World’s Largest Cannon !

Located at the Jaigarh fort in Jaipur, Rajasthan, the Jaivana is the world’s biggest wheeled cannon ever constructed !

Some key features about this huge cannon are listed below:

a) It was cast in 1720, during the reign of Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II of Jaipur.

b) The length of the barrel of the cannon is 20 feet, 2 inches and it weighs 50 tons. It rests on a 7.3 m long shaft.

c) It rests on a high 4 wheeled carriage. The front wheels are 2.74 metres in diameter and the rear wheels are 1.37 metres in diameter.

d) About 100 kilograms (a quintal) of gun powder fired a shot ball weighing 50 kg.

It has never been used in any battle, but was reportedly test fired, once in 1720, which resulted is massive damage. It is also said, that it took four elephants to swivel it around on its axis.

It is indeed a great feat to produce such a massive cannon and to place it right on top of a hill !

Jaigarh Fort – Jaipur

Our next stop was Jaigarh fort, which means the Fort of Victory, and is located 12 kilometres away from Jaipur. This colossal fort is the best of the three forts overlooking the city (the other two being the Amber and the Nahargarh forts) It is built atop a hill by Maharaja Jai Singh in 1726 A.D. While the Amber fort is situated at the bottom of the hill. Both the forts are well connected through guarded passages.

Nestled amidst rock-strewn, thorny scrub-covered hills, this rugged fort, was a center of artillery production for the Rajputs. The highlight of the fort is the Jaivana, which is the world’s largest cannon on wheels! There is a vast collection of cannons in this fort. This fort also served as the royal treasury for a number of years. A huge moat surrounds the fort, too !


A striking museum is present in its premises,with an extraordinary collection of armoury used during the bygone era including swords, shield, guns, cannon balls etc.

Another interesting feature is, the water channels built inside the fort – part of rainwater harvesting system ! There are a total of 3 underground tanks in the fort and the largest of them had the capacity to store 60,00,000 gallons of water. A 5 kilometre long canal can be seen entering the fort complex to bring in water from the high hills and store in the fort . A huge water tank is centrally located connecting the canal.
Truly, a planning and engineering feat !

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Central Museum of Jaipur

Located amidst the gardens of Ram Niwas Bagh, it is also known as Albert Hall museum. Supposed to be the oldest museum of Jaipur, it was designed by Colonel Swinton Jacob in 1876 to greet King Edward VII (Prince of Wales) on his visit to India. It houses the various treasures of the rich bygone era !


Unfortunately, when we reached this museum, we learnt that it was closed for renovation . But we did get a chance to take a quick look at it from outside.
This museum has been modeled on the Victoria and Albert Museum in London and has many pillars, courtyards and arches that give it a very traditional yet elegant look.
One of the unique feature of the marble pillars of this museum was that different types of leaves have been depicted on each of the pillars, which is very interesting!

Museum visiting hours: 10.30 am – 4.30 pm


We wander for distraction, but we travel for fulfillment. - Hilaire Belloc

Laxmi Narayan Temple – Jaipur

We started the Jaipur City tour, by first visiting, the famous Laxmi Narayan temple, or Birla temple. It was built in 1988, by the Birla Group of Industries, one of the business tycoons of India. Situated just below the Moti Doongri hill, in the southern part of Jaipur, one can get a beautiful view of the Moti Dongri fort, which was built like a Scottish castle, from this place.

Constructed of pure white marble and surrounded by lush green gardens, this temple is dedicated to Lord Narayan (Vishnu), the preserver and his consort, Lakshmi devi, the Goddess of Wealth.

The temple has attractive stained glass windows depicting scenes from the Hindu mythology and rich carvings in pure white marble. It also portrays great historical achievers, philosophers and religious saints such as Socrates, Zarathustra, Christ, Buddha, and Confucius.

The three huge domes of the temple represent the different approaches to religion.
One can reach this lovely temple, easily from the city, by taking the local bus, rickshaw or taxi.

When walking barefoot * inside the temple, the coolness of the marble surface felt, under my feet, evoked a feeling of deep peace, satisfaction and gratitude towards life !


*one has to walk in, barefoot, whilst entering any of the temples in India, as a sign of respect to the deities in the temple. This also contributes significantly towards maintaining the cleanliness of the temple too!

Yantra Madir - Jantar Mantar

A quick guide to the specific use of the curious instruments in Yantra Mandir (as depicted at Jantar Mantar, Jaipur, Rajathan):

The Ram Yantra can measure the local coordinates of altitude and azimuth of celestial objects.

Jai Prakash Yantra is used to find the positions of the celestial bodies during day and night..

The Dhruva Yantra is used to locate the position of 12 Zodiac signs and also the Pole Star at night.

The Narivalya Yantra is a distinctive sundial with two dials - the first dial facing south reads time when the sun is in the southern hemisphere, i.e., from 21 September to 21 March and the other one facing north reads time for the rest of the year when the sun is in the northern hemisphere, i.e., from 21 March to 21 September.

