10 Must Visit Forts And Palaces Of Rajasthan For An Exclusive Royal Experience

“Rajasthan”, one of the most colorful states of India have plenty of places to explore. From magnificent Forts and Palaces to marvelous architecture that not only unfolds a story about its kings, kingdom and vibrant culture but an experience of spirit and fearlessness of the Rajput’s through its huge line of Forts and Palaces is simply mesmerizing. So if you are a history lover or architecture buff or planning a memorable tours to Rajasthan any time soon, here below are some of the best Fort and Palaces in Rajasthan which you might not want to miss out on.

Fort and Palaces in Rajasthan:

1)      Amer Fort:

Nestled on the high Aravalli Hills, “Amer Fort” in the Amer town (which is approximately eleven kilometres far from the Jaipur city) is one of the classic examples of Hindu and Mughal architecture.  This impressive building which was made by using red sandstone and marble has maze-like passages and twisting staircases. Not only this, wonders like Ganesh Pol, Sila Devi Temple, Sheesh Mahal, Magic Flower Fresco and Man Singh Palace await you in the interiors of Amer Fort. If you think that’s it, so wrong, Amber Fort excursion is not completed without ‘Elephant Ride’ and ‘Sound and Light Show’.

2)      Umaid Bhawan Palace, Jodhpur:

Umaid Bhawan Palace which was originally known as “Chittar Palace” is situated on the Chittar Hill, the highest point in Jodhpur. Presently this majestic monument is divided in to three parts, one is a luxury heritage Taj Palace Hotel and other two parts, one uses as the residence to the current members of the royal family headed by Maharaja of Jodhpur Gaj Singh and the last part is a museum, which exhibits the most exotic collection of automobiles owned by the jodhpur royal family.

3)      Lake Palace, Udaipur:

Located in the mid of the Lake Pichola, “Lake Palace” in Udaipur is one of the romantic places of Rajasthan.  With the Aravalli Hills and City Palace as surroundings, this Palace offers a wonderful view of the sightseer.

The complex which has a series of courtyards with numerous columns, terraces, fountains and the well-laid garden has now  been revered in to a Taj heritage hotel which offers not only world-class amenities and flawless hospitality to its guests but this Palace hotel marks a good combination of old regal charms and modern comforts.

4)      City Palace, Jaipur:

City Palace is One of the most admired Palaces among the places to visit in Rajasthan; the “City Palace” of Jaipur has an impressive combination of Rajput and Mughal architecture. Yes, this magnificent City Palace, which is divided into a series of courtyards, gardens and historical attractions like Mubarak Mahal, Chandra Mahal, Diwan-I-Khas, Diwan-I-Aam and Maharani Palace are decorated with fine artworks, inscriptions, timeless architecture and old symbols from the past.

Now a day, a part of the Palace has been converted into two museums: one is Maharani palace which displays weapons and ammunition used by the royal family whereas the other Baggi Khana showcases different carriages used by the royal families of Jaipur.

Last but not least, City Palace is one of the only places where you will be surprised by the wonderful view of the entire Pink City “Jaipur”.

5)      Lalgarh Palace, Bikaner:  

If you think, that’s it, so wrong; the Palace also houses a ‘museum’ and the fourth largest private ‘library’ in the world. A museum which displays the traces of Rajasthan Royalties and their lavish lifestyle whereas, on the other, Library offers you a glimpse of a huge collection of Sanskrit Manuscripts printed on parchments, plaques of silver, copper and gold antiques belonging to Harappan culture and Kushan and Gupta Age.

Nowadays, two wings of the Lalgarh Palace have been transformed into a luxury heritage hotels.  Its fifty nine rooms that blend the best of modern conveniences with classic furnishings are no doubt an ideal place to spend your vacation with Bikaner Travel packages.

6)      Hawa Mahal, Jaipur:

Built by Maharaja Sawai Pratap Singh for royal women, “Hawa Mahal” or “Palace of Winds”, or also known as “Palace of Breeze”, is one of the most famous Palaces in Rajasthan. Constructed in the shape of the crown of the Hindu God, Lord Krishna, Hawa Mahal, a five-story building looks the same as to the honeycomb because of its 953 small windows, called jharokhas. The Palace of Winds which is embellished with intricate latticework truly justifies with its airy structure as it creates an air conditioning effect inside the Palace by using the venturi effect.

Despite this, another interesting thing about this Palace is that from here insiders will get a clear view of the outside world but outsiders not able to look inside the palace. And yes, last but not least, for the most panoramic view, don’t forget to go onto the top of the five-story building. Visit for Jaipur Travel Packages.

7)      Jal Mahal Palace, Jaipur:

Located in the mid of the wonderful Man Sagar Lake, “Jal Mahal Palace” in Jaipur is an ideal example of Rajput and Mughal style of architecture. Initially, the Palace has five storeys building in which four of its floors are submerged under water when the lake is the full and only top storey is visible.

