Golden Triangle Tour – Delhi – Agra – Jaipur 

6 Days / 5 Night

Golden Triangle Tour:

Golden Triangle tour packages – explore a large collection of top rated Golden Triangle holiday packages with itinerary, hotel options and price. Instantly book customized Golden Triangle vacation packages at best price online.Delhi, Agra and Jaipur form the Golden Triangle tourist circuit in India, which is the most popular tourist circuit in India. Our Golden Triangle tour packages usually starts from Delhi moving south to the site of Taj Mahal at Agra, then west, to the desert landscapes of Rajasthan. Delhi, the capital city of India, makes up one of the cornerstones of the Golden Triangle in the country’s north. The India Gate, Red Fort, Jama Masjid, ChandniChowk, Qutub Minar, Jantar-Mantar, Laxmi Narayan Temple, Akshardham Temple, Lotus Temple and many more are worth seeing as part of Delhi Tourism. The city of Agra is home to the Taj Mahal, the eternal monument of love. Agra Fort and Fatehpur Sikri are the top places to visit during Agra Tour. Jaipur, the picturesque capital of Rajasthan, is one of the most romantic places to visit in India. Amber fort, City Palace, JantarMantar, Hawa Mahal & Nahargarh are the top places to visit in Jaipur.

Red Fort, Delhi City:

The Red Fort or the Lal Qila is one of the best historical places in Delhi situated on the western bank of the River Yamuna. This grand fort is a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Delhi, from where the prime minister addresses the nation every year on Independence Day (15 August). It is located in the center of Delhi and houses a number of museums. It is one of the best places to visit in Delhi and also one of the top attractions you must include in Golden Triangle tour.The Red Fort was built by Shah Jahan between 1638 and 1648. The Fort was built when Shah Jahan transferred his capital from Agra to Delhi. The fort is better planned than the Agra Fort and was the residence of the Mughal emperor of India for nearly 200 years, until 1857. It was originally called as Quila-i-Mubarak, meaning the blessed fort, as it was the royal residence of Mughals.The Fort is enclosed by a rubble stone wall. The walls of the Fort are about 2 kilometers in length while the height varies from 18 m to 33 m, and surrounded by a deep forbidding moat. The structure is in the form of an octagon with long extended walls on the east and west. The Red Fort is constructed out of red sandstone along with marble that has been extensively used in the construction of the palaces within the fort. It has two main gateways, the Lahore Gate and the Delhi Gate.The entrance is through the Lahore Gate which forms a part of a massive stone fortification and is made up of pink sandstone. The path leads to the Chatta Chowk, also known as Meena bazar which offered exclusive shopping, just for ladies of the fort on Thursdays. At the end of the Chatta Chowk is the Naubat Khana (Drum house) where ceremonial music was played by the musicians to glorify the emperor and special tunes were played to announce the arrival of the royalty and important dignitaries. Just above the Naubat Khana is the Indian War Memorial Museum which has a collection of armours, guns, swords and other items related to war. There is the Swatantra Sangrama Sangrahalaya displaying letters, photos, newspaper cuttings from the India independence struggle.

Raj Ghat, Delhi City:

Raj Ghat is the last resting place of Mahatma Gandhi. The cremation of Mahatma Gandhi took place at the Raj Ghat on 31st January 1948, a day after his assassination. The memorial was designed by Vanu G. Bhuta, who intended it to reflect the simplicity of the Mahatma’s life. It has won several awards for its architectural design.The memorial stone of Mahatma Gandhi placed on a simple square platform made of black stone, with the words Hey Ram inscribed on it. It is left open to the sky while an eternal flame burns perpetually at one end. The road on which it is located is also known as the Mahatma Gandhi Road.It is situated amidst a well maintained garden with fountains and numerous trees that give the area a serene atmosphere. Near the memorial, there are labeled trees planted by visiting dignitaries such as Queen Elizabeth II, Ho Chi Minh, the former Australian Prime Minister Gough Whitman and the former US president Dwight Eisenhower. Around the sides of the garden are quotes and thoughts written by Gandhi, engraved in different languages.All guests must remove their footwear before entering the Raj Ghat walls. To the north of the Raj Ghat is the cremation site of Jawaharlal Nehru known as the Shanti Van. Near to this are the cremation sites of Indira Gandhi, who was killed in 1984 and her two sons Sanjay (1980) and Rajiv (1991). Opposite to Raj Ghat is the Gandhi National Museum which contains some of Gandhi’s belongings.

