Jaigarh Fort Jaipur, Entry Ticket, Timings, Guide, History, How to Reach, Location

Jaigarh Fort Jaipur, Entry Ticket, Timings, Guide, History, How to Reach, Location. About Jaigarh Fort Jaipur, Location of Jaigarh Fort, Visiting Time, Entry Fees of Jaigarh Fort, Camera Charges, Guide at Jaigarh Fort, History of Jaigarh Fort, Interesting Facts, Things to Do, Architecture, Best time to visit Jaigarh Fort, How to Reach Jaigarh Fort.

About Jaigarh Fort, Jaipur

Jaigarh Fort is a grand structure perched on the top of the ‘Cheel ka Teela’ hills in the Pink City of Jaipur. This magnificent edifice was commissioned by Sawai Jai Singh II in the year 1726 to protect Amer Fort. Cradled on the top of the cliff it is a palatial structure bounded by verdant greenery and massive battlements. This magnificent fort is connected to Amer Fort through subterranean passages and is famously known as the “Fort of Victory” as it was never conquered. The fort currently houses the world’s largest cannon on wheels and offers a magnificent view of the Jaipur city.

Conceptualized and designed by a talented architect called Vidhyadhar, Jaigarh fort is said to be the strongest of all the three forts and never faced any major resistance and test-fired the world’s largest cannon only once. The fort reflects the city’s prosperous past and is named after the ruler who got it built, Sawai Jai Singh II. Built with an original purpose of protecting Amer Fort, the palace within the complex of Jaigarh fort is architecturally similar to the Amer Fort. Other than its elaborate architecture, the fort is also known for its huge treasure that was believed to be buried under it. It is said that the treasure, when discovered during the 1970s, was seized by the government of Rajasthan.

Location

The Jaigarh Fort is conveniently located at Amber, which is roughly 14 km from the centre of the city of Jaipur.

Visiting Time: All days 9:00 AM – 4:30 PM

Ticket

Entry Fees: For Indian visitors, it is Rs. 35; for foreigners, it is Rs. 85

Camera Charges: Rs. 50 and Video camera charges are Rs. 200.

Phone No: +91-141-2671848, +91-141-5110598

Guide are available on affordable fee.

History

The Jaigarh Fort is an opulent structure built in the early 18th century. Amer, the city in which the Jaigarh and the Amer fort are located, was ruled by the Kachawahas from the early 10th century.
During the Mughal dynasty, the Jaigarh Fort became their empire’s main cannon foundry and was also used as storage stronghold to store ammunition and other metal required for war.
During the successive wars that broke out in the Mughal dynasty in 1658, the cannon outpost at the Jaigarh fort was protected until the protector, Dara Shikoh, was defeated and executed by his own brother, Aurangzeb.
Later, the fort was handed over to Jai Singh II and he is known to have molded the great ‘Jaivana Cannon’, along with using the devices and the foundries inside the fort.

Interesting Facts

• Jaigarh Fort was one of the main cannon foundries during Emperor Shah Jahan’s rule as there were many rich iron ore mines in the region.
• Did you know that two former rulers of Jaigarh Fort, Major General Man Singh II and Sawai Bhawani Singh also served in the Indian Army post Independence?
• The main attraction of the fort is the Jaivana Cannon, one of the largest cannons at the time, weighing 50 tonnes and having a 20.19 feet barrel and 11 inch diameter. As the canno rests on four wheels instead of two, it could be turned in 360 degrees, thus making it possible to fire in all the four directions. Since, there were no bitter relations with the Mughals then and there was peace, the cannon was fired only once.
• Though a strong and beautiful fort, it was never home to any rulers but was mainly used for manufacturing artilleries.
• Built of red sandstone, this is a fortified fort and still maintains its magnificence and pride.
  It is the watchtower that is the best place in the fort to be as it gives an astounding view of the splendid environs.
• There are two temples within the fort premises – Kal Bhairav Temple was built in the 12th century while the Ram Harihar Temple is a 10th century construction; a must-visit.
• Jaigarh Fort was in news in 1977 when the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi was said to have launched a treasure hunt in the fort premises. Though the search by an army unit continued for three months, they didn’t find anything. Bad news for others but good news for the fort as it was left undisturbed.

Things to Do

There are various attractions near Jaigarh Fort and you can cover many of the places in a day’s tour.

• Participate in the water heritage walk which was launched in 2013 which aims to inform visitors about the catchment area for the fort and also about the vast network of canals and drains that were a part of the fort.
• There is a new gallery, the royal guards’ gallery which in addition to showcasing the fort architecture also provides a glimpse into teh life and work of Sawai Man Signh II and Sawai Bhawani Singh, former rulers of the fort.

Important Battles

The Jaigarh fort was never conquered in battle, and was also the strongest of the three forts in Jaipur. During the Mughal dynasty, the fort bore witness to an ambush by Aurangzeb who defeated and killed his own brother who was the overseer of the cannon outpost in the fort. Apart from that, the fort never witnessed any major resistance, and only test-fired the world’s largest cannon, once.

Architecture

Jaigarh Fort is an imposing and remarkable structure spreading across a vast range. Protected by thick walls of red sandstone, the fort houses some of the most exquisite architectures including Lalit Mandir, Vilas Mandir, Laxmi Vilas and Aram Mandir. Two other temples, Ram Harihar built in 10th century and Kal Bhairav temple built in the 12th century add to the fascination of the fort. However, the main highlight of the place is world’s greatest cannon on wheels known as the ‘Jaivana Cannon’ and a vast palace complex. Other than that, one can witness a well-tended garden along with an armory and a museum.

The red sandstone walls of the Jaigarh Fort are spread over a length of 3 kilometres and are about a kilometer wide, making the establishment an impregnable one. A well tended square garden sits within the bounds of the fort and embankments are constructed to provide access to the upper levels of the structure. Courtrooms and halls are delicately embellished with screened windows while a central watch tower overlooks the entire surrounding landscape. The entry to the Aram Mandir is through the Awani Darwaza which is a magnificent triple – arched entrance. Aram Mandir provides an exquisite view of the Sagar Lake located nearby.

The palace complex comprises of

• Diwan-i-am
• Khilbat Niwas
• Subhat Niwas
• Aram Mandir
• Vilas Mandir

Best time to visit

The best time to visit Jaigarh Fort is during the winter months i.e. from early November to February. During monsoon season, the place is lush green and provides a great respite from the scorching heat of summer sun. Morning and evening hours are ideal for a stroll in the fort premises.

How to Reach

Jaigarh Fort may be reached from Jaipur at ease by road. One may take a taxi or cab, and even frequent buses run by Rajasthan Road Transport Corporation are available. The buses are well-furnished, with comfortable seats and air conditioning. One may also take an auto-rickshaw, which will charge not less than Rs. 500. Sometimes, tourists opt for one of the several packages offered by the travel guides, which includes a whole-day excursion to all the three forts nearby: the Jaigarh Fort, the Nahargarh fort and the Amber Fort.