Jaipur City Palace.

	Jaipur City Palace
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The magnificent City Palace open to the public as the Sawai Man Singh Museum, stands enclosed by a high wall in the centre of the city amid fine gardens and courtyards. The royal family still occupies part of the palace, advancing in procession on formal occasions through the grand Tripolia Gate in the centre of the southern wall. Less regal visitors must enter through Atish Gate left of the main gate or Nakkar Gate in the west, passing the food stalls and souvenir shops in Jalebi Chowk.

The palace was conceived and built by Jai Singh, but many of the apartments and halls were added by his successors. The exhibits and interior design have lost none of the pomp and splendour of their glory days. Each door and gateway is heavily decorated, each chandelier intact and each hall guarded by turbaned retainers decked in full royal livery, so that Jaipur's palace impresses upon the visitor the continuity of a living royal presence.

An ornate gateway in the southwest corner of the complex leads into the first courtyard, with the solid marble Mubarak Mahal in its centre.

This elegant palace, built in 1890, holds the textile section of the museum, whose treasures include antique pashmina shawls from Kashmir, throne carpets and a pink padded jacket worn by Madho Singh I (one of Jai Singh's sons) who stood a full 2m tall. Opulently decorated ritual objects and musical instruments used to entertain the rulers are also on display, but the real highlight is the former maharani's richly gilded black Diwali outfit, covered in elaborate gota appliqué work.

The first floor of the building next to the Mubarak Mahal houses the royal arsenal . Inside what was once the harem, with its delicate paintings on the walls and mirrors glittering on the ceilings, is laid out a menacing array of spears, swords, shields, daggers with handles carved from jade, crystal, silver and gold, and two inscribed swords that belonged to the Moghul emperor Shah Jahan. more...