Akshardham Temple / Swaminarayan Temple, Delhi City :

Akshardham Temple or Swaminarayan Temple is located on the banks of River Yamuna near Nizamuddin Bridge in Delhi. The temple is included in the list of Seven Wonders of the 21st Century by the prestigious Reader’s Digest magazine. It is one of best built temples in India and among must visit tourist places in Delhi. It also has been listed in the 2009 edition of the Guinness World Records book as the largest Hindu temple in the world.Akshardham Temple is dedicated to Lord Swaminarayan. Akshardham means the adobe of the supreme lord and the temple is a fine example of the Hindu architecture. The complex is the second Akshardham complex in the country after the one at Gandhinagar in Gujarat.
The building was inspired and moderated by Pramukh Swami Maharaj who was the spiritual leader BAPS community. It was inaugurated in November 2005 by the President, Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam.Spread over 100 acres, the temple complex is one of the most beautiful structures in India. The temple is a complex of many small structures with the main monument built according to Vaastu Shastra. The main monument is made of Rajasthani pink sandstone and Italian Carrara Marble. Built with earthquake-resistant provisions, its interior is bright and air conditioned. It is 141 feet high, 316 feet wide and about 370 feet long supported by 234 pillars with floral carvings and also has 11 huge mandapas (domes) and decorated arches.There are over 20,000 statues of Hindu gods and goddesses. The temple also features the Gajendra Pith at its base; it contains 148 life sized elephants in total weighing a 3000 tons. Under the temple’s central dome lies the 11-foot high murti of Swaminarayan seated in abhayamudra. The temple also houses the statues of Sita Ram, Radha Krishna, Shiv Parvati and Lakshmi Narayan.Apart from the main temple, there are many attractions spread across the 100 acre premises of the temple. There is an art gallery, musical fountain and an IMAX theater where visitors can see film based on the life of Swaminarayan. A 12-minute indoor boat ride describing India’s achievements over the years takes the visitors to the theater. Akshardham also has two huge exhibition halls where one is a venue of sound and light show depicting the beginning and end of the world according to Hinduism. Another major attraction in the temple complex is the World Peace monument.

Qutub Minar

Qutub Minar is the magnificent tower of victory stands in the Qutub Complex located at Aurabindo Marg near Mehrauli in Delhi. Qutub is the highest tower in India and is an UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is among the must visit Delhi tourist places and one of the best heritage sites in Delhi city. It is also commonly featured in the promotion of Delhi Tourism.Qutub-ud-Din Aibak laid the foundation of Minar in 1199 AD for the use of the Mu’zzin (crier) to give calls for prayer and raised the first storey, to which three more storeys were added by his successor and son-in-law, Shamsud-Din Iltutmish (AD 1211-36). Numerous inscriptions in Arabic and Nagari characters in different places of the Minar reveal the history of Delhi. According to the inscriptions on its surface it was repaired by Firoz Shah Tughlaq (AD 1351-88) and Sikandar Lodi (AD 1489-1517). Major R. Smith also repaired and restored the Minar in 1829.It is an ideal example of Indo-Islamic architectural style. The minar has a diameter of 14.32 m at the base and about 2.75 m on the top with a height of 72.5 m (234 feet). The first three storeys are made of red sandstone and are heavily indented with different styles of fluting, alternately round and angular on the bottom floor, round on the second and angular on the third. The fourth and fifth floors are made of marble and sandstone. Qutub Minar is one of the tallest individual towers in the world. All the storeys are surrounded by a projected balcony encircling the Minar and supported by stone brackets, which are decorated with honey-comb design. There is a door on the northern side, leading into the tower to a spiral stairway with 379 steps that lead to the balcony in each floor.

Lotus Temple :

