Jaipur -- Amber Fort and Palace

We spent two days and nights in Jaipur -- two full days of seeing only a part of what's there to be seen and ogled at.  When I looked at the number of pictures I'd taken, I realized that Jaipur would have to be divided into sections.  I'm starting with the place high on a hill, about 11 kilometers outside of Jaipur -- Amber Fort and Palace.

One of the first things you discover about Amber is that there are two ways to get there:  you can either go by elephant or by car.  Originally, we were going to ride the elephants up, but looking at the line and realizing that the ride could never ever compare with the amazing elephant ride we had through the Topslip Jungle in south India, we decided to save our money and use the extra hour or so we'd have spent waiting in line to see a little more of the fort and palace.  However, I wouldn't want to deprive you of the experience, so here's a small taste. . .

Our driver told us that the elephant rides used to be less crowded, as they were offered all day long.  However, a couple of years ago, one of the elephants, tired and cranky after trudging up and down the long ramp for 10 hours or so, went berserk and severely injured a woman.  After that, the animal rights activists moved in and said that the fault was not with the elephant, but rather with their working conditions.  Thankfully, they won their case and now the rides are only offered between 8 AM and 11 AM each morning.

While each fort or palace in Rajasthan is unique, there is one striking difference about Amber Fort.  It  combines both Rajput and Mughal (Hindu and Muslim) architecture. Unfortunately, it would take a better-trained eye than mine to be completely sure where one style starts and the other begins, as the fort and palace, which overlook Maota Lake, form a unified whole that is a real feast for the eyes.  Here are a few of the sights. . .

Rajasthan clothing differs from that found in other areas of India in several ways, but perhaps the most striking difference is the abundance of reds, oranges, and the deep saffron yellow like that of the sweeper's sari above.

We climbed this staircase up and away from the central courtyard.

The simple white of this colonnade was a relaxing contrast to the more ornate parts of the fort.

I saw towers similar to this one in all of the rajput forts and palaces we visited.

Gate into the palace portion of the fort.

A detail of the mosaic on the gate above.

While the towers and gate above seem rajput in style, this marble panel is more reminiscent of the panels of the Mughal Taj Mahal in Agra.

An audience room for the Maharajah with reclining pillows and hookah, in a setting designed to capture every stray breeze.

In a side alleyway of the palace, a group of boys watched a puppet show in which the snake seemed to be getting the best of the snake charmer.

And just around the corner -- real snake charmers.

These wonderful parasols are to be found only in Rajasthan.

Having wandered around the fort and palace for the better part of two hours, we found our car and driver and headed off to see a couple of other mountain-top sites.  Stay tuned.