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Situated in the
capital of Rajasthan, the City Palace of Jaipur or the major
palace is a magnificent combine of traditional Rajasthan and
Mughal architecture. The huge palace complex occupies one
seventh of the walled city of Jaipur. Initially built by
Maharaja Jai Singh II of the Kachhwaha clan of Rajputs,
additions have been made to the palace complex by many of his
successors.
In the heart of the old city of Jaipur, the City Palace occupies
a big area, divided into a series of courtyards, gardens, and
buildings. The external wall was built by Maharaja Jai Singh II,
but other additions are much more modern, some dating back to
the beginning of this century. The palace is a wonderful combine
of Rajasthani and Mughal architecture, a major tourist
attraction. The centre of the palace of Jaipur is the Chandra
Mahal, or the Moon Palace, which provides an excellent view of
the gardens and the city. The ground and first floor of the
Chandra Mahal form the Maharaja Sawai Man Singh
Museum. The museum has a wide collection of art, carpets,
enamelware and old weapons. The paintings include miniatures of
Rajasthani, Persian and Mughal schools. The Mubarak Mahal,
or the Auspicious Palace, contains the textile section of the
museum.
The palace also houses the Diwan-i-Am, or the hall of public
audience, and Diwan-i-Khas, or the hall of private
audience. In the Diwan-i-Am, complex pillars support the high
ceilings. The walls, intricately painted with touches of deep
red and gold, provide perfect mounts for huge medieval Afghan
and Persian carpets. Miniatures from the Mughal and Jaipur
schools, and Jai Singh's translations in Arabic and Sanskrit of
the astronomical treatises of earliest scientists, are displayed
in glass cases.
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