City Palace-Udaipur, Rajasthan

 Udaipur City Palace is one of the architectural marvels of Rajasthan, located peacefully on the banks of Lake Pichola. This majestic City Palace is the most-visited tourist attraction of Udaipur and often distinguished as the largest palace complex in Rajasthan. Initially, Maharana Udai Singh built this superb wonder, but the present form of the Palace is the result of subsequent additions by his successors. 

City Palace boasts of the wonderful blend of Medieval, European and Chinese Architecture. The Palace has various towers, domes and arches, which add to the flavor of heritage site. Towering on the banks of Pichola Lake, City Palace is truly a feast to the eyes. City Palace is a marvelous assortment of courtyards, pavilions, terraces, corridors, rooms and hanging gardens. Encircled by fortifications, this imposing Palace is wholly built in granite and marble.

City Palace has several gates that are known as "Pols". 'Bara Pol' (Great Gate) is the main gate to the City Palace complex that will take you to the first courtyard. On passing 'Bara Pol', you will come across a triple arched gate, which is known as 'Tripolia'. Between these two gates, you would see eight marble arches or Toranas, where Kings used to weigh themselves with gold and silver. Besides Tripolia, there is an arena where elephant fights were staged. Across 'Tripolia', you would enter the 'Elephant Gate' or the 'Hathi Pol'.

City Palace comprises 11 wonderful palaces, which were built by different rulers still they resemble each other. With the sheer glimpse of unique paintings, antique furniture and exquisite glass mirror & ornamental tiles work of these palaces, you will get amazed. Manak Mahal (Ruby Palace) has figures of crystal and porcelain. However, Bhim Vilas flaunts a fabulous collection of miniature paintings depicting the real life stories of Radha-Krishna. 

The 'Krishna Vilas' is known for the noteworthy album of miniature paintings portraying royal processions, festivals and games of the Maharanas. Moti Mahal (Pearl Palace) is celebrated for its lavish decor while Sheesh Mahal (Palace of mirrors) is known for its breathtaking mirror work. 'Chini Chitrashala' is renowned for its Chinese and Dutch ornamental tiles. 'Dilkusha Mahal' (Palace of Joy) is known for the murals and wall paintings. 

Bada Mahal is the exotic garden palace that stands erect on a 90 feet high natural rock formation. Rang Bhawan is the palace that used to contain royal treasure. There are temples of Lord Krishna, Meera Bai and Shiva, located right to the 'Rang Bhawan'. 'Mor Chowk' has exceptional glass mosaics of peacocks, set in the walls presenting the three seasons of summer, winter and monsoon. 'Laxmi Vilas Chowk' is an art gallery with a distinctive collection of Mewar paintings.

Situated in the premises of City Place complex, Jagdish Temple is the biggest and most beautiful temple of Udaipur. This temple Appeals to the aesthetic sense of the people and we will further discuss it in our other section. You can also trace a Shrine of Dhuni Mata in the complex of City Palace. This part is considered as the oldest part of the Palace where a sage passed his life meditating here. 

In 1974, a part of the City Palace and the 'Zenana Mahal' (Ladies Chamber) have been transformed into a museum. The museum is open for public and we have discussed it in our other section about museums. One can locate some striking paintings in the 'Zenana Mahal' which further leads to Lakshmi Chowk. 'Lakshmi Chowk' is a beautiful white pavilion. In City palace, the most captivating sight can be viewed from the towers and terraces of 'Amar Vilas' from where you can get a breathtaking view of Lake Pichola.
                 
'Amar Vilas' is the highest point of this Palace and has wonderful hanging gardens with fountains, towers and terraces. City Palace is structured in a way that it offers a splendid view of the lake from all its Balconies, cupolas and towers. Unlike the craggy exterior, City Palace has amazing interiors with delicate mirror-work, marble work, murals, wall paintings, silver work, inlay work and surplus of colored glass. The exquisite work of City Palace cannot be bounded in words, so one must visit this palace to capture the real picture of it.

