The hill opposite the Amber Fort. The area has many walls and observation towers. I would have hated to have been the guy who worked at the top. That's one heck of a climb. The lake for the water garden starts directly to the right of the picture.
This is the entry courtyard - see the elephants on the right. Picture taken from entry gate to the palace compound. To my left, out of view, is the Hindu Temple to Shiva.
One of the many sights - here a woman stood just inside the highly inlaid main gate - seen in the previous post. I gave her a few ruppees - maybe a nickel - for the picture.
No that isn't a big zit on my forehead. One of the interior gardens w/ fountain directly across from the private meeting chambers. The harem and sleeping area is to the right.
This is the inside of the carved marble screen in the main palace gate where the ladies (harem) would watch the activities in the courtyard below but could still remain descreetly out of view. No - and stop saying that I have a zit on my forehead ! I'm actually practicing my Halloween Costume - I'm going as a coffee perculator this year - You know - when the red light comes on - Coffee's Done !
Now this is when it's "Good to be King" ! From this perch, the king would sit and watch the ladies perform and dance in a private courtyard below. When one suited his fancy , she was beckoned to the private sleeping quarters which are behind me. - There were 12 rooms around the courtyard for the ladies. The wives of the king along with the harem had no problem with this arrangement. Sometimes I wish we could return to these glory days of yesteryear! Ouch - Christine just kicked me !
Also in Jaipur, the Jai Mahal, known as Water Palace sits in the middle of a lake. An awesome sight which seemed to float was so peaceful. This palace was built for royal duck hunting parties. I hear the sale price is low beacuse of a constant water problem in the basement.
The Peacock Gate leading from the 'Courtyard of the Beloved" inside the City Palace. Quite ornate and 3-D ( breast and head of peacock extends out from the inlay work)
This is the City Palace where the ruling Maharaja lives in the building behind the 4 story pink structure. - It was through the doors directly behind me where you'd enter the "courtyard of the beloved". The ruler is a figurehead and has no official powers. In the building to the right are 2 HUGE silver urns - as tall as I am - which held over 900 gallons each of sacred Ganges water which were taken to London in 1901 for the Maharaja's visit (yes - he took his own drinking water ) These urns are in the Guinness Book of Records as the worlds larges silver objects. ( the picture didn't turn out well so you're not seeing them)
This is a giant 75' tall sundial - "accurate to 10 seconds" - Built in 1728, Jantar-Mantar next to the City Palace, is a compound of about 30 different observatories which would give date/ time/ star charts, zodiac sign start/end dates etc. They were big into horoscopes and foretelling of the future. In this picture the shadow was read on the curved section on left which is calibrated to hours/minutes and 10ths of minutes. I was amazed at the complexity and accuracy obtained from the seemingly archaic but intricate large scale devices.
Also in Jaipur, the Jai Mahal, known as Water Palace sits in the middle of a lake. An awesome sight which seemed to float was so peaceful. This palace was built for royal duck hunting parties. I hear the sale price is low beacuse of a constant water problem in the basement.
The Peacock Gate leading from the 'Courtyard of the Beloved" inside the City Palace. Quite ornate and 3-D ( breast and head of peacock extends out from the inlay work)
This is the City Palace where the ruling Maharaja lives in the building behind the 4 story pink structure. - It was through the doors directly behind me where you'd enter the "courtyard of the beloved". The ruler is a figurehead and has no official powers. In the building to the right are 2 HUGE silver urns - as tall as I am - which held over 900 gallons each of sacred Ganges water which were taken to London in 1901 for the Maharaja's visit (yes - he took his own drinking water ) These urns are in the Guinness Book of Records as the worlds larges silver objects. ( the picture didn't turn out well so you're not seeing them)
This is a giant 75' tall sundial - "accurate to 10 seconds" - Built in 1728, Jantar-Mantar next to the City Palace, is a compound of about 30 different observatories which would give date/ time/ star charts, zodiac sign start/end dates etc. They were big into horoscopes and foretelling of the future. In this picture the shadow was read on the curved section on left which is calibrated to hours/minutes and 10ths of minutes. I was amazed at the complexity and accuracy obtained from the seemingly archaic but intricate large scale devices.
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