District Jaipur - An Overview :

 Jaipur, also known as the Pink City, is the capital of Rajasthan state in India, and the largest city of the Indian state of Rajasthan. It was founded on 18 November 1727 by Jai Singh II, the ruler of Amer, and after whom the city is named. As of 2011, the city had a population of 3.1 million, making it the tenth most populous city in the country.

Jaipur is also known as the Pink City, due to the dominant color scheme of its buildings. Jaipur is home to two UNESCO World Heritage Sites: the Jantar Mantar and the Amer Fort.

History :

The city of Jaipur was founded in 1727 by Jai Singh II, the Raja of Amer who ruled from 1699 to 1743. He planned to shift his capital from Amer, 11 kilometres (7 mi) from Jaipur to accommodate the growing population and increasing scarcity of water. Jai Singh consulted several books on architecture and architects while planning the layout of Jaipur. Under the architectural guidance of Vidyadhar Bhattacharya, Jaipur was planned based on the principles of Vastu shastra and Shilpa Shastra. The construction of the city began in 1726 and took four years to complete the major roads, offices and palaces. 

During the rule of Sawai Ram Singh I, the city was painted pink to welcome H.R.H. Albert Edward, Prince of Wales (who later became King Edward VII, Emperor of India), in 1876. Many of the avenues remained painted in pink, giving Jaipur a distinctive appearance and the epithet Pink city. In the 19th century, the city grew rapidly and by 1900 it had a population of 160,000. The wide boulevards were paved and its chief industries were the working of metals and marble, fostered by a school of art founded in 1868.The city had three colleges, including a Sanskrit college (1865) and a girls' school (1867) opened during the reign of the Maharaja Ram Singh II.

Geography :

Jaipur has a hot semi-arid climate (Bsh) under Koppen's climate classification . It receives over 63 cm of rainfall annually. But most rains occur in the monsoon months between June and September. Temperatures remain relatively high during summer from April to early July having average daily temperatures of around 27.6' C (82' F). During the monsoon there are frequent, heavy rains and thunderstorms, but flooding is not common. The winter months of November to February are mild and pleasant, with average temperatures ranging from 18' C (64' F) and with high humidity, but with occasional cold waves. Jaipur is a high urban heat island zone with surrounding rural temperatures occasionally falling below freezing in winters.

Demographics :

According to provisional report of 2011 census, Jaipur city had a population of 3,073,350. The overall literacy rate for the city is 84.34%. 90.61% males and 77.41% females were literate.The sex ratio was 898 females per 1,000 males. The child sex ratio stood at 854.According to the 2011 census, Hindus form the majority religious group comprising 77.9% of the city's population, followed by Muslims (18.6%), Jains (2.4%) and others (1.2%).

Tourism :

Visitor attractions include the Hawa Mahal, Jal Mahal, City Palace, Amer Fort, Jantar Mantar, Nahargarh Fort, Jaigarh Fort, Birla Mandir, Galtaji, Govind Dev Ji Temple, Garh Ganesh Temple, Moti Dungri Ganesh Temple, Royal Gaitor cenotaphs, Sanghiji Jain temple and the Jaipur Zoo.The Jantar Mantarobservatory and Amer Fort are one of the World Heritage Sites. Hawa Mahal is a five-storey pyramidal shaped monument with 953 windows that rises 15 metres (50 ft) from its high base. Sisodiya Rani Bagh and Kanak Vrindavan are the major parks in Jaipur. Raj Mandir is a notable cinema hall in Jaipur.

Languages :

The main language of Jaipur is Rajasthani. Dhundhari, Marwari, Hindi and English are also spoken in the city

Economy :

In addition to its role as the provincial capital, educational, and administrative centre, the economy of Jaipur is fuelled by tourism, gemstone cutting, the manufacture of jewellery and luxury textiles, and information technology.Three major trade promotion organisations have their offices in Jaipur. These are: Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry, (FICCI) the PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PHDCCI) and the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) which has its regional offices here. In 2008, Jaipur was ranked 31 among the 50 Emerging Global Outsourcing cities. Jaipur Stock Exchange is one of the regional stock exchanges in India and was founded in 1989. Jaipur is a major hub for arts and crafts. It has many traditional shops selling antiques, jewellery, handicrafts, gems, bangles, pottery, carpets, textiles, leather and metal products. Jaipur is one of India's largest manufacturers of hand-knotted rugs.  Jaipur leg, a rubber-based prosthetic leg for people with below-knee amputations, was designed and is produced in Jaipur.

                             The people of Jaipur are deep rooted to their culture and retain every fragrance of their unity and integrity through various art forms. Jaipur Tamasha is a unique musical folk play form, dating back to the 19th century and also an integral part of the folk theatre of Rajasthan. Jaipur is an district of colors and merriment; the Jaipur festivals are some of the oldest festivals of the country and still holds back the purity of Indian customs and heritage. Jaipur has become a seat of economy, tourism and culture over the years.