City Palace- Jaipur, Rajasthan

City Palace, Jaipur

Located in the heart of the Pink City Jaipur, the City Palace was where the Maharaja reigned from. This palace also includes the famous 'Chandra Mahal' and 'Mubarak Mahal', and other buildings which form a part of the palace complex. The palace is located towards the northeast side of central Jaipur and has many courtyards and buildings. The palace was built between 1729 and 1732 AD by Sawai Jai Singh II. He ruled in Amer and planned and built the outer walls of the palace and later rulers added to the architecture of this palace. These additions have been known to take place right up to the 20th century. The urban layout of the city of Jaipur was commissioned to Vidyadhar Bhattacharya and Sir Samuel Swinton Jacob. The architectural styles are largely based on a fusion of Rajput, Mughal and European styles. Today, the 'Chandra Mahal' has been turned into a museum which is home to unique handcrafted products, various uniforms of the rulers and many more things pertaining to the royal heritage of the City Palace.

History Of City Palace
Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II is known to have commissioned work for building the outer wall of the city's complex. He shifted from Amer to Jaipur due to water problems and an increase in population in 1727. He had entrusted the city's architectural design to the chief architect Vidyadhar Bhattacharya. The architect went on to design the City Palace in accordance with the Vaastushastra texts.

Architectural Layout
The City Palace reflects Rajput, Mughal and European architectural styles although the palace was designed to Vaastushastra treatise. Some of the famous gates are the 'Udai Pol', 'Jaleb Chowk', 'Tripolia Gate' and 'Virendra Pol', which also happen to be the various entrances to the palace. These are all richly decorated. The Palace has been designed according to a 'grid style' and houses various structures such as, 'Chandra Mahal', 'Mubarak Mahal', 'Diwan-I-Khas' and the 'Govind Dev Ji Temple. The walls and gates are ornately designed to Mughal style, with various murals, lattice and mirrors adorning them from sides.

Amber Fort- Rajasthan

Amber Fort is located in Amer (a town with an area of 4 square kilometres (1.5 sq mi)), 11 kilometres (6.8 mi) from Jaipur, Rajasthan state, India. It is one of the principal tourist attractions in the Jaipur area, located high on a hill. Anber Fort Was Built By  Raja Man Singh I.Amber Fort is known for its artistic style, blending both Hindu and Rajput elements. With its large ramparts, series of gates and cobbled paths, the fort overlooks the Maota Lake, at its forefront.

The Amber Fort was built by ‘Raja Shri Maan Singh JI Saheb’ (Maan Singh I) (December 21, 1550 – July 6, 1614) in 16th century. Man Singh, one of the first war chiefs or the trusted general of the Emperor Akbar. Akbar included him among the ‘Navaratnas’, or the 9 (nava) gems (ratna) of the royal court. Man Singh began the construction of a fortress-palace of white and red sandstone i.e. Amber Fort in 1592. He was the Kacchwaha (Rajput) of King of Amber, a state later known as Jaipur. Nearby he ordered to set a small temple devoted to ‘Sheela Mata’, his patron goddess.

Entry Fee (In Indian Rupees):

• Indian : Rs. 25.00  Student : 10
• Foreigner : Rs. 200.00  Student : 100

Light Shows Timing (Onwords)

• In English : 7.30 pm
  Entry Fee : Rs. 200.00
• In Hindi : 8:00 PM
  Entry Fee : Rs. 100.00
  
  
  
  

