Amber and Jaigarh Fort
About the city
Amber Village
Leaving Jalebi Chowk by Chandpol (the Moon Gate) you can walk down to the Jagat Shiromani Temple. Purely Rajput in style, this enshrines images of Krishna and Radha and, behind them, Vishnu and Lakshmi. The mixture of stone is unusual in a temple, and some of the sculpture is very fine. The cobbled street below leads to the bus- stand in the village.Allow plenty of time for Amber. It is not hard to spend a whole day here; enjoy the more popular buildings between the lemming groups, and find peace in the quieter places.
Passing through Ghati Darwaza, part of the outer defences of Amber, you see Moata Lake and Amber Palace; get off here and walk the rest of the way to enjoy the view. Cross the dam- the gardens and pavilions here provided accommodation for high- ranking Muslims on pilgrimage to Ajmer- and join the steep path up to the palace entrance. You could even take an elephant ride uphill but be sure as your bones will rattle for a long time.
Ambar Palace, the capital of the state of Dhundar, was built in two main stages. The newer part, where you are now, is the work of Jai Singh I (1622- 1667). The older zenana palace (missed by most visitors) dates to the reign of Man Singh I (1589- 1615). Jalebi Chowk is entered by Surajpol (Sun Gate), and was the quarters of the royal guards. Try an elephant ride here, much cheaper than riding one up from the village. The terrace of the restaurant gives a view of other palaces and temples in the old city.
In one corner is the Shila Devi Temple, dedicated to Kali whose ferocious pictures decorate the silver doors. More like a white marble mosque inside, the temple was completely rebuilt to this form earlier this century. The temple is closed noon- 4pm, and photography is banned. Beside the temple, steps lead up to Singhpol (Lion Gate). The first courtyard is dominated by the Diwan- I- Am, a superb building on Mughal lines. Too superb, perhaps, for Jehangir became jealous, and the columns had to be camouflaged with plaster. The zenana screens round the roof gallery which rather spoil the proportions are a 19th century addition, as is the closed room at the back.
Ganeshpol separates the public part of the palace from the private. Note the jail screens allowing the royal women to watch proceedings in the Diwan- I- Am, and the image of Ganesh above the gate. Inside is a small formal garden and, on the left, the Jai Mandir (Jai's Palace) which functioned as a hall of private audience. It is also known as the Shish Mahal which means Mirror Palace, as the suite of three rooms is brilliantly decorated with tiny mirrors, coloured glass, and carved plaster. Wait for the custodians to open one of the side rooms for a group, these are even prettier. Facing this over the garden is the Sukh Niwas (Hall of Pleasure), a summer palace cooled by a cascade of water combined with air vents. The water was raised from the lakes by a series of Persian wheels.
At a higher level, the upper part of Ganeshpol is the Sohag Mandir, richly decorated. Above the Jai Mandir is the Jas Mandir (Hall of Glory). The terrace in front of these marble rooms was used for moonlit durbans and music recitals. The windows overlook the lake and the Mohan Bari, a formal garden. From here you can enter the palace of Man Singh I, which became the zenana (women's palace) when the new palace was built. This is a rabbit warren of passages and tiny rooms. You'II really enjoy Amber Palace. Its spectacular location- atop a hill overlooking the Moata lake- has impressed visitors for centuries.