Skip to main content

Posts

Showing posts with the label Amer Fort

Featured Post

Odisha Part 7: The Rajarani Temple, Bhubaneshwar

The Rajarani Temple in Bhubaneshwar gets its name from the stone used to build it - the red and yellow sandstone used here is locally called Rajarani. This temple was once known as the Indreshwara temple, which is mentioned in the Ekamra Purana, which tells us about the temples of Bhubaneshwar, which was then known as Ekamra Kshetra. Today, the temple stands in a well-maintained lawn, and is the only ticketed monument within the city. The temple is built in the typical Kalinga style, with the tall curvilinear shikara over the garbagruha , and a jagamohana connected to it. The temple is believed to date back to the 11 th century, and is most well known for its sculptures. The entrance to the temple has two pillars with a Naga couple protecting the sanctum, holding garlands in their hands. The base of the pillar shows 3 lions standing over 3 elephants, a typical motif in temples of this region during this period. On the other side of the pillar is a horse and rider, and the two mo...

The Bazaar at Amer

Near the exit of Amer Fort , two huge vats or vessels attract our attention. They look big enough to cook food, and we assume these are a couple of the relics left over from the olden days. However, the guide is quick to correct us. These are props from a film which was shot here - Jodha Akbar. He says they didnt take it back, and there was no place inside the fort for them, so here they are, where they will be noticed, but  not really a part of the fort. 

Snake Charmer

Ever since I started sending postcards, I have been inundated with requests for postcards showing snake charmers. When I did find some, I realised something else. I might not be a great fan of snake charmers, but Samhith hadn't even seen a single one!!! He hoarded all the cards I found, and refused to allow me to send any but duplicates! Moreover, he was now curious. He wanted to see a snake charmer!!! I told him about what they did, how it was cruel to snakes, and that it was illegal, but he was still curious. Now, apart from the fact that I do not like the idea of trapping snakes and using them to amuse people, I couldnt even find a snake charmer to show him... yes, for those of you who are wondering, our area remains immune to snake charmers even on Naga panchami day, and I couldnt remember when I had last seen one!! His wish was eventually fulfilled, of all places, at Amer Fort!!!

Amer Fort - Part 3

Part 1 and Part 2 of Amer Fort have been quite descriptive... probably much longer than needed, but I have had these photos for so long, I just had to use them!!!  From what I heard from a couple of people, the fort was in quite a bad shape till the last decade or so. Of course, not really in ruins as many other forts, but in a dilapidated condition nevertheless. Going over what I saw of the fort, it does look like a lot of work has been done, which is really commendable, considering the state of many such other heritage precincts in our country. It does make us think just how beautiful some of our other palaces, forts and temples would be, if we just took the pains to recreate the magic of those bygone days, and kept them well maintained.

Amer Fort - Part 2

When you think of a fort , you think of huge walls, cannons, turrets... and most of the forts I have seen are in quite a bad shape, having suffered during the wars they were built to brave. Which is why, Amer comes as a surprise. It looks more like a palace than a fort, and is remarkably well preserved, considering that it was built and enlarged from the 16 th to the 18 th centuries. Of course, one reason for this could be that Jaipur was quite a safe place during that period, seeing only minor skirmishes in the area, not full-fledged wars. It would also have helped that the rulers of Jaipur chose to side with the Mughal Emperors and thus earned their protection. Wars fought by the Rajputs of Jaipur were fought, not in Jaipur or Amer, but at other places, not only Rajasthan but all over the Indian Subcontinent. It was first Raja Man Singh, and later, his descendents, who built and beautified Amer. It is their combined efforts that we see today, and, it gives us a glimpse of the li...

Amer Fort - Part 1

Our first sight of Amber Fort was from one of the turrets of Jaigarh. Standing so high up, looking down at the Aravalli ranges stretching to the horizon, my first thought was that it blended beautifully with the mountains. The name ‘Amber’ comes, not from the English word for the colour, but is a derivation of the word “Amba” or the goddess. However, it is pronounced as ‘Aamer’. The spelling varies too, with both usages – Amber and Amer – being quite commonly used.