Hauz Khas Complex- Delhi

Hauz Khas in Delhi is an important site that unravels a part of Emperor Ala-ud-din Khilji’s reign from his capital - Siri Fort. This site also holds forth the days of ruin that ravished the grandeur of Khilji’s reign after his death. Hauz-I-Alai is considered to be the only structure of Siri, which has survived the thwarts of ravishing time.
Hauz Khas in Delhi says that this tank was built by Ala-ud-din Khilji in 1300 to ensure continuous supply of water to Siri Fort. Initially, this tank located on the eastern side of Siri, preserved rainwater, which could be later disbursed throughout the year. With gradual passage of time, this tank dried up and Firoz Shah Tughlaq much later mended it. He also constructed various other monuments around the tank. Along with all these monuments, the site of the tank came to be known as Hauz Khas (royal tank).
If you visit this place now, you will be pleased to see that a cosmopolitan town has grown around the site, which has both residential and commercial hubs. I fact, Hauz Khas in Delhi, is now popular as a shopping center because a number of boutiques of famous fashion designers, antique and curio stores have been opened up in this area. Thus after visiting Hauz-I-Alai, you can also visit Hauz Khas Enclave, Kalkaji Temple, Lotus Temple, Nizamuddin's Shrine and Chirag Dehlvi's Dargah.

Firoz Shah Tughlaq’s tomb forms the centre of the complex, though. A liberal ruler, he is credited with a voluminous amount of architectural development during his 4-decade rule. The centre hall housing the dome is based on squinches to support the structure. Local quartzite was used for the floors & walls, giving a plaster finish for the shine. Hauz Khas is Delhi has a prominent location. It is located on Aurobindo Marg just a little beyond Aurobindo Palace.

Nizamuddin Dargah-Delhi

Nizamuddin Dargah is the holy shrine of Hazrat Nizamuddin Auliya  who is counted among the world’s most renowned Sufi saints.It is located in the Nizamuddin West area of Delhi. 
This dargah is  among the popular attractions of Delhi. It is visited by thousands of Muslims, Hindus, Christians and people from other religions daily.The tombs of poet Amir Khusro and Mughal princess Jehan Ara Begum are also located within the Nizamuddin Dargah complex, and Inayat Khan's tomb is just around the corner.Thousands of people belonging to different religions, ethnicities and culture flock every day to seek blessings and offer homage at the ancient shrine of Nizamuddin Aulia.

The other important monuments in the Nizamuddin heritage area includes the Jama’at- Khana Masjid, Chini Ka Burj, Mirza Ghalib’s Tomb, Kalan-Masjid, Khan-I-Jahan Tilangani’s Tomb, Ataga Khan’s Tomb, Chaunsath Khamba, Lal-Mahal, Khan-I-Khanan’s Tomb and Barapula.The structure consists of a square chamber surrounded by verandahs, which are pierced by arched openings.Hazrat Nizamuddin's tomb has lattice screens called jalis, marble arches and courtyards. Devotees tie red threads to screens.Devotees offer prayers, shower rose petals and light incense sticks before the shrines.The dargah can be visited any day but every Thursday, special Qawwali programmes are organised here and it is adorned with beautiful lights.Many Islamic festivals are celebrated here including Urs and the death anniversary of the Sufi saint, Nizamuddin Auliya and Amir Khusro .Syed Muhammad Nizamuddin Auliya was a Sufi saint of the Chisti order in the Indian subcontinent. He stressed love as a means of realising God. For him love of God, implied love of humanity.

Agrasen ki Baoli -Delhi

Designated as protected monument by Archeological Survey of India, Agrasen ki Baoli in Connaught Place is a 60 meter long and 15 meter wide historical step well on Hailey Road near Connaught Place. To get it there you have can reach Jantar Mantar (at Connaught Place) and from there it’s short walk from there towards Kasturba Gandhi Marg. Agrasen ki Baoli is a 14th Century Structure nested between the multi-storey buildings in Connaught Place. It is believed that this Baoli was originally built by the legendary king Agrasen during the Mahabharat epic era. Baoli is a Hindi word and it means a step well. Agrasen ki Baoli is being made to provide constant water supply to the city and a resting place for the travellers. 

