Jaipur is one of India’s most sought-after tourist destinations for a wide range of reasons and the most prominent reason is its wondrous architecture, be it Hawa Mahal, Unesco site Amer, Jantar Mantar, Chand Bawli, and many more. From travellers to locals, we all have seen these beauties and that really makes us proud of our heritage. But many are unaware that even modern architecture are adding to the architectural beauty, one of them is Pearl Academy of Fashion and Design. The city of Jaipur has a desert climate with average temperatures ranging from 30 to 50 ̊C through most of the year, the building of Pearl is designed in response to the excessive heat. This concept is inspired by Indo-Islamic architectural elements. The students who are interested in fashion and design can visit the campus that has garnered global recognition to Jaipur.
The Pink City is famous for its heritage and Pearl Academy adds a pinch of modernity to it. Let’s check out a few facts about this modern architecture.
The Pearl Academy of Fashion, Jaipur is double layered which acts as a vacuum from its surrounding and reduces direct heat through the porthole. The Jaali element adds traditional touch as well as allows light and air.
The color scheme was chosen carefully to control the temperature of the inside of the building and of the open stepped wells or baoli, from its surrounding.
The Pearl Academy of Fashion, Jaipur has a tremendous architecture consisting of step wells. These water bodies are filled using recycled water from the sewage treatment plant. In night hours, this helps in diminishing heat from the surrounding to keep the area thermally comfortable.
The material that was used for the construction of the building was chosen keeping in mind the climate aspects, including local stone, steel, glass, concrete while embracing the dynamic design intent.
Fewer are those who do not forget to fulfil their social obligations, the Pearl Academy of Fashion is exemplary. The institute is wholly self-sufficient in terms of captive power and water supply. It promotes rainwater harvesting and wastewater recycling, using sewage treatment plant.
Every year 18th May is celebrated as International Museum Day. Each year a theme is chosen, and this year the theme is ‘Cultural Hubs: The Future of Traditions’. And we all know, Rajasthan and culture go hand-in-hand. The museums in Jaipur bring history to life and contributes significantly to a tourists’ experience of visiting the city.
Jaipur, the chromatic city it is, has numerous museums expressing heritage, culture and eminent lifestyle of maharajas. Amongst them are Albert Hall Museum, City Palace’s MSMSII, Doll Museum, etc. Apart from these world-famous ones, a few new museums have come up in the Pink City that carry the heritage of different art forms in their shelves, which many of you might not be aware of, but fret not cause we’ve got your back. Read till the end if you don’t want to miss on any of these.
Albert Hall Museum
The oldest museum of Rajasthan dating back to 1887. The building is situated in Ram Niwas Garden outside the city wall opposite the new gate. Designed by Samuel Jacob, assisted by Mir Tujumool Hoosein and named after King Edward VII, the museum has a rich collection of artefacts including paintings, jewellery, carpets, ivory, stone, metal sculptures, and works of crystal. The collection includes coins from the Gupta, Kushan, Delhi Sultanate, Mughal and British period.
The museum is open Wednesday-Monday (Tuesdays closed) from 09:00 a.m. – 05:30 p.m. and then reopens 07:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.
Today, on the occasion of World Museum Day, tourists will get free entry to the Albert Hall Museum. There will also be a traditional welcome for them. In the evening from 7.30 to 9.00 pm, a cultural evening will also be held. The entry to the programme and the museum will be free of cost in the evening as well.
The City Palace Museum
City Palace, the gem in the crown of Jaipur was established at the same time as Jaipur by Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II. City Palace comprises of several courtyards and galleries. The galleries of the museum are a quintuple with Sabha Niwas, the main hall of the audience which is a chromatic and opulent mix of serene paintings, military medals and polo trophies, murals and chandeliers.
Next in the line is the Textile Gallery on the ground floor of the Mubarak Mahal, displaying various kinds of textiles and fabrics and a rare pashmina carpet from 1650. Sileh Khana is the armour gallery showcasing multiple arms used by the Kachhwaha Rajputs of Jaipur and Amber. Painting and Photography Gallery exhibits art from the eighteenth- and nineteenth century. Lastly, the Transport Gallery features pre-motorized transports from the era of maharajas.
City Palace Museum is open throughout the week from 09:30 a.m. – 05:00 p.m.
Doll Museum
Museums have always been a boredom time for most of the people but this one will be on your lists of favourite be you’re a kid or an adult. Doll Museum is a significant tourist destination, with dolls from various parts of India expressing the culture of its diverse states in different attires and accessories.