Well, only top storey floor disheartening you, then worry not, the terrace of the palace has a dazzling garden together with having semi-octagonal towers with classic dome at each of the four corners of the Palace truly allures you.

Because of the development of the water treatment system of the lake and the regeneration of the encircling wetlands, five nestling islands have been built in order to attract different species of migratory birds.

8)      Mehrangarh Fort, Jodhpur:  

Mehrangarh Fort which is nestled on top of an elevated small hill (Approx. 400 meters above the level of its enclosing landscapes) is one of the largest forts in India. Its huge structure 500 yards long, 120-feet high, 70-feet thick walls, remarkable history,  and complicated detailing, make it not the gem of Jodhpur but as well as it is the wonder for all around the world.

Despite this, the main highlight of this fort is seven grand entrances, which include the famous Jai Pol (victory gate) and Fateh Pol. Not only this, its flawlessly  designed Palaces like Moti Mahal, Sheesh Mahal, Takhat Vilas, and Phul Mahal  which is adorned with Mirror work, elaborate ornamentation, wonderful glass panel and impressive woodwork  speak the architectural glory of the royals.

Now a day, a huge part of the Mehrangarh Fort has been converted into a heritage museum, which displays buggy/cart of the queens, including the famous golden domed cart together with costumes, arms, and paintings, decorative embellishment from the ancient period. Last but not least famous movie named: The Dark Knight Rises have also been shot here.

9)      Neemrana Fort, Alwar:

Nestled on the high small hill, “Neemrana Fort Palace” offers guests a pure Rajasthani experience. This amazingly lovely Fort Palace which has now been revered in to a heritage hotel offer not only grand rooms and suites but wonderful terraces,  slim staircases, low-ceiling rooms and classic ethnic interiors truly feel you royal. Apart from the heritage feature, this Palace hotel has the entire world class amenities along with Ayurvedic massage, swimming pools, traditional folk performances and much more which make it a A perfect place to enjoy a luxurious stay.

10)  Bundi Palace, Bundi:

Bundi Palace which is situated in proximity to a number of other palaces and forts, including the famous Star Fort, the Sukh Mahal, and several artificial lakes is famous for its royal murals and frescoes, (noted for their traditional value).  Not only this, the Palace is also popular for its 50 baoris (step wells) which provide water during the period of crises.

Now a day, the Palace, open to the public, which exhibits not only magnificent architecture but also the lives and times of people living in Bundi.

All these are few gems of Rajasthan, take any travel to Rajasthan and I am sure, you’ll explore some more hidden beauties of Rajasthan like pre-historic rock paintings, immense rock formations and some old temples etc.

So, after reading this, no doubt, what kind of travel junkie you are, Rajasthan state has already taken your breath away and enticed you to tour as soon as possible for  travel Packages to Rajasthan and good deal, don’t forget to log on to the website https://www.ercotravels.com/ and enjoy the ultimate experience.

A Royal Elephant ride at Amber fort

Amber fort is the most popular tourist attractions of Jaipur. This classic and romantic fort is a living tribute of Rajputana rulers and one of the fascinating mixtures of Rajputana and Mughal architecture. This charming fort is white marble and red sandstone, surrounded by picturesque hills. There is a beautiful Maotha lake in the foreground of the fort which heightens the scenic beauty to it.

The elephant ride is the center of attraction for tourists and the most royal and thrilling way to reach at this hilltop fort. This stunning fort is blessed with several attractions like huge halls, majestic palaces, beautiful temples and gorgeous green gardens. 

These wonderful animals are specially decorated by their loving Mahouts. Elephants are washed, painted and clothed with colorful and embroidered saddle cloth. The Mahouts embellish them with the heavy jewellery like tinkle anklets, Ear danglers and coloured brocade scarves for their ears and necks. Their foreheads are adorned with the gold and silver head-plates.

 

Amber Fort View

 This chance to sit on the elephants back on the top of hills is a great experience like the ride of royalty once the kings of Rajasthan did. There are around 80 elephants but for a guarantee ride tourists should visit early in the morning before 9am. To avoid the over work of the elephants the Jaipur government fix a limit to the total number of rounds each elephant can do in a day. Each elephant is fixed to three rounds with a rest period and can carry only 2 passengers with driver or Mahout.

 

Amber Fort Inner View

The ride starts from the main road courtyard to the fort and it takes approximately 20-30 minutes as elephant walk slowly up the hillside. This slow moving animal will give you the complete chance to enjoy the path of rocks and also give you a splendid outlook of the magnificent classic fort. 

