Context: The conservation and development of Jaipur's Walled City, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2019, will be funded with ₹100 crore. The initiative will focus on enhancing infrastructure while preserving the city's architectural heritage and vibrant culture.
More information from the news article:
- Known for its pink facade buildings, the Walled City's heritage status reflects its distinctive grid-based street layout with colonnades that form large public squares called chaupars.
- The city's urban planning integrates ancient Hindu, Mughal, and Western architectural influences.
- The conservation efforts are anticipated to enhance tourism, support the local economy, and improve infrastructure.
- The Walled City is renowned for its landmarks, including the 400-year-old Man Sagar Lake, City Palace, Tripolia Gate, Ajmeri Gate, Sanganeri Gate, Zorawar Singh Gate, Jantar Mantar Observatory.
- It also features Maota Lake at the base of the historic Amber Palace, the Maharaja School of Arts & Crafts (now the Museum of Legacies) in Kishanpole Bazaar, and the Hawa Mahal, Jaipur’s most iconic landmark.
- Founded by Sawai Jai Singh II, the Kachwaha Rajput ruler of Amber, the historic fortified city of Jaipur was laid out on the plains with a grid plan inspired by Vedic architecture.
- As the capital of Rajasthan, Jaipur has preserved its local commercial, artisanal, and cooperative traditions in their original form.
Note:
- Jaipur became the second Indian city, after Ahmedabad, to receive the UNESCO World Heritage City status.
- This recognition was granted during the 43rd session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee (WHC), held in Baku, Azerbaijan in 2019.
- Ahmedabad, Gujarat:
- Ahmedabad holds the distinction of being the first Indian city to receive UNESCO World Heritage City status in July 2017.
- This recognition celebrates its rich architectural, historical, and cultural significance.
- Founded in 1411 by Sultan Ahmad Shah I, Ahmedabad served as the capital of Gujarat for six centuries, showcasing a continuous historical narrative.
- The city is renowned for its unique blend of Islamic, Hindu, and Jain architectural styles.
- Notable landmarks include Bhadra Fort, Jama Masjid, Sarkhej Roza, and many traditional havelis (wooden houses).
- Ahmedabad's historic pols (gated residential areas) reflect intricate wooden architecture and community living.
- Dubbed the ‘Manchester of the East,’ Ahmedabad is famous for its thriving textile industry, which plays a significant role in the city's economy and culture.
About Sawai Jai Singh II
- Sawai Jai Singh II (1688-1743) was the Rajput ruler of the Kingdom of Amber, who later founded the fortified city of Jaipur and established it as his capital.
- Ascending to the throne at the age of 11 in 1699, Jai Singh initially served as a vassal of the Mughal Empire.
- The Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb honoured him with the title ‘Sawai,’ meaning one and a quarter-times superior to his contemporaries, before the siege of Khelna Fort in the Deccan.
- In 1721, he was granted the title Saramad-i-Raja-i-Hindustan, followed by Maharaja Sawai, Raj Rajeshwar, Shri Rajadhiraj in 1723.
- Later in his life, Jai Singh II sought independence from Mughal dominance and asserted his sovereignty by reviving the ancient Ashvamedha sacrifice, a ritual that had been abandoned for centuries.
- He shifted his kingdom's capital from Amber to the newly established city of Jaipur.
Situation during his accession
- Upon ascending the ancestral throne of Amber, Jai Singh II faced a dire situation, with insufficient resources to maintain even a modest force of 1,000 cavalry.
- This challenging circumstance had developed over the preceding 96 years, coinciding with the reign of Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb.
- Given Amber's proximity to Mughal power centres in Delhi and Agra, the Jaipur rulers had historically relied on diplomacy rather than military action in their interactions with the Mughals.
- Six months after his accession, Aurangzeb ordered Jai Singh to serve in the Deccan Wars.
- Jai Singh eventually reached Burhanpur, but could not advance further due to heavy rains. His rank and pay were further reduced by 500.
- Despite his military achievements at the siege of Khelna in 1702, Jai Singh's reward was limited to the restoration of his previous rank and the conferral of the title ‘Sawai.’
Relations with later Mughals:
- Aurangzeb's death in 1707 initially exacerbated Jai Singh's difficulties, as his patrons, Bidar Bakht and his father Azam, were defeated in the Mughal succession war.
- Jai Singh responded by forming alliances with the Rajput states of Mewar (through marriage) and Marwar against the new Mughal Emperor, Bahadur Shah I.
Relations with the Marathas:
- Jai Singh governed Malwa three times between 1714 and 1737.
- During his first term (1714–1717), he successfully repelled Maratha incursions.
- However, by 1728, Peshwa Baji Rao's victory over the Nizam of Hyderabad allowed the Marathas to establish a foothold in the region.
