The Amber Fort Jaipur is a fortress and Palace complex in Jaipur which is a great piece of Hindu architecture with sprinkles of the Mughal Style, located on the foothills of Aravalli overlooking the Maota Lake in front of the views of the Amber Fort complex mesmerizes the onlookers the vast golden infrastructure and the grace in its vicinity added by the small foothills, gardens and views of Jaigarh Fort (where it is said to be the largest cannon in the world) in the backdrop. Located at a distance of 10k.m ride from City Palace or the Palace of Winds a.k.a Hawa Mahal Jaipur the fort stands testimony to the capital city of Rajasthan.
It opens at 8:00 AM till 5:30 PM & at night Amber Fort timings are 6:30 PM – 9:30 PM
Half a km walk from the base to the gate of the Amer Fort Jaipur. Once inside the courtyard with trees on the vast courtyard over the hills, whose floor at night is lit as such recreating the stars beneath.
From here a few more stairs and we reach the Diwan-e-Aam which translates to the hall of the commons which the people of the state visited at the time of the kings. It’s a great stone-carved structure made of red sandstone.
On the right is the main entrance to the Amber Palace known as the Ganesh Pol named after Lord Ganesh the son of SHIVA and the god of prosperity and wealth. The gate is decorated with a painting of Lord Ganesh and the carved windows above through which the royal ladies used to watch the processions as they were not allowed to come out barefaced in front of the public.
Inside the private part of the Amber Fort, Jaipur are gardens with fountains the path leads us to the Diwan-e-Khas the most special palace at Amer which was for the royals and their close friends and ministers. Enveloped among marbles and great interiors made out of pieces of mirrors is the Sheesh Mahal or the Mirror Palace, these small mirror pieces are used to create images of flower pots, stars, and other abstract designs. It is said in earlier days when a candle was lit in this palace it got reflected from the mirrors and created the stars indoors, now one can experience the charisma of the place as it is among the few monuments in India that are open to visitors at night.
Opposite to the Sheesh Mahal complex is the air-cooled compartment of Amber Fort known as the Sukh Niwas or the relaxing place with water channels flowing through it creating cooling effects in the harsh summers of Rajasthan, India. The walls are carved in shapes of flower vases and filled in different colors more of Islamic in nature but add a charisma to the cool ambiance. This palace has a chariot and an old ivory and sandalwood gate on display but is not so good condition as the wood just parted off with time.
The next compartment is the Zenana or the place for the women of the Palace with a small lobby for the queen’s in the middle of the courtyard and surrounded by personal rooms of the many queens. At one end of the Zenana was the Palace for the King of Jaipur which once used to be the most special place of the Palace decorated with his riches but now all that remains is a painting of Lord Krishna and Radha on the pillar in the center of the room, rest all were whitewashed, Sadly.
After the formation of Independent India most parts of Amber Fort Jaipur were painted white in an effort to make them look shiny and new but rather than preserving the heritage, the government made a failed attempt at destroying the elegance, heritage, and charm of the past lost to the whitewash.
What are the entrance Fees for Amber Fort Jaipur for Foreign Tourists?
Entrance fees of Amber Fort for Foreign tourists are INR 550 and INR 150 for Foreign Students.
The tickets can be taken at the Amber Fort or booked on the Rajasthan government ticketing system.