The Lotus Temple is located at Bahapur Hill. Also called Bahai Temple or the Bahai House of worship, the Lotus Temple is one of the major landmarks and among the most visited places of sightseeing in Delhi.otus Temple was found by the believers of the Bahai Faith, an independent world religion, which was founded by Baha’ullah. This temple is an ideal place of meditation which is open to all other faiths. Lotus Temple is so named because of the lotus like structure of the temple. It is one of seven Bahai Houses of Worship in the world and is one of the most visited sites in the world with an average of three and a half million visitors each year.The temple was designed by Fariborz Shaba, a Canadian architect of Iranian origin. He took 10 years in designing the structure. The construction of the building began in 1980 and was completed in 1986 at a cost of Rs. 10 million and was opened to public on January 1, 1987. This place of worship of the Bahai sect is literally constructed in the shape of a large, white lotus flower. The Lotus Temple has also won numerous architectural awards.The temple is set amidst 26 acres of lush landscaped garden. The temple has 27 free-standing white petals made of marble arranged in clusters of three to form nine sides. It measures around 35 m in height and is surrounded by 9 pools. The nine doors of the Lotus Temple open onto a central hall slightly more than 40 m tall that is capable of holding up to 2,500 people. These 9 walkways represent the nine unifying spiritual paths of the Baha’i faith. The surface of the temple is made of white marble from Penteli Mountain in Greece. Due to its magnificent structure, Lotus Temple is also known as the Taj of Modern India.

Humayun’s Tomb, Delhi City:

The construction of this tomb was commissioned by Humayun’s wife, Hamida Banu Begum or Haji Begum in 1562. It was designed by Mirak Mirza Ghiyath, a Persian architect. Humayun’s tomb was based on Gur-e Amir, the tomb of Mughal ancestor Timur in Samarkand. The tomb was completed in 1572 AD and is believed to have costed 15 lakh rupees at the time of its completion. The entire structure is built using red sandstone.Humayun’s tomb is a fine specimen of the great Mughal architecture, which was inspired by Persian architecture. The tomb was the first garden-tomb on the Indian subcontinent. Its unique beauty is said to have inspired several major architectural innovations, culminating in the construction of the majestic Taj Mahal.The tomb is octagonal in shape with two double-storeyed gateways to enter the tomb, one on the west and the other on the south. The southern gateway is currently closed. The tomb has a large pavilion and a bathing chamber. The octagonal central chamber contains the main tomb of Humayun and the diagonal sides lead to corner chambers which house the graves of other members of the royal family. The roof surmounted by a large dome built with marble.The mausoleum stands in the centre of a 30-acre garden known as the Char Bagh or Four Gardens. The Persian style garden is decorated with several fountains. The complex of Humayun’s Tomb consists of many small monuments like tomb of Humayun’s wife, tomb of Humayun’s barber, Afsarwala tomb and Mosque, Isa Khan Tomb, Bu Halima Garden and Nila Gumbad. This is also the place where the last Mughal emperor, Bahadur Shah Zafar, took refuge before being captured and exiled by the British in 1857.The tomb of Barber is an impressive square tomb with a double marble dome which is located on the south western region of the tomb and standing on a raised platform. The tomb is datable to 1590-91, through an inscription found inside. The person interned in this tomb is unknown; the local name of the tomb is Barber’s Tomb (Nai ka Gumbad). Inside the tomb, there are two graves inscribed with verses from the Quran. On the southeastern region, just outside the enclosure of Humayun’s Tomb lies Nila-Gumbad (blue dome). Nila-Gumbad is believed to have been built in 1625 by Abdur-Rahim Khan and is said to contain the remains of Fahim Khan, one of his faithful attendants.

Safdarjung Tomb, Delhi City:

Safdarjung Tomb was built by his son Shujaud Daula in 1754. It is among the best tourist places in Delhi and also among the top historical places in Delhi city. This Tomb is dedicated to Mirza Muqeem Abdul-Mansur Khan, who was also known as Safdarjung. He was the viceroy of Oudh under Muhammad Shah and prime minister under Ahmad Shah. The tomb is the last example of the pattern which began with Humayun’s tomb.The Tomb was built in distinct Mughal architecture. Constructed in the center of a large garden, the compound is decorated with ponds and fountains. Crafted out of red sandstone with a white marble dome, the Tomb is built on a raised platform. The tomb has a gate on the East and pavilions on the other sides, namely, Moti mahal or the pearl palace, Jangli mahal and Badshah Pasand. The compound is surrounded by a high outer masonry wall, with channels to carry water to different pavilions. The walls contain a series of arches on its inner side and the four corners are articulated with octagonal chhatris. The entrance gateway contains few apartments, a courtyard and a mosque.It is a square double-storeyed structure and surmounted by a bulbous dome of marble. Red and buff sandstone has been used in its facing, a large proportion of which was stripped off from Abdul Rahim Khan-i-Khanan’s tomb. The central chamber of the tomb is surrounded by eight rooms all around with cenotaph in the middle. The interior of the tomb has designs made with plaster. There are four towers around the main tomb at the corners which are polygonal in shape with open arches in the middle.

