Rajasthan
EASTERN
R AJASTHAN
Rajasthan
ACT iViTiES
Rajasthan
JA iPUR
1 City Edge
Nahargarh ̈ FORT
(Tiger Fort; indian/foreigner ₹10/30; h10am-
5pm) Built in 1734 and extended in 1868,
this sturdy fort overlooks the city from a
sheer ridge to the north. The views are glo-
rious – it’s a great sunset spot, and there’s a
terrace ̈restaurant (h4am-10pm) on a ram-
part at the far end that’s perfect for a beer.
Cute Durgh ̈Cafe ̈(h8am-10pm), in a court-
yard within the palace building, also does
food and booze. The best way to visit is to
walk or take a cycle-rickshaw (₹50 from MI
Rd) to the end of Nahargarh Fort Rd, then
climb the steep winding path to the top (
minutes). To drive, you have to detour via
the Amber area in a circuitous 20km round
trip.
Royal ̈Gaitor ̈ HiSTORiC S iTE
(Gatore ki Chhatryan; indian/foreigner ₹20/30;
h9am-5pm) The royal cenotaphs, just out-
side the city walls, beneath Nahargarh, are
an appropriately restful place to visit and
feel remarkably undiscovered. The stone
monuments are beautifully and intricately
carved. Maharajas Pratap Singh, Madho
Singh II and Jai Singh II, among others, are
honoured here. Jai Singh II has the most
impressive marble cenotaph, with a dome
supported by 20 carved pillars.
The cenotaphs ̈ of ̈ the ̈ maharanis ̈ of ̈
Jaipur (Maharani ki Chhatri; Amber Rd; indian/
foreigner ₹20/30; h9am-5pm) are also worth
a visit. They lie between Jaipur and Amber,
opposite the Holiday Inn.
2 ̈Activities
Several hotels will let you use their pool for
a daily fee; the pick of the bunch is the beau-
tiful garden pool at Narain ̈Niwas ̈Palace ̈
Hotel (nonguests ₹200), beside which is Orra ̈
Spa (%2563448; massage treatments from ₹800;
h9am-7pm).
Kerala ̈Ayurveda ̈Kendra ̈ AYURVEDA
(%4006060; http://www.keralaayurvedakendra.com;
D-259 Devi Marg, Bani Park; h9am-9pm) Small,
understated yet professionally-run ay-
urvedic treatment centre. Ordinary mas-
sages (full-body from ₹500) are excellent
value. Treatments also include sirodhara
(where a thin stream of oil is poured con-
tinuously over your forehead; from ₹1200)
and pizhichil (where your body is drenched
in litres of oil before being fully massaged;
from ₹1400).
Kerala ̈Ayurveda ̈ AYURVEDA
(%4022422; http://www.keralaayurveda.biz; 52 Dhul-
eswar Bagh, Sadar Patel Marg; h9am-8pm) More
upmarket than others, but still friendly
and good value, with back massages from
₹800. It also does synchronised massages
with a steam bath for couples (₹1300 per
person). They sell oils and therapy treat-
ments, and offer consultations (₹150) with
an ayurvedic-trained doctor (every day at
5.30pm).C ̈Courses
Sakshi ̈ BlOCK PRiNT iNG
(%2731862; laxmi Colony, Sanganer Village; half-/
full-day ₹1500/3000 per person; h10am-5pm)
You can do block-printing courses in nearby
Sanganer village (p125).Maharaja ̈Sawai ̈Mansingh ̈
Sangeet ̈Mahavidyalaya ̈ MUS iC, DANCE
(%9829789790, 93141292155; http://www.msmsmv.com;
Chandni Chowk, City Palace) Lessons in tradi-
tional Indian music and dance are available
at this well-established outfit near Jantar
Mantar.T ̈Tours
RTDC ̈ SiGHTSEEiNG
(%2200778; [email protected]; RTDC tourist informa-
tion bureau, Platform 1, Jaipur train station; half-/
full-day tours ₹250/300; h8am-6.30pm Mon-Sat)HEAVEN-PIERCING ̈MINARET
Looking down over Tripolia Bazaar, near
the City Palace, is the unusual Iswari ̈
Minar ̈Swarga ̈Sal (Heaven Piercing
Minaret; admission ₹20; h9am-4.30pm).
This 35m-tall tower was erected by Jai
Singh’s son Iswari, who later ignomini-
ously killed himself by snake bite (in
the Chandra Mahal) rather than face
the advancing Maratha army – 21 wives
and concubines then did the necessary
noble thing and committed jauhar (ritu-
al mass suicide by immolation) on his
funeral pyre. You can spiral to the top
of the minaret for excellent views over
the Old City. The entrance is around the
back of the row of shops fronting Chan-
dpol Bazaar – take the alley 50m west
of the minaret along Chandpol Bazaar
or go via the Atishpol entrance to the
City Palace compound, 150m east of
the minaret.