Built at the very end of the 18C, the Palace of the Winds boasts an impressive five-storey façade with numerous windows and balconies fitted with screens. The palace was built for the women of the harem, who could look out at the streets without bein..

Passionate about science and astronomy and interested in the theories of Ptolemy, Copernicus and Galileo, the Maharaja of Jaipur, Jai Sing II, had this impressive open-air conservatory built between 1728 and 1733. It houses 17 instruments, many of wh..

Maharajas’ palaces in India are often stunning places to visit, especially when they house beautiful royal collections. This is the case with the City Palace in Jaipur, which exhibits royal garments in the Mubarak Mahal ; miniatures, palanquins and ..

The Galta temples, about a dozen temples built in the 18C, stand in the wild setting of a narrow, picturesque gorge that is populated by macaque monkeys. Remember to remove your shoes before entering the temples! A spring said to possess miraculous q..

Thousands of migratory birds, including very rare cranes from Siberia which are threatened with extinction, spend the winter in the Keoladeo Ghana reserve, attracted by its reed beds and marshland. In the 18C, this was the property of Maharaja Suraj..

Built in 1815 by his son, the cenotaph of Maharaja Bakhtawar Singh is also known as the Rani Mausi ki Chhatri, in honour of the widow who sacrificed herself on her husband’s funeral pyre. The red sandstone of the ground floor, which is studded with s..

The Shekhawati region is dotted with numerous haveli – attractive mansions built by wealthy merchants from the area arranged around a series of inner courtyards ( chowk ). In Nawalgarh, the Poddar haveli, which now houses a small museum dedicated t..

The Bhagat haveli houses some well-preserved paintings on its external façade and in its courtyard, depicting processions, the god Krishna and his gopi (milkmaids), a steamboat etc. The bedrooms on the first floor are decorated with pretty fresco..

The Shekhawati region is renowned for its frescoes painted with natural pigments, such as saffron, urine, soot, lime and clay. Parasarampura, a hamlet situated about 20km from Nawalgarh, is no exception. The dome of the Sardul Singh cenotaph is cov..

Perched on an esplanade, the Seth Arjundas Goenka Haveli Museum is the only haveli in the town open to the public. In the museum’s rooms, mannequins depict scenes from everyday life in the past (the accountant and his assistants, women in the kitch..

It’s particularly enjoyable to stroll through Nehru Bazaar in the morning, when the fruit and vegetable sellers are setting up their stalls outside the old houses. The narrow winding alleyways are home to numerous havelis , some of which have retain..

On the ground floor, the Sone ki Dukan (“gold shop”) opens onto a reception room decorated with minutely detailed paintings dominated by the colours red and gold. It is the latter, little used in this region, which has made the building famous. The p..

Towards the end of the 12C, the highly venerated Sufi Main ud-Din Chisti settled in Ajmer, attracting numerous Muslim pilgrims in his wake. He is laid to rest in the dargah of Main ud-Din Chisti, best visited – despite the crowds – during the Urs f..

Ajmer has been an important religious centre for Muslims since the 13C. This Muslim enclave in the heart of a Rajput region is home to a number of mosques, their minarets creating silhouettes framed against the sky. Adhai-din ka Jhonpra mosque, built..

Bikaner attracted merchants and bankers from the late 15C onwards. Taking advantage of the strategic location of the town, an important staging post for caravans after crossing the Thar, the most astute of these quickly amassed huge fortunes. As in o..

Spend some time admiring the 18C wall paintings of the ranga mandapa (hypostyle pavilion): completely covering the walls, shutters and ceilings, these paintings depict scenes of the court, processions, battles, and accomplishments of the 24 tirtha..

Despite its fine architecture, Shri Karni Mata is better known for its unusual residents – a multitude of rats that scurry over the feet of respectful pilgrims who come here to bring them titbits as offerings. Try to visit during the Karni Mata festi..

The seven Jain temples of Jaisalmer, built in yellow sandstone like the other buildings in the fort , are home to a vast array of magnificent white marble sculptures. Particularly striking are the tirthankara , dancers and animals which adorn the w..

Like all the towns in northern Rajasthan, Jaisalmer became prosperous as a result of its location on the caravan route linking Asia with the Middle East. From the 17C onwards, the town began to extend outside the walls of the fort, developing into th..

Salim Singh ki haveli is remarkable for its unusual silhouette – a type of tower whose upper storey expands into a projecting covered gallery. Carved peacocks support the balcony, while others can be seen strutting between the half-moons of the can..