It's a myth that you need people to move around. The trip can also be perfect with YOU being with YOURSELF alone. Yes, I am talking about Solo trips. Most people feel that to travel, you need a group and they hold themselves back as someone or the other ditch them at the very last moment :D. Some people just have the fear of traveling alone that is where I belonged. So as I was bored with the routine I decided to take some time off from the work and try something new. I took a Solo trip to Jaipur, the Pink city and the Capital of Rajasthan, INDIA.
This might sound crazy but I visited the city without planning anything in-depth like the place I am going to stay, the places I am going to visit, etc. All I had done was broad research of the places that were worth visiting in Jaipur. I reached Jaipur at night booked a room in a hostel and inquired about the first place I was going to visit the other day,
The Amber Fort-
"The Amber Fort" or commonly known as "Amer ka Killa" in Jaipur. Most people I met said I need to book a Cab and take a tour of the city. But for some reason, I didn't like the idea and I felt I should try and explore the city by myself.
The next day I started my day with a good breakfast of "Kanda Kachori with Kaddi" which is a popular breakfast snack in Jaipur. Enquired in a few small shops on the way and one of them suggested that I can take a bus to the Amer Fort. Meanwhile, I was browsing Google Maps and found an incredible option, "Ola Bike". I never tried it before but it turned out to be fantastic although I won't recommend it personally as I didn't find it safe.
I reached the Amber fort around 10 am. Although it was 10 am but it felt like it was already noon. I would you recommend you to carry a Goggle and Cap (Hat is a better option). The actual fort tour starts from the "Jaleb Chowk" Courtyard. There are multiple options to reach the Jaleb Chowk. If you have booked a Cab you can drive it all the way up, or you can take an Elephant ride which is fun, or you can take a walk to the top. But Elephant ride is the best of all the Option.
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| The Amber Fort ("Amer ka Killa") |
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| The Elephant ride |
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| Jaleb Chowk |
Once you reach the Jaleb Chowk take a ticket from the ticket counter and make sure that you don't lose it as you need it at the exit as well. Easy to miss, to the right are some small steps leading to "Shila Devi temple". Head inside the fort by taking the stairs in the Jaleb Chowk and you will reach the "Divan-E-Aam"(Hall of Public Audience) Courtyard which has a lot of pillars. The main attraction here is the "Ganesh Pol". You will marvel at its beauty. It's mesmerizing to watch the designs.
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| Ganesh Pol |
The Ganesh Pol will lead you to the "Diwan-E-Khas" Courtyard (Hall of Private Audiences) also known as the "Sheesh Mahal" (House of mirrors) which consist of intricate mirror work. You can take the stairs and reach the upper floor of the Sheesh Mahal. Here you will get an incredible view of the city. Also, there is a perforated window which gives a nice view of the Diwan-E-Aam courtyard.
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| Sheesh Mahal |
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| The City View from the Amber Fort |
The opposite side of the Diwan-E-Khas is the "Sukh Nivas" which is separated by a small garden. The Sukh Nivas was the place where the King relaxed with his ladies. The Sukh Nivas was so designed that the entire place remained cool during the summers.
The last courtyard and the Man-Singh Palace lies at the rear of the fort and the exit leads to the Amber City. It's the oldest part of the fort with many rooms for the queens. The center consists of a pavilion for the queens to meet. The Man-Singh palace is like a maze and you might find yourself lost at times.
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| The Man-Singh Palace |
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| Pavillion for the Queens to meet |
Unfortunately, The King's bedroom (near the Sheesh Mahal) remains closed. However, you can sometimes buy a separate ticket (from inside the area where it's located) to see it. Its marvelous ceiling is covered in small mirrors that give the impression of a starry night when a candle is lit.
The is a small passage that leads to the Jaigarh fort ( around 1 km. of the walkway).
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| The Jaigarh Fort |
At the exit of the fort, you can opt to see an art gallery which has a lot of different forms of arts along with some old artifacts.
↪Some Small Tips for the Tour of The Amber Fort-
- You can take a bus, taxi or rickshaw to reach the fort. The bus is the cheapest option.
- The Fort opens at 8am and closes at 5.30 pm in the morning. However, the fort reopens, evocatively illuminated, from 6:30 until 9:15 p.m. although most part of the fort remains restricted during the night it's still worth visiting.
- The ticket costs Rs. 100 for Indian Tourist, Rs. 500 for foreign tourist and Rs. 10 for Students (Students need to show their college ID card). Children under the age of seven are free.
- There is a popular sound and light show showcases the history of Amber Fort using many special effects near the Maota Lake. The shows are in English and Hindi. The timings vary according to the time of year as follows:
- October to February (tourist season): English 6:30 p.m. and Hindi 7:30 p.m.
- March to April (summer): English 7 p.m. and Hindi 8 p.m.
- May to September (monsoon): English 7:30 p.m. and Hindi 8:30 p.m
- Elephant rides are available from 8 a.m to 11.30 a.m and it costs around Rs. 1,100 per ride.
The Jaigarh Fort
Next, I headed to the Jaigarh fort. You can reach Jaigarh fort either by taking a cab and taking the road or by taking a 1 km climb straight from the Amber fort. I would suggest taking a climb as it will give you a good view of the amber fort as you climb.
I, unfortunately, couldn't see the entire fort as the fort was closed down for a movie shooting. I was fortunate enough to see the biggest cannon of the world (Although the fact says Germans have the biggest cannon and the one placed at the Jaigarh fort comes later). Also, there is a small museum just outside the fort where you can see the different war outfits and the weapons developed from one king to the other.