One can also find dolls from other parts of the world like Germany, Mexico, America, Sweden, Afghanistan, Britain and many more. The museum is located 4 km outside the walled city, opposite the new gate and can be easily reached via buses, e-rickshaws or cab services.
The museum is open Wednesday-Monday (Tuesdays closed) from 09:00 a.m. – 04:00 p.m.
Jaipur Wax Museum
Jaipur Wax Museum is located at Nahargarh Fort, which is built at the highest point of the Aravalli Hills. The wax museum entails some of the exquisite life-like wax statues of celebrities and members of the royal family designed by highly skilled local artisans.
Apart from the wax statues a section of the fort has been exclusively renovated into Sheesh Mahal, which comprises of 2.5 million of glass pieces of diverse colours and floral motif made out of 23-carat real gold, blends of gems and jewellery along with a vibrant chandelier hanging from the ceiling. Do visit if you want to experience yesteryear of Rajasthan’s glorious heritage.
Wax Museum is open throughout the week from 10:00 a.m. – 06:30 p.m.
Anokhi Museum of Hand Printing
Anokhi Museum of hand printing, dedicated to the art of block printing, is situated at the restored Chanwar Palkiwon Ki Haveli in the shadow of Amber Fort, down the street of Amber. The museum has won a UNESCO award for ‘Cultural Heritage Conservation’ in 2000. Anokhi Museum orates the sensitive state of the block printing industry facing a serious struggle in today’s modern era of consumerism, through the edification of a variety of programmes for backpackers of every age. Anokhi is continuously working towards the education and awareness of hand block printing for its visitors where the visitors are given a block-printing demonstration to sensitize the people towards this receding art.
If you are an eager art-lover and yearn to learn about the craft of it, then a visit is quintessential. Anokhi is open on Tuesday-Saturday (Mondays closed) 10:30 a.m. – 05:00 p.m. and on Sundays 11:00 a.m. – 04:30 p.m.
Rajasthan Rural Arts Program (RRAP) Music Museum & Hub
We all love melodious, vibrant and energetic Rajasthani music. The RRAP Music Museum and Hub is all about that unique, quirky and eccentric vibe. The museum is dedicated to promoting, disseminating, conserving, and repositioning the folk music traditions of Rajasthan.
The museum through its exhibitions, outreach programs, residencies, workshops, and diverse events, provides visitors with a gateway to the many different folk music cultures of Rajasthan. Jaipur’s only folk music museum is a new edition and a must visit for all the music enthusiasts, where you can witness the words and sounds passed through generations of our rural communities, meet the musicians still playing today, and see their remarkable handmade instruments expertly crafted from traditional knowledge.
Location-Krishna Marg, C-Scheme, Jaipur.
The museum is open on Wednesday-Monday from 11:00 a.m. – 06:00 p.m.
Extended hours on Saturday till 08:00 p.m.
Celebrate International Museum Day at RRAP Music Museum and Hub, Jaipur, with free admission and free guided tours. Come learn of the past, present and future of our living musical Rajasthani traditions.
Museum of Gem & Jewellery
Jaipur is known for its fine gem cutting and polishing inclusive of carvings, bead-making and manufacturing of objects d’art. Museum of Gem & JewelleryJaipur was established in 2015, with the objective to promote trade of gem and jewellery, preserving the valuable objects of historical and national importance and a medium to educate the society about gems and jewellery.
The museum aims to mark a positive image and earn global goodwill and pride for Rajasthan.
The beautifully handcrafted crown was used in the film Taj Mahal by actress Negar Khan which is now gifted to the museum
It is located at the Rajasthan Chamber Bhawan, MI Road and is open throughout the week from 10:00 a.m. – 06:00 p.m.
Amrapali Museum Jaipur
Amrapali is a globally renowned, coveted luxury jewellery brand. The heritage jewellery house launched its very own museum in Jaipur, showcasing the breathtaking collection which is unique by its nature and by the manner it was collected. Amrapali Museum Jaipur aims to display traditional silver jewelled arts of India reflecting the ‘everyday’ life of the people of India and holds about 4000 astounding artefacts collected from all over the country.
Their collection is larger than life and will make you run out of words. The eye-candy of museums is located at the Ashok Marg, C-Scheme, Jaipur, and is open for the visitors on all days of the week from 11:00 a.m. – 06:30 p.m.
