On your way to the airport or while driving on JLN Marg in Jaipur, you see a tall pink structure standing right there surrounded by a gamut of trees and lush gardens, that structure is Jawahar Circle – the biggest circular park in Asia on a traffic signal.
Rather than just crossing it after giving it a glance, stop by the circle, park your car far away, and walk towards this stunning spot to see a different kind of architecture on a busy traffic signal of the pink city !
The entrance of Jawahar Circle is through the Patrika gate, which has been designed beautifully. If you ever feel the need to get back in touch with the traditional side of Jaipur but are scared to go to the crowded walled city because of the traffic, this is the place to visit. This gate has been made keeping in mind the other 7 gates which are present in the walled city.
Patrika gate gives you a sneak peek into the vibrant culture of Rajasthan as each pillar is dedicated to some or the other part of the state. Hand paintings of temples, forts, palaces, portraits of Jaipur rulers, blue pottery, jewelry, photographs of Amer, Hawa Mahal, City Palace, Jal Mahal are found here to give a glimpse of the entire history of Jaipur. There were some nostalgic & proud examples of scenes depicting weddings, wars and daily lives of people showcasing the way they earned their livelihood, all artistically portrayed in lively colors.
What will definitely catch your attention are the classic windows which have been put in to give the gate a more authentic look. But other than showing the history of our city, this gate also has illustrations of the new age architectural wonders of Jaipur like World Trade Park and Amar Jawan Jyoti to name a few. The motifs which have been painted all over the gate speak volumes of the meticulous work done by local artisans.
The area opposite the gate has also been landscaped to give an old fashioned look. The huge circular garden is surrounding a fountain which offers a musical light show every Sunday from 7 p.m. The park is well equipped with benches and a jogging track, and if you like a less crowded park over a crowded one, choose this.
There is also a children’s park to enjoy various swings followed by everyone’s favourite – Chowpati 😀 The food here is definitely a huge incentive to plan an outing in the evening. There is a total of 7 Shree Nath pav bhaji wala (we counted) and around 5 pandit pav bhaji stalls. There are stalls selling baraf ka gola and kulfi to beat the heat and yes it works. Bombay sandwich and bhelpuri is a must-have if you are a street food junkie because the whole concept of Chowpati comes from Mumbai anyway ! The best part about this chowpati as compared to others in the city is the ample space to sit and eat 😀
So the next time you go to World Trade Park which you definitely will soon as the sale season is coming up, skip the food court and go for more desi food at Jawahar circle and visit this less explored part of the city 🙂
Written by Anjali Sarda – an Intern at Jaipur Beat
Edited by Jaipur Beat
Photographs by Jaipur Beat
Jaipur Beat 