Taj Mahal, Agra:

Taj Mahal, one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world, is located on the southern bank of the Yamuna River in Agra of Uttar Pradesh State. Taj Mahal was declared as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1983 and it is also counted among the seven wonders of the modern world. It attracts around four million visitors annually. Taj Mahal is the face of Agra Tourism and among the must include place in your Golden Triangle tour packages.Taj Mahal was commissioned in 1632 by the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan (reigned 1628-1658), in the memory of his favorite wife Mumtaz Mahal. The construction of the monument was completed in 1653. The Taj Mahal was constructed under the supervision of architects Abdul-Karim Ma’mur Khan, Makramat Khan and Ustad Ahmad Lahauri. It took 21 years for the Taj Mahal to be constructed with over 20,000 workers.Taj Mahal is one of the most admired Mughal masterpieces in the world and it represents the Indian, Persian and Islamic styles of architecture. It is an integrated complex of structures that include a white marble mausoleum containing the tombs of Shah Jahan and his wife Mumtaz Mahal. The mausoleum is built entirely of white marble, set on a high plinth which includes four tall minarets. The interior chamber of the Taj Mahal is an octagon, which is decorated in lapidary work of precious and semiprecious gemstones. The cenotaph of Mumtaz Mahal is placed in the center of the inner chamber and the cenotaph of Shah Jahan lies west of Mumtaz Mahal. Both the base and casket of the cenotaph are decorated with precious and semiprecious gems.The most striking feature of this tomb is the marble dome, which is often called an onion dome. Decorated with a lotus design, the top of this tomb features a gilded finial, which is topped by a moon. The finial reflects a mix of traditional Persian and Hindu decorative elements. The exteriors of the Taj Mahal are decorated by paint, stucco, stone carvings.The complex of Taj Mahal has a 300 sq. m wide garden, which is also known as Charbagh or Mughal Garden. The complex is bounded on three sides by red sandstone walls. The entrance to the complex is through a grand ornamental gateway known as Darwaza-i-Rauza, inscribed with Quranic inscriptions and the calligraphed line ‘O Soul, thou art at rest. Return to the Lord at peace with Him, and He at peace with you.’ Mausoleums of the other wives of Shah Jahan and tomb of Mumtaz’s favorite servant are located outside the Taj Mahal complex. A Mosque and a guest house situated at the far end of the complex.

Agra Fort / Agra Red Fort, Agra:

The Agra Fort, also known as the Lal Qila or Red Fort, is situated on the banks of Yamuna River in Agra, It is among the prime places to visit in Agra City. Uttar Pradesh. The Fort is a UNESCO World Heritage and one of the best forts in India.Agra Fort was originally a brick fort known as Badalgarh, held by Raja Badal Singh, a Hindu Rajput king (1475 AD). Sikandar Lodi was the first Sultan of Delhi to shift his capital from Delhi to Agra. After Sikandar Lodi died in 1517, his son Ibrahim Lodi held the fort for 9 years until he was defeated and killed in the battle of Panipat in 1526. Several palaces, wells and a mosque were built in the fort during the Lodi period.After the First Battle of Panipat in 1526, the victorious Babur stayed in the fort, in the palace of Ibrahim Lodi. He later built a baoli (step well) in the fort. The emperor Humayun was crowned in the fort in 1530. Humayun was defeated at Bilgram in 1540 by Sher Shah. After Humayun reestablished the Mughal Empire in 1555, Agra Fort was reconstructed by the third Mughal emperor Akbar on the remains of Badalgarh. He ordered to renovate the fort with red sandstone. Around 4000 workers were deployed and it was completed in 8 years (1565-1573). Aurangzeb imprisoned his father Shah Jahan in the fort for 8 years until he died in 1666 and was buried in the Taj Mahal. The fort was captured by the Marathas and finally the British in 1803 AD.The fort, semi-circular on plan, is surrounded by a 21.4 m high fortification wall. Two walls made of red sandstone surround the fort. Double ramparts have massive circular bastions at regular intervals. There are four gates on its four sides; one of the gates was called khizri-gate which opens to the river front, where ghats were provided. The fort spreads over an area of about 94 acres of land.The Delhi Gate and the Lahore Gate are the notable gates. The Lahore Gate is also popularly known as the Amar Singh Gate, the Delhi Gate is considered the grandest of the four gates and a masterpiece of Akbar’s time. A wooden drawbridge was used to cross the moat and reach the gate from the mainland. The Amar Singh Gate to the south is the sole entry point to the fort these days.Abdul Fazl, a court historian of Akbar, records that 5000 structures were built here beautifully in Bengali and Gujarati style. Most of these buildings have now disappeared. Shah Jahan himself demolished some of these in order to make room for his white marble palaces. Later, the British destroyed most of the buildings for raising barracks. Hardly 30 Mughal buildings have survived on the southeastern side. Of these, the Delhi-Gate, Akbari-Gate and Bengali-Mahal, are notable structures raised during the reign of Akbar. Within this Fort there are some of the most exquisite architecture of the Mughal Period; like the Moti Masjid, Diwan-i-Khas, Diwan-i-Am and Jahangiri Mahal.

