Jaipur Excursions
Tonk and the persian art
It is located, 96 kms away from Jaipur. This is a quiet town which was ruled
by tribes of 'Pathans' from Afghanistan. The focal point of Tonk is the Suneri
Kothi, the Golden Bungalow. A fairly ordinary monument from outside, it has
stunningly rich ornamental interiors. There are also some interesting building
that accommodated the British office. Tonk is also famous for its leather and
felt industry and one can pick up a good bargain from the markets. The Nawab
of Tonk was an avid book lover and built a sizable library of Arabic and Persian
manuscripts. Arabic and Persian Research Institute are also located here.
Sanganer
Sanganer is located 16 Kms from Jaipur. It is also known for exquisite Jain
temples. Moreover, it is an important centre for crafts and hand-printed textiles
that is internationally famous.The most beautiful temple in Sanganer is the
ancient Shri Digamber Jain temple. The temple has fine carvings as those of
the magnificent Dilwara temples of Mount Abu. Built in various phases with sky-high
shikharas (spires), the temple represents an old style of architecture. The
last phase was probably built in the 10th century. The beautiful nij-mandir
(inner temple) is a stone shrine with three pinnacles. In the centre is an idol
of Parshwanath with 7 serpent hoods. All around it, are carvings of lotuses,
creepers and elephants pouring water from pitchers held in their trunks. But
the main idol is that of Adinath, installed in the shrine behind this.
The town is most famous for its hand paper and mostly screen-printed fabric.
The fabric is popular for small floral designs. A wide variety of material for
apparels, furnishing and curtaining is available. Some of the traditional designs
were produced in the patronage of the royal family. It is a beautiful sight
to see brightly colour fabric drying out in the sun near the river.
Sawai Jai Singh II set up a paper business in Sanganer on the outskirts of Jaipur.
It is said that in the 16th century, the ruler of Amber, Raja Man Singh, brought
Kagzis to Sanganer (situated on the bank of Saraswati River, where abundant
clear water was available). The town emerged as one of the biggest paper making
centres in northern India. In between, however the industry did get a setback,
but after independence, the Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) included
the handmade paper in its agenda for promotion of crafts.
It is famous for kagazi mohulla (handmade paper) and block printing and is the
world's largest centre of hand-made paper. Sanganer is blessed with water and
open spaces, essential for papermaking. From here the Kagzis enjoyed patronage
of the royal court of Sawai Man Singh and his successors. Today there are about
10 hand-made paper industries in Sanganer, all owned by Kagzis. Of these the
largest is Salim Kagzi's Handmade Paper and Board Industries. All Sanganer paper
makers are the largest producers of hand-made paper in the world. The airport
of Jaipur is also located in Sanganer.
Bagru
It is located 30 kms away from Jaipur on the Ajmer Road and is well known for
its Bagru prints. This technique simulates a wooden block on which the required
design is first carved, then the carved block is used for transferring the motif
in the desired colour on the fabric. This process is most effective on ethnic
floral patterns and for printing in vegetable dyes in traditional Bagru Prints.
Samode
The fort is an old fortified residence of the Nathawat family (hailing from
chomu) that served as the Prime Ministers of the Jaipur Royal Court is located
some 40km from Jaipur and 264 km from Delhi in the range of Aravali. This magnificent
fort is as charming
and
romantic in itself, and exhibits grandeur, good taste, class and elegance. The
way to the fort's main entrance is through the inside of the village, which
can be covered from the highway by a camel safari, with the locals welcoming
the guests with smiles and thrilling expressions. The inside of the fort reflects
expressions of the medieval architecture that is renovated a bit for the oriental
formality. The open courtyards in the centre has separate wings on the sides
that extends to 43 spacious rooms & suites having private balconies and
views. The walls are in warm colours to highlight the intricate marble work,
the antiques and the colourful art with traditional artefacts. The Durbar hall
of Samode Palace is one of the most beautifully painted chambers with glass
& minakari work and the same goes for the private restricted spaces- meant
for the "zannanis", women of the family.
Sariska
This park is situated only 200 km from Delhi and 107 kms from Jaipur. Although
larger than Ranthambor, it is less commercialised and has less tigers but a
similar topography. It covers an area of 800 sq km in total, with a core area
of approximately 500 sq km. The Northern Aravali Hills dominate the skyline
with their mixture of sharp cliffs and long narrow valleys. The area was declared
a sanctuary in 1955 and became a National Park in 1979.
The landscape of Sariska comprises of hills and narrow valleys of the Aravali
hill range. The topography of Sariska supports scrub-thorn arid forests, dry
deciduous forests, rocks and grasses. The broad range of wildlife here is a
wonderful example of ecological adoption and tolerance, for the climate here
is variable as well as erratic.
It is located in the contemporary Alwar district and is the legacy of the Maharajas
of Alwar. Pavilions and Temples within Sariska are ruins that hint at past riches
and glory. The nearby Kankwadi Fort has a long and turbulent history.
In morning and evening, wildlife in Sariska heads towards the many water holes,
which litter the park, thus providing the guests with their best chance of viewing
game. At some of these watering holes it is possible to book hides which are
situated in prime spots for wildlife viewing.
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