The world of maharajahs
The glory years of the maharajahs are over, but the palaces shine and the radiance of the forts is still powerful. The real maharajah feeling you get when you stay overnight in the bedrooms of the old kings. Or on a walk in the hills around Jaipur, where the maharajahs once passed through, looking for a suitable place for a fortress to defend their expanding kingdom.
From these hills you have a beautiful view of the Amber fort,an almost palatial edifice of sandstone with white marble. Nearby is Jaipur. As a sign of hospitality, the Old Town was painted pink in the eighteenth century and visitors are still welcome. In the shady palace garden of the City Palace, you drink tea, where in the eighteenth century the rulers of the Singh empire also enjoyed their heads of chai.
A greater 'ode to love' than the Taj Mahal is nowhere in the world. Not for nothing does the Taj Mahal still belong to one of the seven Wonders of the World. The Mogul Emperor Shah Jahan dedicated this magnificent building, on the right bank of the Jamuna River in Agra, to his favorite wife Mumtaz Mahal. Especially at sunset and sunrise, the view of the Taj Mahal is unforgettable.
In the western part of Rajasthan lies Jodhpur. The ten-kilometre city wall protected the city from incursions from the outside in the sixteenth century. But the huge gates allowed commercial caravans on their way to Delhi. In the narrow medieval streets you will find the products they took with them: opium, sandalwood, dates and copper. The Mehrengarh Fort in Jodhpur is one of the most impressive fortifications in India. The largest palace of Rajasthan is located on the shores of Lake Pichola in Udaipur. Built by the founder of the city, and increasingly expanded by the succeeding maharajahs. The current maharajah of Jaipur still lives in the palace which is also used as a hotel and museum. The city of Udaipur was also preparing for more and more. Distance yourself from the city crowds and admire the palace in silence from the lake, where you can enjoy an unchanged view for centuries. The powerful maharajah feeling travelers get here by themselves. If not, it will arrive on Jag Niwas Island, there awaits a royal overnight stay in the former summer residence of the maharajah, the fairytale Lake Palace Hotel.