Gyan Museum, Jaipur
Established in 2015, Gyan museum is a signature design by Paul Mathieu, showcasing the assemblage of the naturalist, collector and gemologist Late Mr Gyan Chand who was a patron collector of the cultural genre.
Gyan Museum depicts a cultural heritage of about 3000 years and has in possession over 2500 work of executive art both of Indian and Foreign origin. It holds articles like textiles, metal art, gorgeous antique jewellery and vintage paintings from the 17th century – rarest. So all the aesthetes get out of your house and visit this place, this museum day. Gyan Museum is open on Monday-Saturday from 10:00 a.m. – 06:00 p.m.
Sanjay Museum, Jaipur
A father loves his child, the story of Sanjay Museum is an example of a father’s love for his son. Dating back to1954 when the Founder Chairman Ram Kripalu Sharma was struggling to get his book published but couldn’t do so for the want of resources. This led to setting up of ‘Sharma granth Sangrahalaya’. The museum embodies collection, conservation, preservation of art and heritage. Along with that, the museum is home to hundreds of handwritten manuscripts and various antique artefacts.
Location- Opposite Jal Mahal, the museum is open for the art-lovers and tourists throughout the week from 09:00 a.m. – 05:30 p.m.
Museum of Legacies
Museum of Legacies has opened recently and is situated in the heart of the city (Kishanpole Bazaar). The museum is a four-story building, having five primary galleries. It exclusively exhibits the rich cultural heritage of Rajasthan with a diverse collection including textiles, jewellery, stoneware and inlay work, painting and pottery. Apart from these galleries, there is a space dedicated to two larger than life puppets that represent the much-adorned traditional art of Rajasthani puppetry. It’s a must visit for all the art lovers. The museum is open on Tuesday-Sunday (Mondays closed) from 12:00 p.m. – 08:00 p.m.
So, which museum you are going to explore today in Jaipur on International Museum Day?
Children are emerging little creatures who when given the right path can unveil their wings. Parents are always worried about their grades and with so much of studies, they tend to lose their creativity and feel exhausted. That’s why you should also encourage them to try new activities that help them realize their interest and also learn new things in life. And that’s what Summer Vacations are all about.
Yet again Jaipur Beat has come up with some fun, exciting, adventurous and a lot to learn summer camps. Find the one that suits your kid’s interest, budget & conveyance and help them create memories of their childhood.
St. Xavier’s Summer Camp
If your kids are more into art and photography then they are likely to enjoy their summer holidays. St. Xavier’s is organising summer hobby & art camp which includes photography masterclass, cartooning & modern art and calligraphy. The batches will begin from 18th May till 2nd June at St. Xavier’s School, C-scheme.
2. Super Kids Summer Camp
A camp filled with lots of fun activities like dance, skating, painting, martial arts, theatre and much more that will keep them engaged in the summers. Batches will start from 15th May at Main Calgiri Road, Malviya Nagar.
Here’s presenting Summer Camp for Preschoolers aged between 4 to 6 years. Packed with offbeat activities like gardening, mathematical stories, vocabulary building, musical slokas in Sanskrit and the list goes on. The batches will start from 13th May till 8th June.
An open educational and cultural centre that is organizing a summer program with multi-disciplinary courses like creative writing, outdoor play, a dance of water, pencil & ink drawings, storytelling and much more. The batches will start from 25th May till 30th June.
They provide activities like art & craft, rock painting, clay modelling, origami and many more. This camp is for kids aged between 2.5 to 12 years and the batches will start from 15th May.
An energetic camp designed to develop 6 essential football skills. Along with this you will get a unique player card, a performance report and a certificate. The batches will begin from 15th May till 15th June for ages 8-15 years at PlaySpace Jaipur.
Shri-Ram Global Pre-School is organizing one of its kind Summer Camp that will take you around the world along with art & craft, music & movement, developing confidence and a lot to learn. The camp is for kids aged between 2-8 years and the batch will start from 13th May till 14th June.
Address- Shri-Ram Global Pre-School, Hanuman Nagar
A fun-filled summer camp with a bunch of activities like yoga, roller skating, splash pools, overnight camping and many more. The batches will start from 13th May till 12th June for the age group of 2-7 years.
This one is for the parents living in or near Jagatpura, Kidzee Ramnagaria Summer Camp is just right for your kids. It offers exciting activities like dancing, karate, wall hanging, bag making and much more. The camp is for the age group 3 to 10 years and will start from 13th May.
