About Jaipur Forts in Bhan Nagar, Queens Road, Jaipur

Jaipur Foundation : 18th November 1727
Jaipur Founded by : Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II
Ruling Period : 1699 to 1744
Advisory Architect : Vidyadhar Chakravarty
Jaipur the capital of Rajasthan state in India was founded in 1727 by Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II, a Kachwaha Rajput, who ruled Jaipur State from 1699-1744. Initially his capital was Amber (Pronounced as Amer), which lies at a distance of 11 km from Jaipur. He felt the need of shifting his capital city with the increase in population and growing scarcity of water. Jaipur is the first planned city of India and the King took great interest while designing this city of victory. He consulted several books on architecture and architects before making the layout of Jaipur.
After several battles with Marathas, Jai Singh was keen on the security aspect of the city. Due to this reason, he focused on his scientific and cultural interests to make a brilliant city. Being, a lover of mathematics and science, Jai Singh sought advice from Vidyadhar Chakravarty, a Brahmin scholar of Bengal, to aid him design the city architecture. Vidyadhar referred the ancient Indian literature on astronomy, books of Ptolemy and Euclid, and discussed the plan with the King.
With a strategic plan, the construction of the city started in 1727. It took around 4 years to complete the major palaces, roads and square. The city was built following the principles of Vastu Shastra (Science of architecture and construction). The city was divided into nine blocks, out of which two consist the state buildings and palaces, whereas the remaining seven blocks were allotted to the public. In order to ensure the security, huge fortification walls were made along with seven strong gates.
According to that time, architecture of the town was very advanced and certainly the best in Indian subcontinent. In 1878, when Prince of Wales visited Jaipur, the whole city was painted in Pink color to welcome him and after that Jaipur was titled ‘Pink City’. Still, the neat and broadly laid-out avenues, painted in pink provide a magical charm to the city. Jaipur is rich in its cultural and architectural beauty, which can be traced in the various historical and aesthetic places that reside in the city. This city of victory really wins the hearts of the people with its splendid charisma.
In the 19th century the city grew rapidly and became prosperous; by 1900 it had a population of 160,000. The city's wide boulevards were paved and lit with gas. The city had several hospitals. Its chief industries were in metals and marble, fostered by a school of art founded in 1868. The city also had three colleges, including a Sanskrit college (1865) and a girls' school (1867) initiated under the reign of the enigmatic Maharaja Sawai Ram Singh II. There was also a wealthy and enterprising community of native bankers, particularly the Jains and the Marwaris.
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Forts and palaces, architectural marvels and tales of valour, all in their own way, bear testimony to the glory that Jaipur is and was just after it was conceived by Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh in 1727. Located at 260 km from Delhi, Jaipur was the first planned city of India. Jaipur’s history dates back to the 12th Century when the Kachchwaha clan of Rajputs arrived at the old fort palace of Amber in the Aravali Hills. The Kachchwaha belonged to the Kshatriya (Warrior) caste of Hindus, but they traced their origins back to the Sun, via Kusha, who is the twin son of the god Rama.
You will be happy to know that the Jaipur foundation Anniversary of Jaipur is being celebrated every year with great pomp with the participation of artists, painters, philosophers, literary and cultural institutions and mighty citizens.