This huge and vivacious fort was initiated by King Man Singh 1 and finally completed by Jay Singh 1. There are a number of captivating attractions in Amber fort including Diwan-i-Am or Hall of Public Audience. This hall is known for its design, and decoration. Shila Mata Temple, famous for its black colour deity (Kali Mata), Jai Mander, Sheesh Mahal and Jas Mandir are the prime attraction of this gigantic fort.

Timings

The rides start early in the morning (approx 7.30 AM) and finishes up before the sun gets hot (approx 11 AM).

Number of Persons

·         Minimum 1 person

·         Maximum 2 persons

Cost –Rs 1, 000  to 1,200 for two people.

Duration - Approximately 20-30 minutes (depending on elephant traffic!)

Fascinate in the Incredible Sights of Rajasthan

Rajasthan, a larger state (Area wise) in India popular all across the globe due to its historical stories related to kings, monuments, wildlife, culture, sand dunes, heritage sites, festivals, folk dances, etc.  “Land of Kings” is the another name of this state. Many kings conquer this state and reign there for some time. So, many trails of kings collected there, which can be heard now from the mouth of local populations. Even the palaces which they used to live is also located there and are in the glamorous look. Some places of this state like Bikaner and Jaiselmer are full of deserts. Sand dune activity is the popular one of these places.

Camel Safari in Jaiselmer

Mount Abu Hill Station (Image on Wikipedia)

Dilwara Temple Near Mount Abu(Image by Sensaos on Flickr )

Interior view of Dilwara Temples (Image by Rakhee on Flickr )

City Palace, Udaipur

Hill Stations like Mount Abu and Udaipur are famous tourist places in Rajasthan. The large number of tourists travel there to seek the beauty of this state. Mount Abu is famous for its hills, climate and religious temples like the famous group of temples known as Dilwara temples. Aravalli mountain ranges give a unique view of nature at this place. Udaipur is also known as the City of Lakes and Palaces as many Lakes and Palaces are there. Serene atmosphere makes anyone captivate to this place for a long time. One of the Palaces is City Palace of Udaipur, located on the bank of the famous Lake Pichola. This palace itself tells the history behind the Rajasthan especially the Udaipur. Like City Palace, many palaces are there that located in the lake or on the side of a lake. The boat ride is available there to visit all the palaces.

Rajasthani Flok dance

Rajasthani cuisine

Ghevar

The culture of the Rajasthan is famous worldwide. Either it is classical music or the folk dances depicts the reflection of its culture. Folk dances include Ghoomar, Kalbeliya, Bhavai, Kuchchi Ghodi, etc. reflects the proper culture as the dancers wear the traditional dresses that bewitched the eyes of the people. Music is also traditional like the famous ones are Bhajans, Banis, etc. all sung with the traditional instruments like Dholak, Sitar, Sarangi, etc. Food of this state, also influenced the visitors. Bikaneri Bhujia, Mirchi Bada, Pyaaj Kachori and Ghevar are the famous dishes of Rajasthan that reflects the old culture of the state. Marwari Bhojanalayas are most common and located at very least distances.

Deer Family in Ranthambore National park (Image by Saran Vaid on Flickr)

Tiger in Sariska National Park (Image by Koshy Koshy on Flickr)

Wildlife of the state is another good way to explore this state. Many national parks and sanctuaries are available there that contains a variety of flora and fauna. Some of the popular parks include Desert National Park in Jaisalmer, Ranthambore National Park in Jaipur, Sariska Tiger Reserve in Alwar, Tal Chhapar Sanctuary in Sujangarh, etc. All these contain the threatened species, rare species as well as extinct species of both flora and fauna.

handicraft Items shop in Jaipur, Rajasthan 

Handicraft items are also famous thing of this state. Wooden furniture, carpets, pottery, etc. all dubbed with block prints, tie & die, bagaru prints, sanganer prints, zari embroidery, etc. that attracts anyone towards it and made to purchase it once at least.

Shopping in Jaipur (Image by Eric Parker on Flickr)

Camel Race in Pushkar, Rajasthan (Image by thijsvanbokkem on Flickr)

Festival time is the best to visit this place as the whole state is covered with colors of joy and happiness. Fun and amusement surround the state from everywhere. Some of the main festivals include Deepawali, Gangaur, Teej, Gogaji, Makar Sankranti, Holi and Janmashtami. Desert festival of Rajasthan held once in a year during winter period. Ladies and gents dressed traditionally and dance to the rhythm of the famous songs. Fairs are also held in this period of time. Local population displays the shows of puppeteers, acrobats, camel race, snake charmers and many more. So, at this time, anyone dwell in this region for a long time.

Climate of mount about

Climate of Rajasthan varies from place to place like in Udaipur and Mount Abu, it is very cool and placid while in Jodhpur and Jaisalmer, it is very hot in summers and very cold in winters. Thus, Rajasthan is a state having all the qualities either it is desert or a hill station, one can find it there in a best possible mood.

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