SHADES OF CULTURE (8 Nights / 9 Days)

Amer Fort Or Amber Fort Is A Fort Located In Amer, Rajasthan, India. Amer Is A Town With An Area Of 4 Square Kilometres (1.5 Sq Mi) Located 11 Kilometres (6.8 Mi) From Jaipur, The Capital Of Rajasthan. The Town Of Amer And The Amber Fort Were Originally Built By The Mairs, And Later It Was Ruled By Raja Man Singh I. Located High On A Hill, It Is The Principal Tourist Attraction In Jaipur.Amer Fort Is Known For Its Artistic Style Elements. With Its Large Ramparts And Series Of Gates And Cobbled Paths, The Fort Overlooks Maota Lake, Which Is The Main Source Of Water For The Amer Palace.

Hawa Mahal (English Translation: "The Palace Of Winds" Or "The Palace Of Breeze") Is A Palace In Jaipur, India. Made With The Red And Pink Sandstone, The Palace Sits On The Edge Of The City Palace, Jaipur, And Extends To The Zenana, Or Women's Chambers. The Structure Was Built In 1799 By Maharaja Sawai Pratap Singh, The Grandson Of Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh, Who Was The Founder Of Jaipur. He Was So Inspired By The Unique Structure Of Khetri Mahal That He Built This Grand And Historical Palace. It Was Designed By Lal Chand Ustad. Its Unique Five Floors Exterior Is Akin To The Honeycomb Of A Beehive With Its 953 Small Windows Called Jharokhas Decorated With Intricate Latticework. The Original Intent Of The Lattice Design Was To Allow Royal Ladies To Observe Everyday Life And Festivals Celebrated In The Street Below Without Being Seen, Since They Had To Obey The Strict Rules Of "Purdah", Which Forbade Them From Appearing In Public Without Face Coverings. This Architectural Feature Also Allowed Cool Air From The Venturi Effect To Pass Through, Thus Making The Whole Area More Pleasant During The High Temperatures In Summer. Many People See The Hawa Mahal From The Street View And Think It Is The Front Of The Palace, But In Reality It Is The Back Of That Structure.

The City Palace, Jaipur was established at the same time as the city of Jaipur, by Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II, who moved his court to Jaipur from Amber, in 1727.[1] Jaipur is the present-day capital of the state of Rajasthan, and until 1949 the City Palace was the ceremonial and administrative seat of the Maharaja of Jaipur.[1] The Palace was also the location of religious and cultural events, as well as a patron of arts, commerce, and industry. It now houses the Maharaja Sawai Man Singh II Museum, and continues to be the home of the Jaipur royal family. The royal family of Jaipur is said to be the descendants of Lord Rama. The palace complex has several buildings, various courtyards, galleries, restaurants, and offices of the Museum Trust. The Maharaja Sawai Man Singh II Museum Trust looks after the Museum, and the royal cenotaphs (known as chhatris).

Moinuddin Chishti Was A 13th-Century Sufi Mystic Saint And Philosopher. Born In Sanjar (Modern Day Iran), He Travelled Across South Asia, Eventually Settling In Ajmer (Modern Day Rajasthan, India), Where He Died In 1236. The Structure Was Expanded As Local And National Rulers Came To Pray Here. In 1332, The Sultan Of Delhi (Tughluq Dynasty) Mohammad Bin Tughluq Constructed A Dargah (A Commemoration Structure Constructed Around The Tomb Of Muslim Saints, Where People From All Religions Come To Pray And Ask For Favours) And It Grew In Popularity And Size Over The Years. The Structure Was Subsequently Expanded By A Number Of Rulers Including Many Saints.