Address- A-144, Main Ramnagaria Road, JDA Scheme, Jagatpura
Brushes N Strokes workshop will consist of doodle art, acrylic on canvas, modern art, flow art and many more forms of art. The batches have already started but you can still enrol your kids if they are between 7 to 14 years old.
Indulge your kids in the coolest summer camp with activities like craft, drawing, no flame cooking and much more. The batches will start from 11th May till 30th May.
Kids below 6 years of age can enrol in this exciting summer camp that will provide activities like music, rock & roll, yoga, handwriting and much more. The batches will start from 15th May till 15th June.
The blessed month of Ramadan is right upon us. As per the Islamic calendar, the Holy month of Ramadan begins on the sighting of the new crescent moon.
The month-long observance — which starts from today will see Muslims fasting from dawn to sunset, reciting verses from the Quran and attending prayer sessions.
Those in Jaipur can smell festivity in the air and devotion on faces because it’s just the beginning of the month of Ramadan! Observed annually by Muslims worldwide as a month of fasting (sawm), Ramadan is followed by the entire Muslim community to get closer to God and live the life of the less fortunate ones. It is also a time of joy and for spending time with one’s family, and also shopping.
Did you know that the word Ramadan comes from the Arabic root ramida or ar-ramad, which means scorching heat or dryness? Because the time right now is of peak summer and that makes this fasting even more difficult and challenging to follow. Though Ramadan is followed and celebrated in all the areas of Jaipur, the festival’s real sheen is seen in the walled city, especially Ramganj Bazaar. The market was named Ramganj after Maharaja Sawai Ram Singh II who was the one to bring modernization in the architecture of Jaipur. The name Ramganj, Ram + Ganj (meaning area) reaffirms that this area is the soul of the city as it houses the oldest mosques that smoothly blend in the wise architecture of the walled city of Jaipur. Along with a plethora of mosques, the city’s most authentic Mughal cuisines are found in Ramganj Bazaar and the nearby lanes (galiyan). Ramganj Bazaar is equivalent to the Char Minar of Hyderabad & Jama Masjid of Delhi.
But how exactly do they go about fasting?
Every Muslim, mostly after he/she turns 12, considers it their farz (duty) to fast during Ramadan but are excused in case of exceptional circumstances like illness, pregnancy, travel etc. Ramadan is the fourth pillar of Islam and is practised in reverence of Allah. The month generally consists of 29-30 days depending on the visual sightings of the crescent moon and all the followers follow the timetable of Mecca. They eat before 3 a.m. and post that, they don’t eat or drink anything throughout the day, including water. The meal that they have in the morning is called Sehri. As the day proceeds, they recite namaaz at mosque (masjid) in the evening and at around 7:15 pm i.e. after sunset, they open their fast with something natural like fruits, dates (khajur), milk, water – basically anything which isn’t cooked over fire. Dates are popularly eaten to open the roza for their different quality of providing instant energy after a day full of fasting. The meal served in the evening is called Iftaar.
It was in the holy month of Ramadan on the memorable night of Laylat al-Qadr that the Holy Quran was first revealed to humankind. Five daily prayers are observed every day from dawn to night. They are called: Fajr (dawn), Dhuhr (noon), Asr (afternoon), Maghrib (evening), and Isha (night).
After Iftaar, the devotees visit Masjid at around 9 p.m. where Quran is recited for about 1.5 hours, and all the people sit there listening to it. After 29 or 30 days, the Eid-Al-Fitr celebrations start in full swing where mosques are decorated, the lanes are dazzling in lights, and folks visit each other to wish and exchange sweets especially Sevayian Kheer as it’s also known as Meethi Eid. The night of spotting the moon and ending the fasts is known as ‘Chaand Raat’ or the night of the moon
The end of Ramadan is also marked with the sighting of the crescent moon, denoting Eid-al-Fitr, which should be in the first week of June.
Ramzan Mubarak to you and your family! May Allah’s blessings be with you!
Apart from its magical architecture, the royal residence, and a museum, the city palace has lesser known but not less beautiful gates in its third courtyard. In the inner courtyard of City Palace, Pritam Niwas Chowk has four small gates known as Ridhi Sidhi Pol, which are elaborately decorated in brilliant colours. This courtyard is dominated by Chandra Mahal which is said to be the most charming courtyard in City Palace.
Each door has a different role to play and a story to tell. These gates are adorned with themes symbolising four seasons and are dedicated to a specific Hindu God & Goddess.