Agrasen ki Baoli is also a water reservoir that is known for its heritage value. The shape of Agrasen ki baoli is very interesting. The reason for this is its unique structure which is quite different from the traditional round shape. The Agar Sain ki baoli has three levels where each level has an arched area, which was used as a resting place. The center of the well has water and the water is also linked to a well dug in a covered platform. The gallery and chambers surrounded walls of Agarsen ki baoli are carved profusely. These chambers used to become cool, quiet retreats during summers. Such structures definitely are among the many things that tourists would like to admire if for nothing but the novelty of the concept. The visiting hours for the Agarsen ki Baoli is between 9 AM and 5 PM.

Humayun's tomb-Delhi

Humayun’s Tomb is one of the most beautiful monuments in Delhi but you don’t see it as often as you see India gate or Qutub Minar. It is located right in the heart of the city but the spacious compound surrounding the monument hid it away from the glare of public eyes. Sandwiched between Yamuna River and Nizamuddin Dargah, Humayun’s Tomb was the first garden tomb on the Indian Subcontinent. It is the Tomb of Mughal Emperor Humayun and it was commissioned by his wife Hamida Banu Begum in 1562 AD.

I've no difficulty admitting that it is one of the most beautiful Tombs, only next to Taj Mahal. Designed by Mirak Mirza Ghiyath a Persian architect and built by Indian and Persian workers, this monument is one of the first to employ Persian architecture and also the first to use Red sand stone and White marble in such a huge quantity. In 1993 it was declared a UNESCO World heritage Site.

The garden tomb is some hundredmeters walk from the main road. The place is quite spacious and refreshing. The place is undergoing lots of renovations right from the outer gate to the main tomb. An outer gate and an inner gate surround the main tomb. Near the outer gate which is also known as the Bu Halima, there’s another gate known as the Arab Serai Gate. It is a 14 m high structure which led to the walled enclosure which hosted the Persian Craftsmen who came to work on Humayun’s Tomb. The main entrance or the inner Gate is also known as West Gate. It is a 16 m high structure with rooms on each side of the passage. Now it housed the museum.

This red and white building is an example of Persian influence on Indian architecture. Humayun was the first to be buried in the Tomb when he died in 1556 but the tomb has now within it over 100 graves, earning the name, ‘Dormitory of The Mughals’. Steep steps lead up to the Sanctum of the tomb. The Central chamber looks quite plain now but it was remarkably decorated in the past. William Finch an English Merchant who visited it in 1611 unforgettably describes the presence of expensive carpets, and other rich items including Humayun’s sword, turban and shoes.

The 13 acres land surrounding the tomb became difficult to maintain when the Mughals shifted the capital to Agra. Things got worsened when the British captured Bahadur Shah II in 1857. They replaced the original garden with British like garden. Archaeological Survey of India has tried to restore it to the glorious past. The vast open spaces and cool shades surrounding the tomb are a treat for city dwellers.

Though the monument we see now is only a shadow of the glorious past, the red Sandstone tomb sparks when the golden evening sun shines over it. The magic of that moment makes everything new again.

Gurudwara Bangla Sahib-Delhi

An ideal consummation of Sikh values bequeathing the human race with a beacon of hope for a better future, Gurudwara Bangla Sahib located in New Delhi is one of the most prominent Sikh Gurdwara. Gurudwara Bangla Sahib holds a special meaning in the heart of thousands of devotes who visit the premises with a belief to get closer to a complacent lifestyle.

Originally a bungalow of Raja Jai Singh, an Indian ruler, Gurudwara Bangla Sahib came into existence in 1783 as a symbol of benignant of Guru Har Krishan Sahib Ji, eighth guru of Sikhs, who served the downtrodden during the epidemic of 1664.