Ana Sagar Lake Is An Artificial Lake Situated In The City Of Ajmer In Rajasthan State In India. It Was Built By Arnoraja (Alias Ana), The Grandfather Of Prithviraj Chauhan, In 1135 -1150 AD And Is Named After Him. The Catchments Were Built With The Help Of Local Populace. The Lake Is Spread Over 13 Km (8.1 Mi). The Baradari Or Pavilions Were Built By Shahjahan In 1637 And Daulat Bagh Gardens By Jehangir. There Is A Circuit House On A Hill Near The Lake That Used To Be British Residency. This Is One Of The Main Tourist Attraction There. There Is An Island In The Center Of The Lake Which Is Accessible By Boat. Boats Could Be Hired From The East Side Of The Daulat Bagh. There Are Chowpatty And Jetty Walkway Next To Each Other And Baradari To Capture The Scenic Of The Lake. The Lake Is The Biggest One In Ajmer, With The Maximum Catchments Area (5 Km2 (1.9 Sq Mi) Built Up Area). The Maximum Depth Of Lake Is 4.4 M (14 Ft) With Storage Capacity Of 4,750,000 M3 (6,210,000 Cu Yd). The Rajasthan High Court Has Banned Construction In The Catchment Areas Of The Lake Basins.

Pushkar Lake Or Pushkar Sarovar Is Located In The Town Of Pushkar In Ajmer District Of The Rajasthan State Of Western India. Pushkar Lake Is A Sacred Lake Of The Hindus. The Hindu Scriptures Describe It As "Tirtha-Guru" – The Perceptor Of Pilgrimage Sites Related To A Water-Body And Relate It To The Mythology Of The Creator-God Brahma, Whose Most Prominent Temple Stands In Pushkar. The Pushkar Lake Finds Mention On Coins As Early As The 4th Century BC. Pushkar Lake Is Surrounded By 52 Bathing Ghats (A Series Of Steps Leading To The Lake), Where Pilgrims Throng In Large Numbers To Take A Sacred Bath, Especially Around Kartik Poornima (October–November) When The Pushkar Fair Is Held. A Dip In The Sacred Lake Is Believed To Cleanse Sins And Cure Skin Diseases. Over 500 Hindu Temples Are Situated Around The Lake Precincts.

Umaid Bhawan Palace, Located In Jodhpur In Rajasthan, India, Is One Of The World's Largest Private Residences. A Part Of The Palace Is Managed By Taj Hotels. Named After Maharaja Umaid Singh, Grandfather Of The Present Owner Gaj Singh. The Palace Has 347 Rooms And Is The Principal Residence Of The Former Jodhpur Royal Family. A Part Of The Palace Is A Museum.Ground For The Foundations Of The Building Was Broken On 18 November 1929 By Maharaja Umaid Singh And The Construction Work Was Completed In 1943. The History Of Building The Umaid Bhawan Palace Is Linked To A Curse By A Saint Who Had Said That A Period Of Drought Would Follow The Good Rule Of The Rathore Dynasty. Thus, After The End Of The About 50-Year Reign Of Pratap Singh, Jodhpur Faced Severe Drought And Famine In The 1920s For A Period Of Three Consecutive Years. The Farmers Of The Area, Faced With This Hardship, Sought The Help Of The Then Maharaja, Umaid Singh, Who Was The 37th Rathore Ruler Of Marwar At Jodhpur, To Provide Them With Some Employment So That They Could Survive The Harsh Conditions. The Maharaja, In Order To Help The Farmers, Decided To Build A Lavish Palace. He Commissioned Henry Vaughan Lanchester As The Architect To Prepare The Plans For The Palace; Lanchester Was A Contemporary Of Edwin Lutyens, Who Had Planned The Buildings Of The New Delhi Government Complex. Lanchester Patterned The Umaid Palace On The Lines Of The New Delhi Building Complex By Adopting The Theme Of Domes And Columns. The Palace Was Designed As A Blend Of Western Technology And Indian Architectural Features.

