Amer Fort Tour in Rajasthan
Known for its majestic architectural style, Amber Fort (pronounced as Amer Fort) stands as a proud testament and dazzling merger of Rajput and Mughal influences. Behind its rough and rugged exterior lies palatial grandiose the beauty of which needs to be seen to be believed.
The elephant swayed from side to side with its majestic gait as we climbed the passage to the famous Amber Fort perched up on a small hillock. Nothing could beat this experience except of course, the breathtaking artistic mastery that followed us a few minutes later. Though the fort is accessible by foot or a taxi, the best way to enter it is like royalty on the back of a beautifully-caparisoned elephant.
Our guide from Rajasthan Tourism and Development Corporation, Satish Singh escorted us from the Suraj Pol, the main entrance to the various sections of the fort. Starting with the Shila Mata Temple, we headed to the Jaleb Chowk, known for its intricately-carved jalis( meaning screens).Thereafter, we were led to Diwan-e-aam, the Hall of Public Audience followed by the stunning façade of the double-storied Ganesh Pol ( Pol meaning gate). Being led through the various sections like Sukh Niwas, Charbagh Garden, Zenana andDiwan-e-Khas, it felt as though Amber Fort was a massive art gallery flanked by paintings, murals, stone works, frescoes, mosaics , glass embellishments, carvings, mirror work, etc. enough to throw visitors in a frenzy.
The Amber Fort looked stunning built in white marble and red sandstone. Exquisite paintings of hunting scenes grace the walls reflecting the chivalrous, self-indulgent and revolutionary temperament of the gallantry Rajputs. The interiors also have small corridors just two feet wide at a slant, leading from one room to the next – kitchen, queen’s chambers covered in jalis from where they could watch the proceedings of the court etc. Our guide gave us quite a spool as to how the king built the chambers of his concubines in a way that the queens would never know which queen he was visiting, so none of his queens could ever be jealous.
Finally we reached the famed Sheesh Mahal (meaning the Mirror Palace), which is supposedly, one of the most striking parts of the fort and can be conveniently classified as the ‘show stealer’. As imagined, the walls are splurged with liberal doses of minute mirror work, which adds to the hall’s grand appearance and royalty. Patterned mosaics, coloured glass and mirror decorate the Sheesh Mahalfrom floor to ceiling, creating a palace of unbelievable beauty. “When the palace was occupied by royalty, the hall could be lit at night by a single candle because of all the tiny, intricate mirrors,” explained our guide Satish Singh. “Too good to believe”, we murmured to ourselves….. Until he proved his point by closing the door of the Sheesh Mahal and lighting a matchstick. Believe it; the entire hall was lit up –with this single matchstick! We stood bedazzled by the magic and miracle created by the beautiful mirrors! Stunned by this wow factor, all I could say about Sheesh Mahalwas ‘an absolute pièce de resistance’.
As we made our return journey on the enchanting elephant ride, I could not help thinking about the fort’s unique facade which stands in the form of a stern defensive structure, in sharp contrast to its internal counterpart- an ornate and lavish interior influenced by Hindu and Muslim (Mughal) styles of ornamentation. The Amber Fort undoubtedly captivates the tourists with its unmatched craftsmanship and artistic quality, spelling royalty in every step.
Surely, this imperial fort is a must-see on every Rajasthan itinerary.
Some amazing facts about Amer Fort-
1. Constructed by three successive rulers namely Raja Man Singh, Mirza Raja Jai Singh and Sawai Jai Singh, it took full two centuries to build the Amber fort, much of it in the 1500s.
2. When the palace was occupied by royalty, the Sheesh Mahal could be lit at night by a single candle because of the innumerable tiny, intricate mirrors.
3. Owing to the weight of the jewellery and heavily embroidered clothes, the queens could barely manage to walk down the corridors. Hence, carriages were used by them as a means of transport within the fort.
4. A unique light and sound show organized by the RTDC (Rajasthan Tourism Development Corporation) consists of a script written by renowned music director Gulzar and narrated by legendry actor Amitabh Bachchan. Find more info on Rajasthan Tourism and Rajasthan Tours
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