja Man Singh in 1592 construction lasted 150 years.
Palace complex includes the Chandra Mahal, Mubarak Mahal, pavilions, gardens and temples. The palace was built between 1729 and 1732 by Sawai Jai Singh the ruler of Amber. He planned and built the outer walls later additions were made by successive rulers up to the 20th century. The layout of the city is attributed to Vidyadar Bhattacharya and Sir Samuel Swinton and the Sawai who was an architectural enthusiast.
On our last night in Jaipur we purchased some wine, snacks and fireworks. We viewed the sunset from the mountain overlooking Jaipur. When it was dark we set off the fireworks.
Leaving Jaipur we drove through the Indian rural countryside and into the low Vindhya mountain range. The drive was about five hours in length along bumpy roads (there are very few really good roads in India.) Our destination is Ranthambore. The slide show will give you a good idea of what the Indian rural countryside looks like. Enjoy!
One of the highlights of the trip was our visit to the Ranthambore local village to visit with the students at a primary school.
Nahargarh Fort is the first of the three forts built by Maharaja Jai Sawai Singh of Jaipur. The Fort stands at the top of rugged point of the Aravalis and offers a spectacular view of Jaipur. The fort was to serve for the security of Amer. The term "Nahargarh" refers to "the Abode of Tigers", so it is also known as the Tiger Fort. The Fort was constructed mainly in 1734, however further additions were made by the succeeding rulers in the 19th century. According to a legend, the Fort was named after a prince, whose spirit used to haunt the construction site. A tantrik was called and the ghost agreed to leave the fort only if the fort was named after him. The Fort was used as a picnic spot for the members of the Royal family.
Sawai Madhopur is a city and a municipality in Sawai Madhopur District in the Indian state of Rajasthan. In 2001 Sawai Madhopur had a population of 97,491. It is home to the Ranthambore National Park and the historic Ranthambore fortress, which lies within the national park. Sawai Madhopur was built as a planned city by Maharaja Sawai Madho Singh I of Jaipur (1750-1768), who named the township after himself.
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