Monkey Temple, Albert Museum, Cenotaphs, and Home Dinner

We had another terrific breakfast under the banyon tree on the terrace of our hotel restaurant.  We left the hotel at 9 with Singh and Santosh to go to Galta Ji Temple, known as Monkey Temple.  It is a sacred complex a few kilometers east of Jaipur, set among hills and natural water pools, known for its peaceful setting and resident monkeys.  Just as we arrived, rain poured, so we ducked into one of the temples until the rain passed.  Monkey Temple is a very interesting place!

We drove back into the heart of Jaipur and visited Albert Hall Museum, the oldest museum in the state of Rajasthan, with local art, textiles, and history exhibitions.  Just as we arrived, a young Indian girl approached me, with her family, and asked us to have our photo taken with them.  This is not the first time this has happened.  The Albert Hall Museum opened in 1887 and is a beautiful example of Indo-Saracenic architecture.  

Our next stop was at Gaitore ki Bawdi, owned by the Royals, the site is filled with cenotaphs of only royals.  Its location is at the end of the road, in a quiet place, with beautifully detailed, elegant cenotaphs.  It was a hidden gem.  

This evening, we were invited to have dinner with family friends of our tour guide, Singh.  Our hosts were Dr. Meeta Singh and her husband, Dr. Ashok Singh.  Meeta is a doctor, humanitarian, and founder of Dignity of Girl Child Foundation.  Ashok is an Opthamologist.  We enjoyed conversation with them, about their lives and careers, what they are currently doing, and we had a typical Indian dinner together in their home.  It was a fascinating evening!

Jaipur

We had a wonderful breakfast under a banyan tree, on the terrace of our hotel restaurant.  Our guide and driver picked us up at 9, and we went to Amer Fort, located about 12 km from our hotel.  Amer Fort is a hilltop complex built by Raja Man Singh I in 1592, and named a UNESCO world heritage site in 2013.  It blends Hindu and Mughal architecture, featuring red sandstone and marble.  It is known for its Hall of Mirrors, its halls of Public and Private Audience, its courtyards and gardens.  It is impressive!

We stopped to take a photo of Jal Mahal, an 18th century, five story palace located in the middle of Jaipur’s Man Sagar Lake.  Built of red sandstone, the bottom three levels are submerged.  It was built as a hunting lodge for royal families.

Our next stop was at Jantar Mantar, an astronomical observation site built in the early 18th century, by Rajput King Sarai Jai Singh, and completed in 1734.  It includes a set of 20 main fixed instruments, designed for the observation of astronomical positions.  It features the world’s largest stone sundial.  It is the most significant, comprehensive, and best preserved of India’s historic observatories.  It was named a UNESCO world heritage site in 2010.

We stopped to take a photo of Hawal Mahal, known as “Palace of Winds,” known for it’s unique five-story, honeycomb shaped facade featuring 953 small latticed windows, and made of pink sandstone.  Commissioned in 1799 by Maharaja Sawai Pratap Singh, it allowed royal women to observe street life while maintaining privacy, creating a cooling breeze through the structure.  

We walked to the City Palace, a royal residence today, and former administrative headquarters of the rulers of Jaipur.  Constructed of the palace began soon after establishment of the city of Jaipur, and was completed in 1732.  Jaipur remained the capital of the kingdom until 1949, when it became the capital of the present-day state of Rajasthan.  The City Palace continues to be the home of the Jaipur royal family, and the Maharajah Sawai Man Singh II Museum. 

After a local, typical lunch with our guide, Singh, we visited a weaving and fabric printing shop.  They were eager to show us their products, but we weren’t buying today.