Mehrangarh, Located In Jodhpur, Rajasthan, Is One Of The Largest Forts In India. Built In Around 1459 By Rao Jodha, The Fort Is Situated 410 Feet (125 M) Above The City And Is Enclosed By Imposing Thick Walls. Inside Its Boundaries There Are Several Palaces Known For Their Intricate Carvings And Expansive Courtyards. A Winding Road Leads To And From The City Below. The Imprints Of The Impact Of Cannonballs Fired By Attacking Armies Of Jaipur Can Still Be Seen On The Second Gate. To The Left Of The Fort Is The Chhatri Of Kirat Singh Soda, A Soldier Who Fell On The Spot Defending Mehrangarh.There Are Seven Gates, Which Include Jayapol (Meaning 'Victory Gate'), Built By Maharaja Man Singh To Commemorate His Victories Over Jaipur And Bikaner Armies. There Is Also A Fattehpol (Also Meaning 'Victory Gate'), Which Commemorates Maharaja Ajit Singhji Victory Over Mughals.The Museum In The Mehrangarh Fort Is One Of The Most Well-Stocked Museums In Rajasthan. In One Section Of The Fort Museum, There Is A Selection Of Old Royal Palanquins, Including The Elaborate Domed Gilt Mahadol Palanquin Which Was Won In A Battle From The Governor Of Gujarat In 1730. The Museum Exhibits The Heritage Of The Rathores In Arms, Costumes, Paintings And Decorated Period.

The Jaswant Thada Is A Cenotaph Located In Jodhpur, In The Indian State Of Rajasthan. It Was Built By Maharaja Sardar Singh Of Jodhpur State In 1899 In Memory Of His Father, Maharaja Jaswant Singh II,[1] And Serves As The Cremation Ground For The Royal Family Of Marwar. The Mausoleum Is Built Out Of Intricately Carved Sheets Of Marble. These Sheets Are Extremely Thin And Polished So That They Emit A Warm Glow When Illuminated By The Sun.The Cenotaph's Grounds Feature Carved Gazebos, A Tiered Garden, And A Small Lake. There Are Three Other Cenotaphs In The Grounds. The Cenotaph Of Maharaja Jaswant Singh Displays Portraits Of The Rulers And Maharajas Of Jodhpur.

Guru Shikhar, A Peak In The Arbuda Mountains Of Rajasthan, Is The Highest Point Of The Aravalli Range. It Rises To An Elevation Of 1,722 Metres (5,650 Ft). It Is 15 Km From Mount Abu And A Road From There Leads Almost To The Top Of The Mountain. It Is Named Guru-Shikhar Or 'The Peak Of The Guru' After Dattatreya, An Incarnation Of Vishnu, And A Cave At The Summit Contains A Temple Dedicated To Him, Plus One Dedicated His Mother, Anasuya, Wife Of Sage Atri Nearby.Adjacent To The Temple Is The Mt Abu Observatory Operated By The Physical Research Laboratory. This Observatory Hosts A 1.2m Infrared Telescope And Also Several Astronomy Experiments.

Nakki Lake Situated In The Aravalli Ranges In Mount Abu, Nakki Lake, Locally Known As The Nakki Jheel Is A Paradise For Nature Lovers. Flanked By Amazing Natural Wonders, This Lake Is Truly A Gem Of Mount Abu. It Is The First Man-Made Lake In India With A Depth Of Around 11,000 Metres And A Width Of A Quarter Of A Mile. Located In The Centre Of The Hill Station, The Fascinating Lake Is Surrounded By Lush Greenery, Mountains And Strangely Shaped Rocks. As You Sail Through The Serene Waters Of Nakki Lake, It Is Exciting To See The Life Of Mount Abu Unfolding In Front Of You. It Is A Perfect Destination For Nature Lovers And Photography Fiends.

The Toad Rock Located South Of Nakki Lake In Mount Abu, The Toad Rock Is A Colossal Rock Piece Which Looks Like A Toad About To Jump Into The Waters Of The Lake. Known As The Mascot Of Mount Abu, This Is One Of The Most Frequented Points In The Itinerary Of All Visitors. To See The Panoramic Beauty Of The Surrounding Lake And Greenish Hilly Regions You Can Climb Up The Rock And Capture The Breathtaking Scenery.

