The City Palace, Jaipur was established at the same time as the city of
Jaipur, by Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II, who moved his court to Jaipur from
Amber, in 1727.
Jaipur is the present-day capital of the state of Rajasthan, and until 1949
the City Palace was the ceremonial and administrative seat of the Maharaja of
Jaipur. The Palace was also the location of religious and cultural events, as
well as a patron of arts, commerce, and industry.
It now houses the Maharaja Sawai Man Singh II Museum, and continues to be the
home of the Jaipur royal family. The royal family has around 500 personal
servants. The palace complex has several buildings, various courtyards,
galleries, restaurants, and offices of the Museum Trust. The MSMS II Museum
Trust is headed by chairperson Rajamata Padmini Devi of Jaipur (from Sirmour
in Himachal Pradesh).
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Entering the City Palace.
Entrance to the City Palace is from the east.
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Mubarak Mahal.
The Mubarak Mahal courtyard at the City Palace was fully developed as
late as 1900, when the court architect of the time, Lala Chiman Lal,
constructed the Mubarak Mahal in its centre.
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Chiman Lal, had worked with Samuel Swinton Jacob, the State's
executive engineer, and also built the Rajendra Pol around the same
time as the Mubarak Mahal, complementing it in style.
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The facade of the Mubarak Mahal has a hanging balcony and is identical
on all four sides, the intricate carving in white (andhi marble) and
beige stone giving it the illusion of delicate decoupage.
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The Mubarak Mahal was built for receiving foreign guests but it now
houses the museum offices and a library on the first floor and the
museum's Textile Gallery on the ground floor.
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Rajendra Gate (Rajendra Pol).
The beautifully carved Rajendra Gate was built in the 1900s to connect
Mubarak Mahal with the Sarvato Bhadra courtyard of the City Palace.
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On both sides of this imposing gateway are delicate arches with
intricate carvings and dados with pietra dura (inlay
work with precious and semi-precious stones).
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The sculpted pair of monolithic elephants was added after 1931, to
commemorate the birth of H.H. Maharaja Sawai Bhawani Singh MVC of
Jaipur, the first son born to a ruling maharaja since the birth of
Sawai Ram Singh II, a hundred years before.
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Riddhi Siddhi Gate (left) and Diwan-i-Khas (right).
Modeled on the lines of a Mughal hall of audience, the Diwan-e-Aam, the
Sabha Niwas, is a hall of the public audience.
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It has multiple cusped arches supported by marble columns and a
beautifully painted plaster ceiling.
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The jalis on the southern end of the hall would have been used
by women to oversee the proceedings in the hall, and facilitated their
involvement in the outside world, while following the purdah.
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Peacock Gate.
The Northeast Peacock Gate, with motifs of peacocks on the doorway
representing autumn, is dedicated to Lord Vishnu.
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View of the Chandra Mahal from the Pritam Niwas courtyard.
Chandra Mahal is one of the oldest buildings in the City Palace complex.
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It has seven floors, a number considered auspicious by Rajput rulers.
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The first two floors consist of the Sukh Niwas (the house of
pleasure), followed by the Shobha Niwas with coloured glasswork, then
Chhavi Niwas with its blue and white decorations.
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The last two floors are the Shri Niwas, and Mukut Mandir which is
literally the crowning pavilion of this palace. The Mukut Mandir, with
a bangaldar roof, has the royal standard of Jaipur hoisted at all
times, as well as a quarter flag (underscoring the Sawai in the title)
when the Maharaja is in residence.
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Jaleb Chowk Gate.
Leaving the City Palace through Jaleb Chowk Gate.
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See also
Source
Location
