After our visit to the Jantar Mantar Observatory, we headed over to the Jaipur City Palace. It was constructed in the early 18th century by Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II, who also built the observatory. It was used for ceremonies and was also the administrative seat of the Maharaja of Jaipur. The Palace was also used for 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.
We entered through the Peacock Gate, which leads to the Mubarak Mahal courtyard, and the entrance was flanked by these elephant statues. The details in the columns are amazing.
We visited the Mubarak Mahal first, but we were not allowed to take pictures inside. The first floor of the museum displayed many of the textiles worn by the royal family.
Inside the courtyard was a pavilion that housed the famous Gangajalis (Ganges-water urns). They are two urns made of silver; each is 5.2 feet tall and weighs 750lbs. One of the other items the palace is known for is the displays of long rifles.
There were also beautiful displays of peacock paintings throughout. The inner courtyard had four entrances , each representing one of the four seasons and a diety. The Peacock door represents Autumn and is dedicated to Lord Vishnu.
We loved the bright colors of the guard uniforms.