Gurudwara Bangla Sahib is situated in the Delhi City. Built in the sacred visit of SHRI GURU HARKARISHAN JI to Delhi. At the request of Mughal King Aurangzeb and through the persuasion of Mirza Raja Jai Singh of Amber, GURU SAHIB agreed to come to Delhi. Raja Jai Singh invited GURU SAHIB to the present site which originally belonged to Raja Jai Singh. Raja's wife thought of testing the spiritual powers of the GURU SAHIB and disguised herself as maid servant and sat among the attendants. GURU SAHIB at the age of 8 years identified the RANI and sat in her lap. Thus convincing her of the the spiritual powers of GURU NANAK and his True Disciples. In those days small pox was raging in the city of Delhi on an epidemic form. The citizens of Delhi suffered grief and death As a result of clamity that had befallen there. GURU SAHIB out of love and compassion for suffering humanity dipped his holy feet in water and poured charan amrit into small chaubacha (tank). All those who took water from caubacha were cured from the disease. Thus the people of Delhi were saved from that epidemic. Devotees with faith and devotion come from far and near and get rid of suffering by taking a dip in the holy water. 

Deelhi Haat-Delhi

Dilli Haat is an open-air food plaza and cradia, and from a variety of cultural traditions of India. Unlike the traditional weekly market, the village Haat, Dilli Haat is permanent.

Lotus Temple-Delhi

The Lotus Temple, located in New Delhi, India, is a Bahá'í House of Worship completed in 1986. Notable for its flowerlike shape, it serves as the Mother Temple of the Indian subcontinent and has become a prominent attraction in the city.It is symbolic of the possibility of being spiritual and pure even in this materialistic world. The temple has a very large prayer hall where visitors of all faiths can meditate. The hall has no idols and no rituals and its daily public services include sections from the holy books of all religions. It is said about the Lotus Temple that "Architecturally, artistically, ethically, the edifice is a paragon of perfection" - a sentiment that is undoubtedly true.

Like all other Bahá'í Houses of Worship, the Lotus Temple is open to all, regardless of religion, or any other distinction, as emphasized in Bahá'í texts. The Bahá'í laws emphasize that the spirit of the House of Worship be that it is a gathering place where people of all religions may worship God without denominational restrictions. The Bahá'í laws also stipulate that only the holy scriptures of the Bahá'í Faith and other religions can be read or chanted inside in any language; while readings and prayers can be set to music by choirs, no musical instruments can be played inside. Furthermore no sermons can be delivered, and there can be no ritualistic ceremonies practiced

India Gate-Delhi

Straight down the road from Rashtrapati Bhavan is India Gate which is primarily a memorial to unknown soldiers. 
At the centre of New Delhi stands the 42 m high India Gate, an "Arc-de-Triomphe" like archway in the middle of a crossroad. Almost similar to its French counterpart, it commemorates the 70,000 Indian soldiers who lost their lives fighting for the British Army during the World War I. The memorial bears the names of more than 13,516 British and Indian soldiers killed in the Northwestern Frontier in the Afghan war of 1919.

The foundation stone of India Gate was laid by His Royal Highness, the Duke of Connaught in 1921 and it was designed by Edwin Lutyens. The monument was dedicated to the nation 10 years later by the then Viceroy, Lord Irwin. Another memorial, Amar Jawan Jyoti was added much later, after India got its independence. The eternal flame burns day and night under the arch to remind the nation of soldiers who laid down their lives in the Indo-Pakistan War of December 1971.

The entire arch stands on a low base of red Bharatpur stone and rises in stages to a huge moulding. The cornice is inscribed with the Imperial suns while both sides of the arch have INDIA, flanked by the dates MCMXIV (1914 left) and MCMXIX (1919 right). The shallow domed bowl at the top was intended to be filled with burning oil on anniversaries but this is rarely done.

During nightfall, India Gate is dramatically floodlit while the fountains nearby make a lovely display with coloured lights. India Gate stands at one end of Rajpath, and the area surrounding it is generally referred to as 'India Gate'.

Surrounding the imposing structure is a large expanse of lush green lawns, which is a popular picnic spot. One can see hoards of people moving about the brightly lit area and on the lawns on summer evenings

Purana Quila-Delhi

One does not have to go far to see the old fort or Purana Quila standing stoically amidst wild greenery.Built on the site of the most ancient of the numerous cities of Delhi, Indraprastha, Purana Quila is roughly rectangular in shape having a circuit of nearly two kilometers.

