A To Do List For When You Are In Jaipur

You made it to Jaipur! Now what?

From the autowallah who brought you from the station to your hotel to the friendly staff of the hotel all have plans for you. Somebody wants to take you shopping somebody else wants you to go out for dinner. But you want to know your options.  How best to manage with limited time, money & energy you have at your disposal.

This is the list of options you have when in Jaipur…

When you reach a new town the first thing you ask is’ yahan dekne ko kya hai?’

Jaipur has forts, palaces, temples, gardens, museums & an artificially maintained recycled  fresh water lake among other things.

Let us begin with the forts. The three forts protecting Jaipur, built atop the Aravali Mountains are Amber, Jaigarh & Nahargarh. These forts are especially worth a visit during the monsoons as the Aravalies are covered in a solid green of vegetation freshly washed by the yearly monsoon.

Jaipur is also known as Choti Kashi because of the number of new & old temples it has. Some of the main ones are Shilla Devi at Amber, Ganesh Temple & Birla Mandir at Moti Doongri, Govind Devji at the City Palace of Jaipur & the Galtaji.

There are museums in the City Palace Complex,  Jaigarh Fort, Albert Hall, Dolls museum, Alice Garg Sea Shells Museum and the Alankar Museum at the Jawahar Kala Kendra on JLN Marg.

There are scores of gardens in Jaipur but the main ones are Sisodia Rani Ka Baagh, Kanak Vrindavan Garden, Central Park, Ram Niwas Garden & Jawahar Circle with its world class fountain & Rose Garden.

If you are visiting during the festival time, fly kites, play holi or see the Jaipur markets decorated to welcome the Goddess Laxshmi.

The newly refurbished Jal Mahal Palace in the middle of the Man Sagar Lake is definitely worth a visit. They take you to the palace in boats.

The palace section of the Amber fort with the imposing entrance gate is not to be missed, either.

An early morning walk in the Central Park or on the shore of the Man Sagar Lake.

You can go birding in the Central Park, Man Sagar Lake Or the KCK Simriti Ban on JLN Marg.

Take pictures of the monuments of Jaipur at different hours of the day like sunrise or sunset.

During the winters Hot Air Balloon rides are being provided by  SKYWALTZ in the picturesque areas around Jaipur.

Take a packed meal & go for a picnic in the hills around Jaipur.

Have Dal-Baati-Choorma at Natraj resturant on M.I.Road.

Have Laal Maans at Niros resturant on the M.I. Road.

Have rajasthani vegetarian meal at the LMB in Johri Bazar or at Chokhi Dhani.

Have barbeque at the Talk Of The Town,M.I.Road

Sample Heritage liquor/ buy some to take home.

Have Chaat at Link Road next to Saraogi Mansion Or in one of the Kanah Restruants

Buy Ghewar & Mishri Mawa at LMB to take back home with you.

Buy mawa ki kachori from Rawat near Polo Victory Complex, to take back home with you.

Have piyaz ki kacori & mirchi badas at Rawat.

Have Methi Lassi on M.I.Road from the Lassiwalla next to the Charmica.

When on a fast have Falahar at the Falahar counter at the Saraogi Mansion Counter or the Ahimsa Circle counter or at the Raja Park Counter.

Take in a Bollywood Movie at the Raj Mandir Cinema Hall, a single screen movie Hall.

Have a date with ‘heavenly bodies’ & visit the Planetarium at the Science Park in Shastri Nagar or at the Statue Circle.

When visiting Jaigarh Fort hire a guide to learn how cannons were built there because it is also the home of the biggest cannon of the world, the Jaibaan. The Jaibaan was built here and is housed here presently.

Take in a light & sound show at the Amber or at the Amar Jawan Jyoti out side the SMS stadium.

Have your pictures clicked at the Birla Mandir in a traditional costumes

or have a black & white picture taken from an antique camera outside the Hawamahal Palace.

Buy & learn to tie a Saree or a Dhoti or A Turban.

Ride in Jaipur Bus

Buy & read A Princess Remembers by Maharani Gayatri Devi

Pay a token sum to JDA and plant trees in remembrance of a loved one or to mark an occasion.

Read local news-papers one morning. You will realize that the Jaipur folks concerns are more or less the same as yours.

Take a walk in the walled city and see the numerous wares on sale.

Take a walk in Amber.

Buy a puppet to take back home.

Buy Gotta.

Buy Pabu ji ki Paad painting & find out its stories.

Go shopping for Lac Bangles or other stuff made of lac.

Buy stuff made of terracotta & blue pottery.

Buy a bhandej or laheriya Saari.

Buy Jaipuri Razaais(quilts).

Buy choorans & sooparis from Link Road near Sarawgi Mansion.

Spend an evening at the JKK visiting an art exhibition or a play & have a cup of coffee at the India Coffee House counter there.

Have cakes & pastries at the Bake Hut off M.I. Road or Hot Breads on Sarojni Marg or Bakewell in Raja Park.

Have Gulabjamun & rasmalai at the Natraj resturant, M.I.Road.

Visit the  stamps museum in the Jaipur GPO on M.I.Road.

Have Dosa at the Garden Cafe near Statue Circle or Sankalp off M.I.Road opp. Tanishq.

Have “kangan” at Gangaur Sweets near Bagdia Bhawan Market.

Visit the Samode Palace Hotel in Samode  for lunch.

Buy marble statues from Khazanewalon ka rasta.

If you have the time and the inclination visit Pushkar( Brahma Temple) or Bhangarh (ruins of a haunted town) or Abhaneri ( a huge stepwell) near Jaipur.

This list could have missed your pet past time in Jaipur so please feel free to share it with others in the comments section of this post.