- In his second tenure (1729–1730), facing a weakened Mughal Empire, Jai Singh sought to negotiate with Shahu, the Maratha ruler, to restore Mughal authority but was soon recalled to Rajputana.
- In his final term (1732–1737), he urged Emperor Muhammad Shah to compromise with the Marathas.
- Despite his efforts, court opposition led to his removal, and Malwa eventually fell to the Marathas in 1738 following a defeat of his successor, Nizam-ul-Mulk Asaf Jah.
Fortifications
- Amid the declining Mughal authority, Persian ruler Nadir Shah invaded and sacked Delhi in 1739.
- Throughout this period of upheaval, Jai Singh remained within his state but was far from passive.
- Anticipating further instability, he launched an extensive program of fortification throughout Jaipur's territories.
- To this day, many of the fortifications around the former Jaipur state are attributed to the reign of Jai Singh II.
Contributions
Revival of Ancient Vedic practices and reforms:
- Sawai Jai Singh II revived ancient Vedic ceremonies, including the Ashwamedha sacrifice in 1716 and the Vajapeya in 1734, which had not been performed for many generations.
- An adherent of the Nimbarka Sampradaya of the Vaishnava sect, Jai Singh actively promoted Sanskrit learning and initiated significant social reforms, such as the abolition of Sati.
- He also successfully lobbied for the abolition of the Jaziya tax imposed on Hindus by Aurangzeb in 1679, which Emperor Muhammad Shah finally revoked in 1720.
- In 1728, he further convinced the emperor to eliminate the pilgrimage tax on Hindus visiting Gaya.
Astronomy and Science:
- Motivated by a desire to advance the nation's understanding of astronomy, Jai Singh established five observatories across India in Delhi, Mathura, Benares, Ujjain, and his capital Jaipur, despite ongoing local conflicts and foreign invasions.
- These observatories, collectively known as Jantar Mantar, were equipped with advanced instruments such as the Ram Yantra, Jai Prakash, Samrat Yantra, Digamsha Yantra, and Narivalaya Yantra, which allowed for highly accurate astronomical observations.
- He compiled a set of astronomical tables, ‘Zij-i-Muhammadshahi,’ and oversaw the translation of Euclid's ‘Elements of Geometry,’ as well as works on trigonometry and logarithms into Sanskrit.
- His observatories, relying primarily on Indian astronomy, were used to accurately predict eclipses and other celestial events.
The City of Jaipur:
- One of Jai Singh's greatest achievements was the construction of Jaipur, originally called Jai Nagara, which became known as the ‘City of Victory’ and later as the ‘Pink City’.
- Construction began in 1725, and the city was officially established as the capital of the Kachwaha dynasty in 1733, replacing Amber.
- Jai Singh, while planning the layout of Jaipur, consulted numerous architects and founded the city based on the principles of Vastu Shastra and Shilpa Shastra, under the architectural guidance of Vidyadhar Bhattacharya.
- The city became a commercial hub, attracting merchants from across India who sought the safety and prosperity offered by its thick protective walls and a garrison of 17,000 troops.
- Later, during the reign of Sawai Ram Singh II, Jaipur was painted pink to welcome Albert Edward, Prince of Wales, in 1876.
- The city’s avenues have retained their pink hue, earning Jaipur the nickname ‘Pink City.’
The Kingdom of Amber
- Later known as Jaipur State, was situated in the north-eastern Dhundhar region of Rajputana and was governed by the Kachwaha Rajput clan.
- It was founded in the 12th century by Dulha Rai, who was likely the last ruler of the Kachchhapaghata dynasty of Gwalior.
- He established his rule in Dausa with the support of the Chahamanas of Shakambhari.
- The kingdom experienced a period of stagnation from the 12th to the 15th centuries, with limited historical records.
- Under Raja Bharmal, the kingdom forged a strong alliance with the Mughal Empire, marked by his daughter's marriage to Emperor Akbar.
- Bharmal's son, Raja Bhagwant Das, and grandson, Raja Man Singh I, emerged as prominent generals in Akbar's army, contributing significantly to the expansion of the Mughal Empire.
- Later, Mirza Raja Jai Singh I served under Shah Jahan and became a distinguished general but fell out of favour with Aurangzeb in 1664 due to his suspected involvement in Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj's escape from Mughal captivity.
- Sawai Jai Singh II ruled during the decline of the Mughal Empire, successfully rebelling against Mughal authority in 1708 to reclaim his confiscated territories.
- However, after his death, the kingdom faced economic difficulties due to a civil war between his sons Ishwari Singh and Madho Singh I, as well as pressures from the Marathas.
- In 1818, following the Third Anglo-Maratha War, the kingdom became a princely state under British rule by signing a treaty that established a subsidiary alliance with the East India Company.
It acceded to independent India in 1947 and was officially integrated into the nation by 1949.