The thick ramparts crowned by merlons have three gateways provided with bastions on either side. It was surrounded by a wide moat, connected to river Yamuna, which used to flow on the east of the fort. The northern gate way, called the Talaqui darwaza or the forbidden gateway, combines the typically Islamic pointed arch with Hindu Chhatris and brackets; whereas the southern gateway called the

Humayun Darwaza also had a similar plan.

The massive gateway and walls of Purana Quila were built by Humayun and the foundation laid for the new capital, Dinpanah.

The work was carried forward by Sher Shah Suri,who displaced Humayun, Purana Quila is the venue for the spectacular sound and light show held every evening.

Jantar Mantar-Delhi

antar Mantar (Yantra - instruments, mantra - formulae) was constrcted in 1724. Maharaja Jai Singh of Jaipur who built this observatory went on to build other observatories in Ujjain , Varanasi and Mathura. Jai Singh had found the existing astronomical instruments too small to take correct measurements and so he built these larger and more accurate instruments.

The instruments at Jantar Mantar are fascinating for their ingenuity, but

accurate observations can no longer be made from here because of the tall buildings around.

Qutab Minar-Delhi

Qutab Minar is a soaring, 73 m-high tower of victory, built in 1193 by Qutab-ud-din Aibak immediately after the defeat of Delhi's last Hindu kingdom. The tower has five distinct storeys, each marked by a projecting balcony and tapers from a 15 m diameter at the base to just 2.5 m at the top. The first three storeys are made of red sandstone; the fourth and fifth storeys are of marble and sandstone. At the foot of the tower is the Quwwat-ul-Islam Mosque, the first mosque to be built in India. An inscription over its eastern gate provocatively informs that it was built with material obtained from demolishing '27 Hindu temples'. A 7 m-high iron pillar stands in the courtyard of the mosque. It is said that if you can encircle it with your hands while standing with your back to it your wish will be fulfilled.

The origins of Qutab Minar are shrouded in controversy. Some believe it was erected as a tower of victory to signify the beginning of the Muslim rule in India. Others say it served as a minaret to the muezzins to call the faithful to prayer.

No one can, however, dispute that the tower is not only one of the finest monuments in India, but also in the world.Qutab-ud-din Aibak, the first Muslim ruler of Delhi, commenced the construction of the Qutab Minar in 1200 AD, but could only finish the basement. His successor, Iltutmush, added three more storeys, and in 1368, Firoz Shah Tughlak constructed the fifth and the last storey.

The development of architectural styles from Aibak to Tughlak is quite evident in the minar. The relief work and even the materials used for construction differ. The 238 feet Qutab Minar is 47 feet at the base and tapers to nine feet at the apex. The tower is ornamented by bands of inscriptions and by four projecting balconies supported by elaborately decorated brackets. Even though in ruins, the Quwwat Ui Islam (Light of Islam) Mosque in the Qutab complex is one of the most magnificent structures in the world. Qutab-ud-din Aibak started its construction in 1193 and the mosque was completed in 1197.

Iltutmush in 1230 and Alla-ud-din Khilji in 1315 made additions to the building. The main mosque comprises of an inner and outer courtyard,decorated with shafts and surrounded by piller. Most of these shafts are from the 27 Hindu temples, which were plundered to construct the mosque. It is, therefore, not surprising that the Muslim mosque has typical Hindu ornamentation. Close to the mosque is one of Delhi's most curious antiques, the Iron Pillar.

Red Fort Delhi

On Independence Day (15 August), the Prime Minister of India hoists the 'tricolor' national flag at the main gate of the fort and delivers a nationally-broadcast speech from its ramparts.

The Red Fort was the residence of the Mughal emperor of India for nearly 200 years, until 1857. It is located in the centre of Delhi and houses a number of museums.