Achalgarh Is A Fort Situated About 11 Kilometres (6.8 Mi) North Of Mount Abu, A Hill Station In Rajasthan, India. The Fort Was Originally Built By The Paramara Dynasty Rulers And Later Reconstructed, Renovated And Named As Achalgarh By Maharana Kumbha In 1452 CE,One Of The 32 Forts Built During His Reign.The Fort Is In A Dilapidated Condition Now. The First Gate Of The Fort Is Known As Hanumanpol, Which Served As The Entrance To The Lower Fort. It Comprises Two Towers Built Of Large Blocks Of Grey Granite. After Some Ascent, Stands Champapol, The Second Gate Of The Fort, Which Served As The Entrance To The Inner Fort.There Are Some Features Of Historical And Religious Importance In And Around The Fort. Achaleshwar Mahadev Temple Is Just Outside The Fort; The Toe Of Shiva Is Worshipped There And A Brass Nandi Is Also Located There. Near The Temple There Are Three Stone Buffaloes Standing Around A Pond. There Are Jain Temples In The Fort. These Were Built In 1513.

City Palace, Udaipur Is A Palace Complex Situated In The City Of Udaipur In The Indian State Of Rajasthan. It Was Built Over A Period Of Nearly 400 Years, With Contributions From Several Rulers Of The Mewar Dynasty. Its Construction Began In 1553, Started By Maharana Udai Singh II Of The Sisodia Rajput Family As He Shifted His Capital From The Erstwhile Chittor To The New Found City Of Udaipur. The Palace Is Located On The East Bank Of Lake Pichola And Has Several Palaces Built Within Its Complex. The City Palace In Udaipur Was Built In A Flamboyant Style And Is Considered The Largest Of Its Type In The State Of Rajasthan. It Was Built Atop A Hill, In A Fusion Of The Rajasthani And Mughal Architectural Styles, Providing A Panoramic View Of The City And Its Surroundings. Overlooking Lake Pichola, Several Historic Monuments Like The Lake Palace, Jag Mandir, Jagdish Temple, Monsoon Palace, And Neemach Mata Temple, Are All In The Vicinity Of The Palace Complex. Nestled Within The Aravali Mountain Range, These Landmarks Are Associated In Popular Culture With The Filming Of The 1983 James Bond Movie Octopussy.

Lake Pichola, Situated In Udaipur City In The Indian State Of Rajasthan, Is An Artificial Fresh Water Lake, Created In The Year 1362 AD, Named After The Nearby Picholi Village. It Is One Of The Several Contiguous Lakes, And Developed Over The Last Few Centuries In And Around The Famous Udaipur City. The Lakes Around Udaipur Were Primarily Created By Building Dams To Meet The Drinking Water And Irrigation Needs Of The City And Its Neighborhood. Two Islands, Jag Niwas And Jag Mandir Are Located Within Pichola Lake, And Have Been Developed With Several Palaces To Provide Views Of The Lake

Saheliyon Ki Bari Was Laid For A Group Of Forty-Eight Maidens. This Garden Is Located On The Banks Of The Fateh Sagar Lake, Presenting A Green Retreat In The Dry Lands Of Rajasthan. It Was Built From 1710 To 1734 By Maharana Sangram Singh For The Royal Ladies. As Per Legend, The Garden Was Designed By The King Himself And He Presented This Garden To His Queen. The Queen Was Accompanied By 48 Maids In Her Marriage. To Offer All Of Them Pleasurable Moments Away From The Political Intrigues Of The Court, This Garden Was Made. This Patterned Garden Used To Be The Popular Relaxing Spot Of The Royal Ladies. The Queen With Her Maids And Female Companions Used To Come Here For A Stroll And Spend Their Time In Leisure

Fateh Sagar Lake Is Situated In The City Of Udaipur In The Indian State Of Rajasthan. It Is An Artificial Lake Named After Maharana Fateh Singh Of Udaipur And Mewar, Constructed North-West Of Udaipur, To The North Of Lake Pichola In The 1680s