The Rose Pink City founded by Maharaja Jai Singh II (1693-1743), is the capital of Rajasthan. It is a major attraction for the first-time visitor. Jaipur is surrounded on all sides by rugged hills, crowned with forts & enclosed by embattled walls. Houses with latticed windows line the streets with their rose pink colour, lending enchantment to the scene which is almost magical at sunset.
The Old City (Known as the Pink City) is a great place to wander around. The whole city was painted in Pink colour by Maharaja Man Singh II when Prince of Wales, later Edward VII, visited Jaipur in 1876. Today, every home within the city is obliged by law to maintain his facade. It is a very well planned city laid out in a grid pattern and was designed by a Young Bengali engineer and scholar by the name "Vidyadhar Bhattacharya".

Jaipur was and remains the only city in the world, symbolising the nine divisions of the universe, through nine rectangular sectors sub-dividing it. Jaipur is a royal city & this is its most noticeable aspect, small Buildings & festivals testify to it.

Jaipur & its surroundings are rather like an endless museum. The city also offers an endless variety of crafts. Jewellers here still fashion the beautiful enamel-on-gold pendants, studded on the reverse with precious stones or pearls & turquoise that one sees in miniature paintings. Jaipur's lacquer bangles are famous all over the world. This is a city to be visited.

Jaipurites love outing. Whenever they find some time, they go to the surrounding hills and valleys that provide innumerable picnic spots. In the rainy season it becomes a kind of phenomenon. Goths, as the picnics are called in local language, seem to leave nobody in the city on the holidays. People go in groups to the spots scattered all around the city and enjoys throughout the day with local cuisine (Mainly Dal-Baati-Churmaa) prepared at the very spot.

Cinema, as anywhere in India, remains another major form of entertainment for the people of Jaipur. There are not many cinema halls in the city and a few have closed in the past 3 years or so, but some among remaining are good for viewing pleasure. One of them, RajMandir, has even become a tourist attraction and is ranked amongst the very best cinema theatres in the country. The other Movie theatres are Prem Prakash, Gem, Moti Mahal, Ankur, Man Prakash, Samrat, Saroj, Mayank, Minerva, Polo Victory, Paras, Laxmi Mandir & Lata.

Movie currently running in Raj Mandir : Kuchh Kuchh Hota Hai (Hindi) / Daily 4 shows (12,3,6,9 pm)

Jaipurites are also very fond of eating. Especially chaats, samosaas, kachoris, mirchi bada (all spicy stuff) etc. You can find stalls and mini-shops making these items and serving them with a hot cup of tea, scattered all around the city. Some of the makers have got tremendous popularity and their stalls are always crowded, especially in winter and rainy seasons. Even a mention of a samosa or a kachori can water the mouths of most Jaipurians. Other popular choices are Lassi, Sharbat, Golgappas etc. As the fast food culture is also spreading, it is not diffcult to find Fast Food joints in and around the city.

Jaipur is a city of fairs & festivals. There is a saying that it celebrates 9 festivals in any 7 days. May be a bit on the higher side this, but sure there is a lot of festivity going on in the city through out the year. The light bulbs, garlands, special welcome gates, Shobhayaatras are everexistent in the bazaars & streets of the city. Most of the festivals are religion-specific and being a city of people with various religions and cultures, there is no surprise that gaeity always prevails in the atmosphere. The festivals listed below are the favourites of the citizens and also unique to the city.

Makar Sakranti (January 14)
This is the day of kites at Jaipur. Jaipurites are known for their expertise in kite flying. The activity has become a craze amongst the citizens. You will hardly find a school kid over 10 or 12 in the walled city who does not know flying kites. The phenomenon starts well before the Makar Sakranti day. And continues even after the festival. But on this day, it is a treat to watch the skyline of the Pink City. An Unforgettable experience.

Gangaur (March-April)
The festival of women, dedicated to Goddess Gauri.

Teej (July-August)
Another festival exclusively for women and dedicated to Goddess Parvati. Welcomes the mansoon rains to the parched land. The women dress in bright costumes and flock to swing hung from the branches of trees. There is a procession of Goddess Parvati signifying her departure from the parental home to take up the residence with her husband Lord Shiva. There are elephants, camels and dancers joining in the processions.

Deepawali (October-November)
The festival of light. Though Diwali (or Deepawali) is celebrated all over India, Jaipur's Diwali is something special. The complete Pink City is ornamented and dressed like a new bride. Every corner of the city sparkles. With every building glowing, skyline filled with colourful light crackers and the Nahargarh fort over the hill seeming like a glittering palace in the sky, one cannot help remembering childhood fairytales.