Amer Fort / Amber Fort, Jaipur:

Amber was founded by the Meenas in 967 AD and they dedicated the town to Amba, the Mother Goddess. Around 1037 AD, Amber was conquered by Kachhawa Rajputs and ruled from the 11th to the 18th century, until the capital was moved from Amer to Jaipur. The Amber Fort was built by Raja Man Singh in 1592 AD and it was further expanded by successive rulers. Man Singh was one of the trusted generals of Emperor Akbar and one among the Navaratnas of his court. Later in 1727 AD, Sawai Jai Singh II moved the capital from Amber to Jaipur.The architecture of Amer Fort is influenced by both Hindu and Muslim styles. Among the famous tourist places in Jaipur, Amer Fort was built using red sandstone and overlooks Maota Lake which is the main water source to the Palace. The Palace is divided into four main sections each with separate entry gate and courtyard. Main entry is through the Suraj Pole (Sun Gate) which leads to Jaleb Chowk. This was the place where armies would hold victory parades with their war bounty on their return from battles. It faced east towards the rising sun, hence the name Sun Gate. An impressive stairway from Jaleb Chowk leads into the main palace grounds. Shila Devi Temple and Ganesh Pol are located here.The second courtyard houses the Diwan-i-Am or the Public Audience Hall. Built with a double row of columns, the Diwan-i-Am is a raised platform with 27 colonnades, each of which is mounted with an elephant-shaped capital, with galleries above it. This was the place where the general public assembled to meet the King and address their grievances.The third courtyard is where the private quarters of the Maharaja, his family and attendants were located. This courtyard is entered through the Ganesh Pol or Ganesh Gate, which is embellished with mosaics and sculptures. The courtyard has two buildings, one opposite to the other, separated by a garden laid in the fashion of the Mughal Gardens.Sheesh Mahal or the Mirror Palace is one of the prime attractions of Amer Fort. The ceiling and the walls of Sheesh Mahal are engraved with innumerable pieces of mirrors with stunning floral paintings on them. When candles were lit in the room at night, the whole room appears like a sky filled with stars due to the reflection of the mirrors. The other building seen in the courtyard is the Sukh Mahal (Hall of Pleasure). The amazing huge doors of Sukh Mahal are made of ivory and sandalwood. There is a water channel running through the hall, which carried cool water that worked as an air cooler. Sukh Niwas was the place where the Kings used to spend time with their queens. South of this courtyard lies the Palace of Man Singh I, which is the oldest part of the fort.The fourth courtyard is Zenana where the royal women lived. This courtyard has many living rooms where the queens used to reside. All the rooms open into a common corridor. Diwan-e-Khas or the Hall of Private Audience is also located in this courtyard. It has stunning mosaic work in glass on the walls. This hall was used by the king for the reception of important guests such as kings, ambassadors, and nobles in private.Jaigarh Fort is situated near Amber Fort with common fortification. Both the forts are connected by a narrow underground passage which is meant as an escape route in times of war to enable the royal family members in the Amer Fort to shift to the more formidable Jaigarh Fort. This fort can be reached on elephants that are available near the Amber Fort. Watching the Light and Sound Show at the Amber Fort is also a great way to spend an evening in Jaipur.

Srijagat Siromaniji Temple, Jaipur

Srijagat Siromani Temple is one of the oldest temple of Amber town. This temple is dedicated to Meera Bai and Lord Krishna.Meera Bai is the wife of Mewar king though in childhood she was a great devotee of Lord Krishna and considered him as her husband. This temple was built during1599 – 1608 AD by the queen Kanakwati, wife of king Man Singh I in the memory of her son Jagat Singh.According to the history, the statue of Lord Krishna in this temple is same statue that Meera Bai used to worship in Mewar. This statue was saved from destruction by rulers of Amer during Mughal war with Mewar and brought safely to Amer.The temple is a perfect example of Nagara style architecture. It consists of a Sanctum, Vestibule and Mandapa with projecting screen window on either side. The temple stands on a high ornate adhisthana. The three storeyed Garbha griha is crowned by Sikhara. The Mandapa is a two storied structure. An attractive mural in the ceiling of assembly hall represents the 17th Century art of Amber. The outer walls of Jagat Siromani temple are adorned with the sculptures of different gods and goddess.

