Surrounded by
the Aravali range covered in scrub and trees, this massive fort has been
built over many years across the 15th and 16th century, a bastion
complete with pavilions and palaces looking down on the city of Jaipur.
It gives a bird's eye view of the entire city. It was the capital of the
Kachhwaha rulers for 700 years, till Jaipur was built. Constructed by
three successive rulers Raja Man Singh, Mirza Raja Jai Singh and Sawai
Jai Singh, it took full two centuries to build, much of it in the 1500s.
The fort rises above the waters of the Maotha Lake. The Kesar Kyari
(saffron garden) lies in the centre of this lake. This fort was a
pleasure-palace, a centre of administration and a military stronghold.
Across
the entire fort there are fountains, waterways, gardens and courtyards.
The ramparts actually go through the mountains for miles. The fort has
narrow passages, staircases, ramps and high walls that cannot be easily
scaled and windows at the highest levels.
The interiors also have small corridors just two feet wide at a slant,
leading from one room to the next – kitchen, puja room, weapons
room, queen’s chambers covered in jails from where they could watch
the proceedings of the court etc. The guide gave us quite a spool as to
how the raja built the chambers of his concubines in such a way that the
queen would never know which one he was visiting. So the queen could
never be jealous.
The fort is entered through the 'Dil-e-Aaram'
Garden, laid out in the traditional Mughal style. An imposing flight of
stairs leads to the 'Diwan-E-Am' (hall of public audience) which has
latticed galleries and double row of columns each having a capital in
the shape of elephants on the top. To the right are steps that lead to
the small Kali Temple. Maharaja Man Singh was a great devotee of Goddess
Kali and prayed to the goddess for victory during battles. The temple
has huge doors made of silver. The larger white marble Shila Mata
temple, has the image of Goddess Kali, brought by Raja Man Singh from
Jessore in East Bengal (now Bangladesh).
Amber fort and palace
is a 10-minute steep climb through Jai pol (Gate of Victory), 11 km from
Jaipur on the Delhi-Jaipur road. Facilities available for an elephant
back ride or a jeep ride up to Amber fort.
high
on a barren ridge, it commands extensive views over a deep narrow
valley and the wider plains beyond.
