Amber Palace (Rajputana and Mughal Architecture)

"India feels like some kind of special creature with one foot in the history and one firmly in the future"

         

                                AMBER PALACE

Location: Jaipur, Rajasthan

Built By: Raja Man Singh

Built in the Year: 1592

Materials Used: Red sandstone and marble

Purpose: Main residence of the Rajput Maharajas

Current Status: Amber fort was declared as UNESCO World Heritage Site

Visit Timing: 8am - 5: 30pm 

Amber palace is also referred to as the Amber Fort

The fort is located on a hill in Amer, Rajasthan. Just eleven kilometers from the city of Jaipur, the Amber fort is a major tourist attraction. Built by Raja Man Singh, the fort, which is also spelt as Amer fort, is a scenic marvel. It stands on top of an easily scalable mountain, which is situated right next to the beautiful Maota Lake. The fort’s majestic appearance and its geographical advantages make it a special place to visit

History of the Amber Fort 

Raja Alan Singh, who once ruled the Chanda clan of the Meenas, was probably the first king to ever set foot on Amer. He set up his palace on top of the hill, which currently holds the Amber fort

Raja Man Singh of the Kachwaha house took over the throne from his predecessor in the early 1600s. He then started building the Amber fort after destroying the structure that was already built on top of the hill. The fort was further developed by the successor of Raja Man Singh, Jai Singh I. Over the next two centuries or so, the fort underwent continuous renovations and improvements under the reign of various Rajput Maharajas including Mirza Raja Jai Singh I. The present fort was completed in the late 16th century. In 1727, the Maharajas of Rajput decided to shift their capital from Amer to Jaipur, leaving no further changes to the appearance of the fort.

Construction

The construction of Amber Fort was started in 1592. It was modified on regular intervals by several rulers and the trend continued up until late 1600. The fort was mostly constructed using red sandstone and white marble. Though basically a fort, it also served as the main residence of the Rajput Maharajas. Hence, in its subsequent modifications, the fort was deliberately made to look more like a lavish palace. There is also another palace, which was constructed before the construction of Amber fort. The older palace rests on a valley behind the fort. This palace is one of the oldest in India.

Architecture

The architectural style of the fort is a blend of Mughal and Rajput architecture. One of the best examples of this style 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 embellished with mosaics, which makes it look colorful and grand. Among the main attractions of the fort are Jai Mandir and Sheesh Mahal. While the Sheesh Mahal has walls inlaid with exquisite mirrors, the Jai Mandir, hanging on the upper floor, is a superb blend of Mughal and Rajput style of architecture. This is evident from the elegantly carved Jali screens and stucco work. Jal Mandir has a huge opening which is covered with sandalwood doors. A special feature of this structure is the flow of water through the building, making the entire hall air-conditioned. Sheesh Mahal too, has a special feature. Back then, the entire edifice would glow even at the light of a few candles, such was the architectural brilliance of this specially designed structure. The mirrors used in this palace are convex in nature. It was built during the reign of King Man Singh in the late 1600s. 

Other major architectural attractions of the fort include the magic flower, palace of Man Singh and the garden. 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.

Images of Amber Fort

Conservation of the fort

The fort, along with five other forts of Rajasthan, was named as one of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites in the year 2013. The ADMA (Amer Development and Management Authority) has so far spent around 40 crore rupees to safeguard the fort from threats and external damages. However, commercialization of the fort is proving to be a huge threat. It is said that a team of a Bollywood movie damaged an old canopy belonging to the fort. The team had also damaged edifices like Chand Mahal, a courtyard named Jaleb Chowk and other ancient buildings by drilling holes as part of fixing a set for the movie. The Rajasthan High Court had condemned this act and stopped any further damage by cancelling permission to shoot the movie within the premises of the fort. Following this incident, no movie is allowed to be shot anywhere near the Amber fort. 

Amber palace entry fee

The Amer fort entry fee is INR 25 per person for an Indian national. The entry fee for an Indian student is INR 10 per person. Foreign nationals are charged INR 200 per person. The Amber fort entry fee for a foreign national student is INR 100 per person.