Jal Mahal,Jaipur:

Jal Mahal or the Water Palace is a palace located in the middle of the Man Sagar Lake in Jaipur. This is one of the biggest artificial lakes in Jaipur. The lake used to be a bird watcher’s paradise in the past and was a favorite ground for the Rajput kings of Jaipur for royal duck shooting parties during picnics.

Jal Mahal was built in 18th century by Sawai Madho Singh I. Jal Mahal was constructed for serving the purpose of a summer resort for his family and guests. The palace was renovated and expanded in the 18th century by Madho Singh II. The Jal Mahal palace is considered an architectural beauty built in the Rajput and Mughal styles of architecture. It provides a picturesque view of the lake from the Man Sagar Dam and the surrounding Nahargarh hills. The palace was built using red sandstone. It is a five storied building out of which four floors remain under water when the lake is full and the top floor is exposed. The rectangular Chhatri on the roof is built in Bengali style. The chhatris on the four corners are octagonal. Inside, a staircase connects the lower floors to Chameli Bagh, an aromatic terrace garden on top of the palace which provides a panoramic view of the Aravalli Hills.

The palace has suffered subsidence in the past and also damage due to water logging, which have been repaired under the restoration project undertaken by the Government of Rajasthan. The intricately redecorated interiors of the palace, featuring floral designs are quite attractive. The palace looks mesmerizing in the evenings when the entire structure is immersed in flood lights. A number of migratory birds can also be seen around the Jal Mahal during winters.

City Palace:

The palace was built between 1729 and 1732 AD by Sawai Jai Singh II. He planned and built the outer walls and later additions were made by successive rulers till the end of the 20th century. City Palace was the seat of the Maharaja of Jaipur, the head of the Kachhwa Rajput clan. Part of the palace currently houses a museum, though the major part is still a royal residence. It one of the most famous Jaipur tourist places.The City Palace reflects Rajput, Mughal, and European architectural styles although it was designed according to Vaastushastra. The Palace is laid in a grid pattern with wide avenues and is surrounded by large walls on all sides. It is a unique and remarkable complex of several palaces, pavilions, gardens, and temples. The most prominent structures in the complex are the Chandra Mahal, Mubarak Mahal, Maharani’s Palace, Sri Govind Dev Temple, and the City Palace Museum. Virendra Pol, Udai Pol near Jaleb Chowk, and the Tripoli Gate are the entry gates to the City Palace.Chandra Mahal is the most commanding building in the City Palace complex. It is a seven-storeyed building and each floor has been given a specific name such as the Sukh Niwas, Ranga Mahal, Pritam Niwas, Chhavi Niwas, Shri Niwas, and Mukut Mahal. It contains many unique paintings, mirror work on walls, and floral decorations. Sukh Niwas is painted in Wedgewood blue fully decorated with white lining. It has the drawing and dining room of the Maharaja which is fully ornamented with Mughal miniatures, silver and glass dining tables. Shobha Niwas is on the 4th floor of the Chandra Mahal. The Shobha Niwas is fully decorated with mirror walls with blue tiles ornamented with mica and gold leaf. Chhavi Niwas is on the 5th floor which has an elegant floor of blue.At present, most of this palace is the residence of the descendants of the former rulers of Jaipur. Only the ground floor is allowed for visitors where the Maharaja Sawai Man Singh II Museum is located that displays carpets, manuscripts, and other items that belonged to the royal family. There is a beautiful peacock gate at the entry to the Mahal.Mubarak Mahal was built with a fusion of the Islamic, Rajput, and European architectural styles in the late 19th century by Maharaja Madho Singh II as a reception center. The Diwan-i-Aam is an enchanting chamber, with the ceiling painted in rich red and gold color. This chamber, now functioning as an art gallery, has a variety of exhibits like textiles such as royal formal costumes, sanganeri block prints, embroidered shawls, Kashmiri pashminas, and silk saris as part of the Maharaja Sawai Man Singh II Museum.Diwan-i-Khas was a private audience hall of the Maharajas, a marble-floored chamber. It is located between the armory and the art gallery. There are two huge sterling silver vessels of 1.6 m in height and each with a capacity of 4000 liters and weighing 340 kilograms on display here. They were made from 14000 melted silver coins. They are officially recorded by the Guinness Book of World Records as the world’s largest sterling silver vessels.Pritam Niwas Chowk is the inner courtyard, which provides access to the Chandra Mahal. Here, there are four small gates (known as Ridhi Sidhi Pol) that are adorned with themes representing the four seasons and Hindu gods. The gates at the Northeast is a Peacock Gate representing autumn and dedicated to Lord Vishnu; the Southwest gate is Lotus Gate representing summer season and dedicated to Shiva-Parvati; the Northwest gate is Green, also called the Leheriya gate, suggesting spring and dedicated to Lord Ganesha, and, the Rose Gate with repeated flower pattern is Southeast gate representing winter season and dedicated to Goddess Devi.Maharani’s Palace was originally the residence of the royal queens. It has been converted into a museum, where weapons used by the royalty during war campaigns are displayed, including those belonging to the 15th century. The ceiling of this chamber has unique frescoes, which are preserved using jewel dust of semiprecious stones. It also exhibits pistols, ivory handles, cannons, chain mail, and swords.Govind Dev Ji Temple, dedicated to Lord Krishna is part of the City Palace Complex. It was built in the early 18th century. It has European chandeliers and paintings of Indian art. The ceiling in the temple is ornamented in gold. Its location provided a direct view to the Maharaja from his Chandra Mahal palace.

