Amer fort

Taking an elephant ride up the yellow Amer Fort is a fascinating experience in itself. Amer Fort is 11kms away from Jaipur and it’s so widespread you’d need to spend an entire day to explore it. Entering Amber Fort through Suraj Pol or the Sun Gate you will reach Jaleb Chowk or the Main Courtyard. From there an impressive stairway leads to the main palace. Explore the Diwan-i-Aam or the Hall of Public Audience with its magnificent structures and latticed galleries. The maharaja’s apartments are decorated ornately by frescoed arches. The Jai Mandir offers a brilliant view of the Maota Lake below The Sheesh Mahal or the Palace of Mirror is opulence and ostentation at its best- as it glimmers and glistens in its beauty. The guides might ask you to burn two candles and you can witness the reflection convert that small flame of the candles into a thousand stars. You could go into Sukh Niwas or the Hall of Pleasure and be fascinated with its ivory inlaid doors. There is no end to what you may discover at the Amer fort. Even the zenana or the isolated women’s quarters are a source of wonder and quirks. It is designed in such a way that the maharaja could make his nocturnal trips to his wives’ or mistresses’ chambers without being discovered.

The Jaigarh fort is attached to the Amer Fort and you could explore it together. Perched on top of Cheel ka Teela hills or the Hills of the Eagles it offers a brilliant view of the entire city. It is similar in structure and design to Amer Fort but sterner and stronger in aspect. Stories have it there are buried treasures in the fort, however, the government conducted a search and was proved wrong about it. However, the legend adds a charm to the fort.