In the imposing city of Jaipur, Jaigarh touches the acme when it comes to spectacular and mesmerizing forts. It is situated about 15 kilometers from Jaipur. Symbolizing ‘Victory’, it over views the city as it is perched on the high hills of Cheel ka Teela (Hill of Eagles) build with the cliche of the ‘security of Amber’, the frame of reference of the fort which amplifies its significance. Besides this alluring structure and charming solace, it sprinkles the beauty of place. The Jaigarh fort is connected to the Amber Fort by well guarded passages and is often considered as one Complex by many. It is situated at an elevation of 400 ft from Amber.
Raja Jai Singh during 1621 – 1677 AD instigated to erect this fort and then it was developed further by his succeeding rulers. It was Maharaja Jai Singh II who completed this edifice and named it as Jaigarh- the fort of victory in the year 1725 AD. Amer, the city in which the Jaigarh and the Amer fort are located, was previously ruled by the Kachawahas.
Being popular as a famous tourist spot, there is a continuous queue of several local public transports like buses and taxi operators are always for service in plying to and from the fort. The Fort is famous because of the world’s largest cannon present in its premises. One of the reasons for its popularity is that most of its original facilities are well preserved and intact.
Architecture and Design Of Jaigarh Fort:
Several medieval structures of the fort are worth exploring.
The Jaigarh fort has huge walls and gates, and the captivating foundries offers a lot of insight to the tourists. It is highly equipped with thick walls of red sandstone and is spread over a layout plan with a length of 3 kilometers and a width of 1 kilometer. The mechanism by which these foundries drew in air from the deserts is really stimulating as enthralled into there is a 5 km long canal which is used to bring in water from the hills which then is preserved in the huge water tank present inside the fort the notion behind this storage of water is to be used by the army men. Also it is believed that the royal family used to store their gems and jewels beneath these water tanks. It has an impressive square garden within its courtyard. In 1975-1977, the case of emergency the tank was opened when as declared by the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.
Attraction in Jaigarh:
Though the fort does not boost up much in its charm because it was made with reasons. The fort is not as aesthetically appealing as Amber for because the main purpose for the construction of this fort was to tauten the security in Amber. However, this fort has a charm of its own that cannot be denied. During the Mughal dynasty, the Jaigarh Fort became the main cannon foundry and was also used to store ammunition and other metal required for war. The main attraction of the fort is the huge cannon known as Jaivan.
The Jaigarh fort has a charm of its own and is a perfect example of the architectural wonders of the yesteryear. On their visit to the fort the tourists can also enjoy the wonderful view of the city below.
Jaivana cannon and Cannon Jai Baan the two show stoppers which lies in the same arena these are the things which should not be missed as they not only enhances the fort but justifies the artillery production of the Rajputs- their spirit and tenacity to safeguard their empire.
Jaivana Cannon at Jaigarh:
The cannon prestige the glory of the Early Modern Era because it was manufactured in 1720, Jai Singh II. It was the world’s largest cannon on wheels at that time. Today Jaigarh is the adobe of Jaivana. At the entrance there is a commemorative inscription which enlightens the information about the cannon’s history its size and purpose. The cannon was never used in battles of Rajputs. This clears the fort in its well preserved feature. The cannon was used only once with high charge and went up to thirty-five kilometres. It had a range of 22 miles and used 50 kilograms balls.
Cannon Jai Baan:
The main attraction of this fort is World’s biggest wheel mounted Cannon Jai Baan. This twenty feet long barrel is made of steel and its weight is 50 tons. There is an arrangement of turning the gun by wheels and roller fix pins. Its main wheels on which it stands is of 9ft height. Guns having 100 kg of gun powder can be loaded on the cannon. This big cannon was cast in the year 1720 AD during the period of Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II.
Museum:
The museum is another attraction which is located to the left of the Awami Gate. It has a collection of photographs of the Royalty of Jaipur, stamps and many artifacts; processions, cards, puppets and coins. The armory chamber here has a wide display of swords, shields, guns, shields, muskets and also a 50 kilograms cannonball. A spittoon of 15th century vintage and also hand drawn plan of the palaces are seen in the museum. There are some sedan chairs too which are part of the collections and are at the Meeting Hall of Warriors also known as Shubhat Niwas.
Fee and Timings of Jaigarh Fort:
The opening time of the museum is 09:00 am and closing time is 04:30 pm .It is open daily including public holidays.
Entry fee is 85 INR for Foreigners and 35 INR for Indians.