The Krantivrtta is an instrument that is meant to measure the celestial latitude and celestial longitude of an object in the sky. It is also used for measuring solar sign of the Sun in day time.

The Yantra Raj is an adaptation of an Astrolabe - a Medieval instrument for the measurement of time and the position of celestial objects.
The instrument is used for measuring ascendants, altitude, time and the position of the Sun and that of some other celestial objects in the sky. It can also be used in the computation of celestial positions and their changes. The instrument also measures time from the positions of stars in the night, and that of the Sun in the day.

Unnatamsa for measuring altitude - the angular height of an object in the sky.

Chakra yantra gives the angle of an object from the equator.

Disha yantra or the compass always points to the north.

Dakshinottra Bhitti measures the altitude of the angular height of a celestial object when it crosses the meridian.

Laghu Samrat Yantra is a sundial that can give the time to an accuracy of 20 seconds.

Rashivalayas Yantra has 12 sundials for the signs of the zodiac.

Note: The traditional unit of measurement started with the smallest unit being 'human breath' that has been calculated to be of 6 seconds duration.


These structures remind us of the role of light and time in our everyday life !

Largest Sundial in the World !

A sundial is a device that measures time by the position of the Sun.

Standing 27 metres (90 feet) tall and with a base length of 147 feet, the Vrihat Samrat Yantra (The Large Supreme Instrument) is the world’s largest sundial !

It is housed in Jantar Mantar ( literally means 'calculation instrument') in Jaipur, in the state of Rajasthan.

It’s shadow moves visibly at 1 mm per second, or roughly a hand's breadth (6 cm) every minute,
It's face is angled at 27 degrees, the latitude of Jaipur. The Hindu chhatri (small cupola) on top is used as a platform for announcing eclipses and the arrival of monsoons.

Used for calculating the time of the day to the exact second using the position of the dial and the shadow it casts from the sun, it has an accuracy of about two seconds. If an astronomical observer knew the time it took a prominent star to transition the sky, they could even use the Yantra to tell the time at night.

Live the BIG Life !

Largest Stone Astronomical Observatory in the World !

Located across the road from the City Palace, Jantar Mantar, was our next destination in Jaipur.

It:
- Was built between 1727 and 1733.
- Is the largest stone astronomical observatory in the world !
- Has the biggest sundial in the world !
- Is one of the largest and the only working observatories of the five, built by Sawai Jai Singh II (the others were built in Delhi, Mathura, Benaras and Ujjain)
- Houses a large collection of around 20, huge masonry astronomical instruments, each with a specific astronomical use. The main reason to build these large stone structures on a grand scale was to enhance the accuracy of the measurements.
- Has been recently (in July 2010), added to the World Heritage list, by UNESCO, as a cultural site.
- According to UNESCO, the site "is the most significant, most comprehensive, and the best preserved of India's historic observatories."



As listed on the National Geographic site, the other astronomical site added to the World Heritage list is part of the monuments at "The Centre of Heaven and Earth"—a sacred mountain in China's Henan Province.
The site includes the Zhougong Sundial Platform and the Dengfeng Observatory, built about 700 years ago at the beginning of the Yuan Dynasty (A.D. 1271-1368) by astronomer Guo Shoujing.
Reference: http://blogs.nationalgeographic.com/

I admire our astronomers and masons of yesteryears who conceived and built these amazing masonary instruments used to study the movement of constellations and stars in the sky !

The City Palace of Jaipur

Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II, ruled Amber kingdom from 1699-1744. He shifted his capital from Amber to Jaipur in 1727 due an increase in population and increasing water shortage.
And initiated the construction of the City palace.

The City palace is situated in the heart of the old Jaipur City, and it occupies about one seventh of the area. This palace complex showcases the grandeur of the royal past. It houses a series of courtyards, gardens and structures, the most prominent ones are:

Diwan -E- Khas - or the 'Hall Of Private Audience'. After crossing the first square, one comes across this hall which was meant for private audience. The famous mammoth silver vessels are on display in this hall.

Diwan-I-Aam - was meant for public audience, at present, is an art gallery which showcases enthralling painted ceilings and rare ancient handwritten original manuscripts of Hindu scriptures.

Chandra Mahal - This seven storeyed palace, displays wonderful architecture with delicate paintings, floral decorations and mirror work on the walls. The topmost floor is known as Mukut Mahal. In the present day, this palace serves as the residence of ex-ruler. The complex contains an excellent museum of Maharaja Sawai Man Singh II and has an extensive collection of art, carpets, enamelware and old weapons.

Badal Mahal - stands opposite to Chandra Mahal.

Shri Govind Dev Temple - stands in the middle of the Chandra Mahal and the Badal Mahal.


Mubarak Mahal - built by Maharaja Madho Singh, is converted into a costume gallery, which displays royal attires of the kings.

