Jaigarh Fort

Jaigarh Fort Jaipur

About Jaigarh Fort

Situated at a distance of 15 km from the city of Jaipur, the Jaigarh fort is a classic example of a pure citadel built by the Rajput rulers. The fort, like the numerous other forts of Rajasthan is not ornamented with carvings. It is infact very simple and clearly indicates the purpose for which it was built, to bolster the defense of Amer. The fort is surrounded by moats and has all the features that are required to dissuade the invading army from marching ahead.

The Jaigarh Fort that literally translates into Victory Fort was constructed by Sawai Raja Jai Singh between the 15th and the eighteenth century. The fort can be explored completely within two hours without the help of any guide.

Inside the fort

The entry to the fort is through the Dungar Darwaza. The inside walkways are the means by which the military officials, in earlier era, could keep a watchful eyes on the surrounding areas.

The Museum inside the fort is a storehouse of a wide range of armoury used by the earlier Rajput rulers. The commendable collection include swords, shields, guns, muskets and cannon balls. There are some old photographs of Jaipur kings and military heads in the museum as well.

The Shubhat Niwas or the meeting hall of the warriors is yet another interesting place in the Jaigarh Fort. A visit to this hall gives a fair idea about atmosphere in which military strategies of the Rajput rulers were conceived.

The Museum and the Shubhat Niwas have a distinctive charm of their own, however, the prime attraction of the fort is definitely the Jaivana. Jaivana is world's largest cannon on wheels and was built in the year 1720. It is said about the cannon that it was test fired just once. though, a closer look gives an impression that the cannon was used more than once. The issue remains debatable till date but a look at the cannon is definitely awe inspiring.

Also attracting a lot of eyes are the water channels of the fort. In total, there are three underground tanks at the fort with the largest one having the capacity of storing upto 60,00,000 gallons of water. These water channels ensured that during a war emergency, water shortage did not pose a problem.

The Jaigarh Fort is a must visit for all those who love to see a completely military fort devoid of any beauty and elegance.