Jantar Mantar, Jaipur:

Jantar Mantar is located near City Palace and Hawa Mahal in Jaipur. It is one of the top tourist places in Jaipur City. This monument is the largest of the five astronomical observatories present in India. The other four astronomical observatories are located at Delhi, Varanasi, Mathura and Ujjain. It features the world’s largest stone sundial, and is a UNESCO World Heritage site.The Jantar Mantar was built by the Rajput king Sawai Jai Singh II and completed in 1738 AD. The name is derived from jantar means yantra and mantar means calculation. The Jaipur observatory was functional for seven years only, as the Maharaja was not very successful in deriving accurate, astronomical observations. It was later restored in the year 1901 and was declared as a national monument in the year 1948.The monument features masonry, stone and brass instruments that were built using astronomy and instrument design principles of ancient Hindu Sanskrit texts. The instruments allow the observation of astronomical positions with the naked eye. It features the world’s largest stone sundial Samrat Yantra. Jantar Mantar also includes about 15 astronomical instruments of various geometrical shapes and sizes. These instruments are used for measuring time, accurately determining the celestial altitude and predicting the occurrence of eclipses.The Samrat Yantra, Jaiprakash Yantra and Hindu Chhatri are the popular structures within the Jantar Mantar. The big sundial or the Samrat Yantra is one of the major attractions of the observatory. This can show the time with an accuracy of only two-second difference from the local time of Jaipur. Samrat Yantra is 27.4 m in height and used to forecast the commencement of monsoon on Guru Purnima, even today. Rashivalayas Yantra, Dakshina Yantra, Disha Yantra, Unnathamsa Yantra, Raj Yantra, Narivalya Yantra and the Dhruv Yantra are the other structures in Jantar Mantar.

Hawa Mahal

The renowned Hawa Mahal or the Palace of Winds was constructed in 1799 by Maharaja Sawai Pratap Singh as a continuation to the stunning City Palace. The main architect of this palace is Lal Chand Ustad and the palace is believed to have been constructed in the form of the crown of Krishna, the Hindu God.

Hawa Mahal was built in Rajputana architectural style. The palace is constructed of beautiful red and pink sandstone and it looks like a five storeyed Pyramid. The palace stands on a podium which is fifty feet high from base. Its unique five-storey exterior has 953 small windows called jharokhas decorated with intricate latticework. The original intention of the lattice was to allow royal ladies to observe everyday life in the street below without being seen. Through these windows, cool air enters in the palace and makes the inner environment cool and pleasant.The entrance of the palace is a door which opens up to a special courtyard which is surrounded by several two-storey building. Of the five storeys of the Mahal, the top three storeys have the thickness of a single room while the bottom storeys have courtyards. The interior of the palace is very elegant. The upper floors of the palace can be reached by climbing the narrow ramps. There are no stairs inside the Hawa Mahal.The palace is now maintained by the Archaeological Department. There is a small museum located in the premises of Hawa Mahal that houses ancient artifacts related to the Rajput lifestyle. From Hawa Mahal, one can get an excellent view of Jaipur City.

