Amber(Amer) Palace
The Architectural Miracle of Rajasthan
The level of opulence in that place left me stunned! I was spellbound by the Sheesh Mahal, the expansive courtyard, and the stately gates. However, you could say that I have always admired these old masonry buildings constructed of sandstone, marble, and stones. Yes, I was in the Amber Fort in Jaipur, also known as Amer Fort. We were only there for a single day, and Amer Fort was the first destination that came to mind. In actuality, you must see it before leaving Jaipur!
I enjoy exploring forts, so I was confident that I would adore Amer Fort just as much as I did Jaisalmer. Jaipur is a beautiful city with many attractions. Amer Fort is one of the must-see locations on your Jaipur tour and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
We went to the fort on a sunny, chirpy winter morning. We skipped the stunning Jal Mahal since we wanted to see the fort first. Nevertheless, I was more eager to see the fort. The fort was directly in front of me as we passed through the Aravalli hillocks. The Amer Fort is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and even in the morning, there were plenty of visitors there. To tour the area, you often require a guide, but I was with a friend who, in my opinion, functioned as a better guide for me.
History:
The Rajput Maharajas and their families lived in the palace. When Raja Man Singh defeated the Raja of Jessore, Bengal, in 1604, the shrine to Shila Devi, a Goddess of the Chaitanya cult, was granted to him at the entrance to the palace next to the fort’s Ganesh Gate. Now located in Bangladesh, Jessore. Raja Man Singh built 12 rooms—one for each queen—because he had 12 queens.
The King’s room was connected to each room via a staircase, but the Queens were forbidden from using it. Raja Jai Singh only had one queen, so he constructed one room that was equivalent to three previous queens’ rooms.
Raja Man Singh was the first person to construct the Amber Fort. I made it longer, Jai Singh. Up until the Kachwahas moved their capital to Jaipur during the reign of Sawai Jai Singh II in 1727, improvements and additions were made by succeeding kings throughout the course of the following 150 years. From the 11th century forward – between 1037 and 1727 AD – until the capital was shifted from Amer to Jaipur, Amer was known in the mediaeval era as Dhundar (meaning assigned to a sacrificial mount on the western boundaries). Since they established their empire at Amer, these kings have a permanent place in Amer’s history.
Additional things to see at Amer Fort
The magnificent fort has a magnificent royal residence, bastions, sizable courtyards, several gates, and cobblestone roads. The location is actually a visual marvel, known for its architecture, fine carvings, mirror work, and stone work on the walls and ceilings. There are four main sections of the fort, each with its own gate and courtyard.
SURAJ POL
The first gate and major entrance to the fort is Suraj Pol. Since the entrance faces east, it receives the morning sun every day. Thus, Sural Pol, or Sun Gate, was a fitting name for the gate. The gate opens up to the Jaleb Chowk courtyard. This plaza used to be the location where the triumphant returning troops would display their battle booty. The courtyard is a living testament to the pleasures and tragedies that have come from the conflict!
The magnificent Diwan-i-Am hall, which has pillars, and the two-tiered painted Ganesh Pol doorway are both part of the fort complex’s front courtyard decorations.
GANESH POL
The main gate of the palace is called Ganesh Pol, and it is quite beautiful. A grand and ornate gate, it features exquisite carvings and natural-color paintings. natural hues derived from fruits, flowers, spices, and minerals. The majority of paintings created in Rajasthan use natural colours.
Lord Ganesh is also shown in a painting on the gate. Hindu God Lord Ganesh is renowned for blessing fresh beginnings. Thus, the gate was given that name. When the King and his royal warriors returned from a fight and celebrated their triumph, they entered the palace through this gate. Small windows are located directly over the gate. They go by the name Suhag Mandir. Given that they were not permitted to appear in public, the royal women would observe the bravery of the men from these windows.
THE TEMPLE OF SILA DEVI
A flight of stairs led us to the entrance of the Sila Devi shrine from the Jaleb Chowk. Shakti is worshipped at the Shila Devi temple. Before going into combat or conducting any other activity, it is reported that the King would always pray to the Devi. At the temple, human sacrifices were also made. The temple’s door is constructed of silver with a complex pattern.
DIWAN-I-AM
This is where the palace’s general assemblies take place. The king would meet with his subjects on this elevated platform in the courtyard to hear about their troubles. The galleries contain two rows of columns, each with an elephant-shaped capital at the top.
DIWAN-I-KHAAS
One of the third courtyard’s beautiful constructions is this one. The Diwan-i-Khas or Hall of Private Audience and the Sheesh Mahal make up the lovely building. The Jas Mandir, or upper portion of Diwan-i-Khas, is covered in beautiful floral patterns that include glasses. It was created by Raja Jai Singh, hence the name “Jai Mandir.” It functioned as the king’s personal space where he held his secret consultations. The king welcomed here ambassadors from other kings as well as his privileged guests. This hall connects to the Sheesh Mahal and has an interior that is covered in mirror and glass work. The king certainly knew how to dazzle guests!
SHEESH MAHAL
The most fascinating and magnificent area of the Amer Fort is this. The entire space is constructed of tiny glass fragments that have been arranged to create lovely patterns. According to legend, just two candles are sufficient to light up the entire space, even in the deepest night, thanks to the endless reflections the glass creates. That little light is transformed into thousands of stars via reflection.
The Sheesh Mahal undoubtedly served as inspiration for the epic film Mughal-e-Azam.
Getting to Amer Fort
The stunning pink and yellow sandstone fort is situated 11 kilometres outside of Jaipur city at Amer, in front of the tranquil Maota Lake. It is perched atop a hillside. The capital of Rajasthan, Jaipur, is easily accessible by road, rail, and air from all the main Indian towns. The main city of Jaipur is 12 kilometres away from Amer Fort. To visit Amer Fort, you can take a taxi, a number of buses, or a government bus.
VISITING HOURS & ENTRY FEES:-
You can visit Amer Fort in Between 8 AM to 6 PM.
NOTE- Amer Fort is the Massive Complex, You need at least 2-3 hours to see the full place.
Indian: 25 INR; for students: 10 INR
For students: INR 100; for foreigners: INR 200
Time and Cost for the Light and Sound Show:
English: 7:30 PM; INR 200 for entry
8 p.m. in Hindi; INR 100 is the entry fee.
BOTTOM LINE-
The large complex is known as the Amer Fort. We could not have explored the entire area in the brief time we had. Personally, I believe that this is a location to which one should frequently return.
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