Jaigarh Fort in Jaipur: Everything You Need to Know

The Pink city is dotted with forts, palaces, and monuments that attract thousands of tourists every year. Jaipur is one of the busiest and most visited cities in India. The forts and palaces in Jaipur never fail to take you on a journey back in time. Exploring the Pink City leaves you spellbound.

Jaigarh Fort is one of the oldest forts perched on the hills of the Aravalli range. With outstanding watchtowers and towering gateways, the Fort was built to protect Amer Fort and its palace complex. It was also a storehouse for arms, ammunition and other war requisites.

How to reach Jaigarh Fort?

Located 10 kilometers (6.2 miles) away from Jaipur city and 400m from the Amber Fort, Jaigarh Fort is slightly off the Jaipur-Delhi National highway. Jaigarh Fort is easily accessible by road. You can either take a taxi or an auto rickshaw. Frequent buses that are well furnished with comfortable seating and air conditioning are run by Rajasthan State Road Transport Corporation for tourists.

What is the best time to visit Jaigarh Fort?

Winter lasting from October to March, however, is the best time to visit this mighty Fort. The panoramic view from the top of Jaigarh Fort covering Amber fort, Maota Lake, and the Pink city is breathtaking. While rainy days can interrupt this beautiful view, summers can get extremely hot. Amber Fort and Jaigarh Fort are connected through a secret subterranean passage that was designed for emergency escapes.

Things to keep in mind before you head out to explore

Before you head out to explore Jaigarh Fort, make sure you are wearing comfortable clothing and shoes. Although cabs, buses, and auto-rickshaws drop you at the entrance of the fort, there is a bit of walking that is necessary to get from one viewpoint to the other. There is no guide provided inside the fort. One can spot security guards all over the fort, guarding the fortress that once guarded the Kingdom.

If you are not travelling with a guide, stick to the main areas as the massive fort can be confusing and the last thing you would want to do is to get lost. Some steps are loose and can make you lose your balance. If you are travelling with children to show them the mighty fort, make sure you keep an eye on them as the palace complex is huge.

What is the Fort famous for?

The fort houses Jaivana, the largest cannon on wheels in the world. This cannon was not fired as the fort was never captured. The barrel is made out of impeccable carvings and is mounted on the wheel. It is said that when fired, it could scale up to 35 km (22 miles). The Jaivana cannon draws a lot of weaponry lovers to witness the deadly weapon. The fort walls that whisper tales of forgotten times were built using red sandstone. Stretched over a length of 3 km (1.8 mi) and a width of 1 km (0.6 mi), the fort complex covers grand palaces, many courtrooms, and halls with screened windows, watchtowers, and an impressive garden.

Numerous arch gateways painted in red and yellow with Indo-Persian style carvings welcome you in all their glory. The major attractions of the palace complex are Laxmi Vilas, Vilas Mandir, Lalit Mandir, and Aram Mandir. Laxmi Vilas used to be the hall for army gatherings during an emergency. Huge war drums that were used to signal the army found here speak volumes. Wall paintings enhance the beauty of this hall.

Lalit Mandir is a two-story building where only the ground floor is open to the public. Puppet shows are held here. Vilas Mandir was reserved for the royal women. Amber fort looked stunning through the lattice window which was a highlight of this chamber. Aaram Bagh is an impressive garden inside the fort which has low walls and arch gateways.

Armoury chamber is now converted into a museum. It displays a lot of weapons and shields used by the soldiers and the royal family. To name a few, cannonballs, guns, muskets, swords, and unfinished cannons are displayed here. As much as you want to capture this, it is unfortunate that photography is not allowed here. Other artefacts used by the royal family, manuscripts, and the artworks of Rajputs draw a lot of attention. Apart from these grand palaces and spacious halls, there are two temples. These temples depict the religious beliefs of Rajputs. Ram Hari Har temple and Kal Bhairav Temple in the fort complex attract a lot of tourists.

There is a huge water tank inside the fort complex that can hold 6 million gallons of water. It is said that the treasures of the Kingdom were hidden below this tank. There is a museum at the entrance where one can buy souvenirs and fort replicas. A small cafeteria inside the fort is set up to cater to your hunger and the restrooms are near the entrance of the fort.
 
Once you have explored the fort and its complex, you can head to the courtyard. The lush green garden, which was once strolled by Rajputs, provides comfortable seating if you are planning to relax for a bit. You can order food from the stalls outside and relish savoury chicken pieces and lip-smacking desserts like Kulfi. Children running around playing games is a common sight.

Timings

The Jaigarh Fort opens at 9:00 AM and closes at 5:00 PM. It is open to the public on all days except on government holidays (local and national).

Entrance Fee

The entrance fee for foreigners is Rs. 85 while it’s Rs. 35 for Indians. The grandeur of the fort and the view it offers is such that people cannot stop themselves from capturing its beauty. Camera and photography charges are around Rs. 50. Nahargarh Fort and Amer Fort are the other forts in Jaipur that reflect the Rajput style of architecture and can be visited on the same day.

See More: Nahargarh Fort, Jaipur: 9 Things to Do