Amer Fort and Palace Review

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Amer Fort and Palace

  • Address: Delhi Rd., 11 km (7 mi) north of Jaipur, Amer, Jaipur, Rajasthan

Fodor's Review:

Surrounded by ramparts, this marvelous fortress is perched on a hill near Maota Lake. Raja Man Singh began building it in 1592; Mirza Raja Jai Singh and Sawai Jai Singh continued the construction over a period of 125 years. For centuries the fortress was the capital of the Kachhawah Rajputs, but when the capital shifted to Jaipur in the early 18th century, the site was abandoned. Although the fort is in ruins, the interior palaces, gardens, and temples retain much of their pristine beauty. Both the art and the architecture combine Rajput and Moghul influences in felicitous ways.

You approach the palace complex by walking or riding an elephant up a sloping incline to the Singh Pole gate and Jaleb Chowk, the preliminary courtyard. If you choose to come up on an elephant, keep in mind that these animals are not native to Rajasthan and are often in poor health because of the arid climate and overuse by owners. An effort is being made to increase awareness about the condition of the Amer elephants and you could contribute by questioning the mahout (driver) and keeping an eye open for sores and abscesses. The more tourists express concern, the greater the chance of something actually being done about the problem.

Two flights of stairs lead up from Jaleb Chowk; for now, skip the one leading to the Shila Mata Temple and take the one leading to the palace itself. In the next courtyard, the pillared Diwan-i-Am (Hall of Public Audience) contains alabaster panels with fine inlay work—the kind of craftsmanship for which Jaipur is famous. Typical of the Moghul period, the rooms are small and intimate, whereas the palace's successive courtyards and narrow passages are characteristically Rajput.

One elaborately carved and painted gate is known as Ganesh Pol, after the elephant god Ganesh. From a latticed corridor above it, the queen—always in purdah, or hiding—would await the King's return from battle and sprinkle scented water and flowers down upon him. Each room shows some vestige of its former glory, especially the Sheesh Mahal (Palace of Mirrors), with glittering mirror-work on the ceiling. Narrow flights of stairs lead up to the lavish royal apartments, and beyond the corridors and galleries here you'll find the small, elegant Char Bagh garden. Take in the views of the valley, the palace courtyards, the formal gardens abutting the octagonal pool next to the lake, and the vast Jaigarh Fort, the ancient fortress on the crest of the hill above you. Also on the upper floor is Jas Mandir, a hall with filigreed marble jalis (screens) and delicate mirror and stucco work.

On your way out, peek into the 16th-century Shiladevi Temple to the goddess Kali, with its silver doors and marble carvings. Raja Man Singh installed the image of the goddess after bringing it here from lower Bengal (now Bangladesh). Exit the palace by the gate near the temple, and just a few minutes down the road is the 450-year-old Jagat Shiromani temple. Dedicated to Krishna, this exquisitely carved marble-and-sandstone temple was built by Raja Man Singh I in memory of his son.

  • Cost: Fort and palace Rs. 50, camera fee Rs. 75, video-camera fee Rs. 150
  • Open: Daily 9-4:30
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