Lotus Gate– Beautified with lotus petals and stunning floral patterns representing summer season, Lotus gate is dedicated to Lord Shivand his consort Parvati. Lotus gate surrounds the statue of God and a motif of sun. The beguiling colours and detailed lotus flower work all over the gate will leave you stunned.
Peacock gate-It is one of the most famous and admired gates of them all. This gate is dedicated to Lord Vishnu and symbolizes the autumn season. It is located on the North-East side of the courtyard. The carved peacocks surround the statue of God and are brilliantly decorated with colourful paintings.
Rose gate– The repeated petal pattern represents winter season and is dedicated to Goddess Devi. Rose gate, which is in the third number in the series of the four gates, is beautifully designed and painted with rose petals that also surround the statue of God and a motif of sun.
Lehariya Gate– The beautifully vivid green coloured gate or the green gate represents the green of spring season. This indicates the start of the spring and is dedicated to Lord Ganesha. Lehariya means waves, which was how it got it’s name. It also has a statue of Lord Ganesha surrounded by the motifs of waves.
The above-stated gates give us the spiritual connection and the essence of the life of the medieval period in India. The City Palace surely makes you fall in love with its art.
The month of May has already started with its scorching heat and there’s nothing we can do about it. There’s one thing we can surely do to make it more fun and intriguing for you. Like every month there are events happening around in the Pink City and as per the rituals we have lined up some fabulous events for you-
Drink And Doodle
Spend a cool summer afternoon over some wine and bring out the artist in you. Socialize with people, doodle your heart out, paint, draw and write. It’s almost everything one can ask for.
Date- 4th May
Register- +91-9971090029
Venue- Doodle Rack Hostel
Agaastyaa Open Mic 4.0
An evening filled with poetry, story-telling, singing and comedy, who doesn’t want to attend it. After 3 successful shows, they are back with their open mic 4.0 which will showcase young and energetic artist.
Venue- The Yellow House: Global Veg Bistro, C-scheme
Lok Sabha Elections
Now on the 6th of May, it’s time to do our duty and be a part of India’s biggest festival Lok Sabha Elections 2019. Remember it’s not for any individual’s benefit; it’s for the benefit of the nation.
Date- 6th May
Women’s T20 Challenge
The board of Control for Cricket in India has announced the Women’s T20 Challenge consisting of 4 matches all to be played in SMS Stadium. All the cricket freaks, it’s time to cheer women players.
Date- 6th-11th May
Venue- Sawai Mansingh Stadium
Little Potters- Kids Pottery Course for Summers
Worried about how to engage your little ones in a creative activity?
Look no further, because this summer pottery class is the perfect activity for your kids. This 4-day class is going to keep your kids engaged and will boost their creativity.
The third edition of this promising event is all set to rock your world with popular bands like Demigod, Plague Throat, River, Bad Trip, 3AM and Mordare. Yes, that many.
An exclusive live show of a beautiful set of stories combined with poems. Both the storytellers will give a duet performance with the feeling of love, anger, affection and hope.
The biggest fashion and lifestyle exhibition by Sanjivni Events and Entertainment will be held in our city. An exhibition filled with apparels, accessories, footwear, beauty products and what not.
“She sends me to fetch water very early in the morning Oh! Grandfather it is very difficult for me My pot never fills up fully the water is so deep, that my rope hardly reaches it the sun rises and also sets by the time, I return unable to collect even one pot-full of water” – A folk song of Rajasthan tells the story of scarcity of water in Rajasthan and even decades after Independence the issues of potable water is the major faced by thousands of villagers.
Jaipur based independent filmmaker and photographer Abhishek Kumawat chose photography as a platform to show how the scarcity of water has eventually led the migration of villagers in Rajasthan.
This exhibition portrays the life and spaces of people who migrated from villages to city because of water scarcity, lack of jobs and identity crisis. Rurban as a word is fusion of rural + urban. It’s important to explore the interactions and conflicts of this amalgamated space. The migratory bird “Demoiselle Crane” in winters, migrates from Central Asia and Siberia to Rajasthan and popularly known as Kurjan in local culture and folk songs – a symbol of migration.
In this exhibition, my interest is to understand the psychological and geographical aspects of this shift, especially shift in their consciousness when they migrate to city/cities for survival and not because of any aspirations.
Medium: Black & White
Exhibition Venue: Lalit Kala Akademi, New Delhi
Dates: 28 April – 4 May
The solo photo exhibition, Rurban Kurjan beginning from Sunday at Lalit Kala Akademi, New Delhi.