Maharani's Palace - which was meant for royal queens, has been converted into a museum, and display weapons dated back to the 15th century.


Seeing is Believing !

Largest silver objects in the world !

The City Palace in Jaipur, houses the largest silver vessels, which have been officially recorded by the Guinness Book of World Records.


The two huge vessels (as seen in the picture above) weigh 340 kilograms (750 lb), are of 1.6 metres (5.5 feet) in height and have a capacity of 4000 litres. These were made from 14000 melted silver coins and are placed in the Diwan-I-Khas, private audience hall of the Maharajas.


Specially made for Maharaja Sawai Madho Singh II, these vessels were used to carry the Ganga river water to drink on his trip to England in 1901 (for Prince Edward VII's coronation)
Thus, the vessels were named as Gangajelies (Urns containing water of the Ganges)

Hawa Mahal – Jaipur’s landmark

Our Jaipur journey began with the landmark of the city, the Hawa Mahal , an imposing structure. The name literally means Palace of winds or Palace of the Breeze.

Built 1799 by Maharaja Sawai Pratap Singh, and designed by Lal Chand Usta it depicts the form of the crown of Krishna, the Hindu god. The pyramidal shape combined with the numerous screened windows makes the structure look like a giant honeycomb.



This 5 storied stunning semi-octagonal monument has 953 small windows called jharokhas, decorated with intrinsic lattice work and is a fine piece of Rajput architecture. The latticed windows allowed the royal ladies to view the everyday life in the street below from the palace without being seen.

The beauty of the Hawa Mahal lies in its fragile appearance, which belies its strength.

The interiors are connected by ramps and there are no stairs to reach the upper floors. A unique feature of the building is that it remains cool even during the harsh summers. This is due to the excellent ventilation that allows cool air to freely flow throughout the building.

Situated on the main thoroughfare in the heart of Jaipur’s business centre, in the middle of the bustling Johari Bazaar, near the Badi Chaupad (the big square), this palace rises to a height of 50 feet. It is built of red and pink sandstone and forms a part of the City Palace, which was our next stop.

The Incredible state of India, Jaipur !

Location: In the state of Rajasthan, located, 260 km from Delhi and 240 kms from Agra, Sanganer Airport is 15km south of town

Also called: The Pink City

Famous for: Handicrafts - Glittering gemstone and silver jewellery, Lac work, Meenakari, Metal work, Marble work, Paintings, Leather work, Gemstones, Carpets, Wood work, Tie and Dye textiles, Artefacts, Antiques, Apparel, Jaipuri quilts (rajai) and Local sweets and delicacies.

Best time to visit: October - December. In the rains, it gets very messy and in the winter, its quite chilly.

Accommodation: Check http://www.rajasthantourism.gov.in , to find a listing to suit every budget.

Our much awaited trip to the capital city, Jaipur was filled with awe and admiration.

This state is famous for its wealth of forts, palaces and monuments. It is an epicenter for handicrafts too ! Founded by Maharaja Jai Singh II in 1727, the layout of the streets in this city was based on a mathematical grid of nine squares representing the ancient Hindu map of the universe, and the royal palace was placed symbolically at its centre. This city was said to have been painted pink in honour of a visit by Prince Albert in 1853.

We opted for the full day tour of the city conducted by RTDC (Rajashtan Tourism Department Corporation) and set off to explore the rich monuments which are the:
Hawa Mahal, Laxminarayan temple, Jantar Mantar, Albert Hall Museum, City Palace and Museum, Jaigarh fort, Nahargarh Fort, Amber Palace and fort.

More information about these sights will be covered in my upcoming posts.

Tip: For those who have less time to spare, opt for the day tour (or the half day tour, see table below) conducted by RTDC, which covers most of the historical monuments in Jaipur.

RTDC Sight seeing tour information:
Half Day tour:
Timings 0800 -1300 hrs
11.30 -1630 hrs
1330 -1830 hrs
Fare Rs.120/-

Itinery: Hawa Mahal (Front View), Amber Palace, Gaitore, City Palace, Observatory

Full day tour:
Timing: 0900 -1800 hrs
Fare: Rs. 170 /-

Itenary: Hawa Mahal (front View), Laxminarayan temple, Jantar Mantar, Central Museum, City Palace & Museum, Jaigarh fort, Nahargarh Fort (Lunch), Amber Palace and fort, Jal Mahal (front view), Kanak Vrindavan.

For reservations for all tours contact RTDC at 0141-2375466, 2375835, 2371648, 2200778, 2315714, 2206720 (24 hours Tourist assistance on Tel .No. 1364)
Tourist Information Bureau, Railway Station, Tel 91-141-2315714
RTDC Tourist Hostel, Old Govt. Hostel, M.I. Road, Jaipur, Tel 91-141-2375466
Tourist Office, Hotel Khasa Kothi Tel: 91-141-2372200

Say Yes to a Life with Zest !