One of the major attractions in Rajasthan is Amber Fort, also known as Amber Palace. The fort is just eleven kilometers from the city of Jaipur, and is located on a hill in Amer, Rajasthan. It was built by Raja Man Singh 1, the fort, which is also spelt as Amer Fort, is a scenic marvel. It stands ironically on top of an easily scalable mountain, which is situated right next to the magnificent Maota Lake. The fort is a majestic in itself, and truly worthy to visit. The fort is a fantastic display of Hindu and Muslim architecture. It is majorly built using red sandstone and white marble. The Palace Complex area of the Amber fort has very attractive apartments. This complex was built by Raja Man Singh, Mirza Raja Jai Singh and Sawai Jai Singh over a period of about two centuries. This Palace Complex was the main residence of the Rajput Maharajas for a long period of time. Amber Fort has rich history which involves treachery and bloodshed.
History of the Amber FortThe settlement at Amer was established by Raja Alan Singh, a ruler from the Chanda clan of Meenas in 967 CE. The Amer Fort, as it stands now, was built over the remnants of this earlier structure during the reign of Raja Man Singh, the Kachwaha King of Amer. The structure was fully extended by his successor, Jai Singh I. Thereof; Amer Fort underwent improvements and add-ons by successive rulers over next 150 years, until the Kachwahas shifted their capital to Jaipur during the time of Sawai Jai Singh II, in 1727 and took over fully.
Layout of the FortFour different sections combine to form the fort or the palace of the Amer. Each section has its own gate and courtyard. The first gate, is the main entrance, is called Suraj Pol or Sun Gate. The gate faces east; witnessing the sunrise every morning and hence justifies the name. This gate guides to the first courtyard named Jalebi Chowk. Soldiers used to assemble and celebrate their victory in this very courtyard. This was a visual treat and was often viewed by women through windows. Since the royal dignitaries used to enter through the Sun Gate, therefore, the place was heavily guarded. The front courtyard of the fort complex is adorned with the impressive, pillared hall of the Diwan-i-Am, and the two-tiered painted gateway, Ganesh Pol. The entrance of the Amber fort is through the Dil-e-Aaram Garden, which is laid out in the traditional Mughal style. A remarkable flight of stairs leads to the Diwan-e-Am (hall of public audience) which has latticed galleries and double row of columns, each having a capital in the shape of elephants on the top. This hall is laid on the second courtyard. To the right are steps that lead to a small temple of Goddess Sila Devi. The temple has massive doors made of silver.
There are two superlative buildings laid out in the third courtyard. The buildings are situated opposite to each other. On the left, the beautiful Jai Mandir, which is also called Sheesh Mahal is situated. As the name suggests, Jai Mandir was used to celebrate victories, on the other hand, other celebrations too were held in this building. The building opposite to Jai Mandir is called Sukh Mahal (Hall of Pleasure). This place was dedicated to the royal family whenever they felt like they had to rest or spend some quality time alone. Towards the southern region of this courtyard, lies the famed palace built by Raja Man Singh I. This is the oldest structure in the entire fort as it stands today. The exit route from this palace leads directly to the town of Amer. The fourth courtyard is only for women. The royal women including the mistresses lived in this part of the palace. They were collectively known as the Zenana. Even the Queens and her relatives, including mother lived in this part. This part of the palace was extremely secluded as the kings used to visit the queens or their mistresses without getting noticed by anyone and other males were not allowed to enter this palace.
ArchitectureThe architectural style of the fort is one of the best examples of Mughal's and Rajput's architecture. One of the styles within the fort is the Ganesh Pol. Mirza Raja Jai Singh, who ruled the place from 1621 to 1627, was instrumental in building the Ganesh Pol. The gate is embroidered with mosaics, hence portraying beautiful view. Among the main attractions of the fort are Jai Mandir and Sheesh Mahal. While the Sheesh Mahal, as name suggests has walls inlaid with exquisite mirrors, and the Jai Mandir, hanging on the upper floor, is iconic in itself.
Other major architectural attractions of the fort include the palace of Man Singh and the garden and flowers in the palace are of major attractions. While the magic flower depicts two hovering butterflies, the palace is known for its pavilion. The garden resembles the Chahar Bagh or the famous Mughal Garden. Also, there is a pool which is star-shaped at the center of the garden. Another interesting architectural design of the fort is the fourth courtyard. Since the kings had to visit their queens and mistresses in secret, the courtyard demanded a special design. It was built in such a way that no one could guess which room the king would enter as the courtyard, with multiple rooms, had a common corridor. The walls of Amber fort are adorned with paintings of hunting and war along with precious stones and mirrors set into the plaster. The Maota Lake at the forefront of the fort gives spectacular and beautiful reflections of the magnificent Amber Fort-Palace.
Conservation of the FortThe fort, along with other five Forts of Rajasthan, was named as one of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites in the year 2013. However, commercialization of the fort is proving to be a huge threat and constant conservation and safeguard of the fort is major aim and concern for the concerned authorities.
Location: Jaipur, Rajasthan