Albert Hall Museum, Jaipur

The Albert Hall Museum is functioning as the State Museum of Rajasthan. The Hall was built by Maharaja Sawai Ram Singh II. The foundation stone of Albert Hall was laid during the visit of the Prince of Wales, Albert Edward to Jaipur in 1876 and it was completed in 1887. The building was designed by Sir Samuel Swinton Jacob and was opened as a public museum in 1887. It is also called the Government Central Museum. Maharaja Ram Singh initially wanted this building to be a town hall, but his successor, Madho Singh II, decided it should be a museum for the art of Jaipur.It is a fine example of Indo-European architecture. The design of the museum is quite similar to the Victoria and Albert Museum in London. The museum building includes many archways, towers, and courtyards. With its beautifully elaborate domes and carved arches constructed from inlaid sandstone, Albert Hall is an impressive structure, and among the must-visit places during your Jaipur trip. The corridors were decorated with several murals including the Ramayana, reproducing paintings from illustrations in the Persian Razmnama prepared for Emperor Akbar.This museum houses 19,000 historic objects and has various collections like metalware, ivory work, lacquer work, jewellery, textiles, pottery carved wooden objects, arms and weapons, clay models, sculptures, educational, scientific, and zoological objects, tribal costumes, ceramics, oil, and miniature paintings, inlay work, musical instruments, clocks, and marble statues. The museum also has an array of rare articles on its display including textiles, carpets, flora and fauna of the state, toys, dolls, and even an Egyptian mummy that belongs to the Ptolemaic Epoch. This museum stores the most famous Persian Golden Carpet which was purchased by Raja Jai Singh from Persian King Shah Abba

Jaipur Zoo, Jaipur

The zoo was opened in 1877 and is located near to the Albert Hall Museum. The Zoo is divided into two parts, the Animal Section and the Bird Section along with reptiles. One can spot more than 70 species of animals, birds and reptiles. The animal section accommodates a number of animal species like Lions, leopards, tigers, white tigers and panthers. One can also spot hyenas, alligators, tortoises, jackals, foxes, bears, and a diversity of deer. The zoo is also the residence of some multicolored species of birds that comprise geese, ducks, babbling lorry, white peacock, pheasant, swans, storks, parrots, love birds and countless feathery birds.In year 1999, the crocodile breeding farm was established in Jaipur Zoo which is the fourth largest breeding farm in India. A museum was also constructed inside the zoo which exhibits the wildlife of Rajasthan. The greenhouse, an aviary, a herbarium and the sports ground are additional attractions of the zoo.

Birla Mandir

Birla Mandir is a popular Hindu temple located in Ashutosh Chowdary Avenue in Kolkata, West Bengal. Placed opposite to Ballygunge Post Office, it is one of the popular Birla temples in India and among the most visited places in Kolkata.Built by the industrialist Birla family, the temple is dedicated to Lord Krishna and his beloved Radha. The construction of the temple began in 1970 but it was completed in 1996. The Pran Prathistha ceremony of the idols was done by Swami Chidananda Maharaj. The magnificent Birla Mandir of Kolkata is an exemplary work of art and is one of the finest architectural beauties of the city.The temple represents a beautiful blend of traditional and contemporary art. The colossal structure stands at 160 feet above the ground and is spread over 44 kathas of land. The architectural pattern of the temple is partly inspired by the Laxmi Narayan Temple and Lingaraj Temple of Bhubaneswar. The entire temple has been constructed with sandstone and white marble. The interiors of the temple are laid with exquisite marble carvings that depict shlokas and pictorial engravings from the Bhagavat Gita. The engraving is spectacularly eye-catching. The ceiling of the temple is bedecked with breath-taking chandeliers and electric diyas that add marvelous luster and shine to the interior. Apart from the beautiful Radha-Krishna idols, Lord Ganesh, Lord Hanuman, Lord Shiva, ten avatars of Lord Vishnu and Goddess Durga are the other deities revered here. The most fascinating feature of this temple is the evening ‘Aarti’. The serene and sublime atmosphere of the temple offers much peace and tranquility to the mind. Devotees and visitors in huge numbers come here from all around the globe, especially during Janmashtami which is celebrated here with great vigor