Amber, India

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Amber
Amer
city
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Aerial view of Amber
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Amber
Location within Rajasthan
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Amber
Amber (Rajasthan)
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Amber
Amber (India)
Coordinates: 26°59′N75°52′E / 26.983°N 75.867°E / 26.983; 75.867
Country India
State Rajasthan
District(s) Jaipur
Time zone UTC+05:30 (IST)

Amber or Amer, is a city near Jaipur in Jaipur district in the Indian state of Rajasthan. It is now a part of the Jaipur Municipal Corporation.

Contents

The picturesque situation of Amber at the mouth of a rocky mountain gorge, in which nestles a lake, has attracted the admiration of travellers, including Victor Jacquemont and Reginald Heber. [1] It is seen to be a remarkable example for its combined Rajput-Mughal architecture. The Amber Fort, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is the top tourist attraction in the Jaipur area.

History

Amber region also known as Amer or Dhundhar and was controlled by Meena chiefs of five different tribes who were under suzerainty of the Bargurjar Rajput Raja of Deoti. Later a Kachhwaha prince Dulha Rai destroyed the sovereignty of Meenas and also defeated Bargurjars of Deoli and took Dhundhar fully under Kachwaha rule. [2]

It replaced Khoh as the capital of Dhundhar after Kakil Deo, the son of Dulha Rai, defeated the Meenas here. [3] [4] Kachhwaha capital was later shifted to Jaipur, a new city built by Sawai Jai Singh. [5] [6]

Amber Fort was built by Maharaja of Parmar Rajputs, appreciated by Raja Man Singh I. Amber was ruled from 1590 to 1614 AD by Mughal Emperor Akbar's Navaratnas Raja Man Singh I, which included the built palace. The palace includes several spectacular buildings, such as the Diwan-i-Khas, and the elaborately painted Ganesh Pole built by the renowned warlord Mirza Raja Jai Singh I (Man Singh I's grandson). The old and original fort of Amber, dating from earlier Rajas or the Mair or Maidh period, is what is known in the present day as Jaigarh Fort, which was actually the main defensive structure rather than the palace itself. The two structures are interconnected by a series of encompassing fortifications. [7]

Amber was capital of the Kachwaha until 1727 when the ruler of Amber, Sawai Jai Singh II founded a capital Jainagara (Jaipur), named after him, about nine kilometers south of Amber. After the founding of this new town, the royal palace and houses of prominent persons were shifted to Jaipur. The priests of Shila Devi temple, who were Bengali Brahmins, continued to live in the fort (to this date), while the Jaigarh fort above the palace also remained heavily garrisoned. The capital of Kachwaha was supplanted by the modern city of Jaipur, which is the capital of the Rajasthan state in India.[ citation needed ]

Controversy over renovation practices

Poor site management and development pressures have dramatically altered the historical integrity of Amber. The building that rings around the Jaleb Chwok courtyard "has been converted to a market place with shops selling showpieces and dresses. They have cafeterias, cyber cafés, etc.", according to the Times of India. [8] In the summer of 2009, the Rajasthan High Court launched a three-member panel charged with investigating the controversial renovations and determining to what extent the cultural heritage of the site was compromised. [9]

Visitor attractions

Nahargarh Biological Park

This park is home to species whose numbers have declined over the years, such as the Indian leopard. The flora is representative of the Khathiar-Gir dry deciduous forests ecoregion. [10] [11]

In media

Various scenes were produced for the 2011 British film The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel in and around Amber. [12] [13]

Amber Fort Jaipur 03-2016 04 Amber Fort.jpg
Amber Fort
Amber Fort Amber Fort, Jaipur, 20191219 1011 9509.jpg
Amber Fort
Interior of one of the palaces in Amber Fort Amber Fort interior.jpg
Interior of one of the palaces in Amber Fort
The fort in 1985 1985.04.15 31 Fort Amber India.jpg
The fort in 1985
Panna Meena ka Kund stepwell 3 step stepwell.jpg
Panna Meena ka Kund stepwell

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jaipur</span> Capital of Rajasthan, India

Jaipur, formerly known as Jeypore, is the capital and the largest city of the Indian state of Rajasthan. As of 2011, the city has a population of 3.1 million, making it the tenth most populous city in the country. Located 268 km from the national capital New Delhi, Jaipur is also known as the Pink City due to the dominant color scheme of its buildings in old city.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sawai Jai Singh</span> Maharaja of Amber (1688–1743)

Sawai Jai Singh II, popularly known as Sawai Raja Jai Singh, was the 29th Kachwaha Rajput ruler of the Kingdom of Amber, who later founded the fortified city of Jaipur and made it his capital. He became the ruler of Amber at the age of 11, after the death of his father, Mirza Raja Bishan Singh, on 31 December 1699.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kachhwaha</span> Clan of Rajputs in India

The Kachhwaha, or Kachhawa is a Rajput clan found primarily in India.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dhundhar</span>

Dhundhar, also known as Jaipur region, is a historical region of Rajasthan state in western India. It includes the districts of Jaipur, Neem ka Thana, Dantaramgarh part of Sikar District lying to the east of the Aravalli Range, Dausa, Sawai Madhopur, Tonk, southern part of Kotputli and the northern part of Karauli District.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Amber Fort</span> UNESCO World Heritage Site In India

Amer Fort or Amber Fort is a fort located in Amer, Rajasthan, India. Amer is a town with an area of 4 square kilometres (1.5 sq mi) located 11 kilometres (6.8 mi) from Jaipur, the capital of Rajasthan. Located high on a hill, it is the principal tourist attraction in Jaipur. Amer Fort is known for its artistic style elements. With its large ramparts and series of gates and cobbled paths, the fort overlooks Maota Lake, which is the main source of water for the Amer Palace.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jaigarh Fort</span> Historic military fortress in Rajasthan, India

Jaigarh Fort is situated on the promontory called the Cheel ka Teela of the Aravalli range; it overlooks the Amer Fort and the Maota Lake, near Amer in Jaipur, Rajasthan, India. The fort was built by Mirza Raja Jai Singh in 1726 to protect the Amer Fort and its palace complex and was named after him.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nahargarh Fort</span> Historic military fortress in Rajasthan, India

Nahargarh Fort stands on the edge of the Aravalli Hills, overlooking the city of Jaipur in the Indian state of Rajasthan. Along with Amer Fort and Jaigarh Fort, Nahargarh once formed a strong defence ring for the city. The fort was originally named Sudershangarh, but it became known as Nahargarh, which means 'abode of tigers'. The popular belief is that Nahar here stands for Nahar Singh Bhomia, whose spirit haunted the place and obstructed construction of the fort. Nahar's spirit was pacified by building a temple in his memory within the fort, which thus became known by his name.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kingdom of Amber</span> Princely state in northwest India (1028–1949)

The Kingdom of Amber, also known as Kingdom of Dhundhar and Jaipur State, was located in the north-eastern historic Dhundhar region of Rajputana and was ruled by the Kachwaha Rajput clan. It was established by Dulha Rai, possibly the last ruler of the Kachchhapaghata dynasty of Gwalior who migrated to Dausa and started his kingdom there with the support of Chahamanas of Shakambhari in the 12th century. Mostly through 12th to 15th century, the kingdom faced stagnation, sources were scarce. Under its ruler, Raja Chandrasen Amer became a Sisodia vassal and fought in the Battle of Khanwa under Raja Prithviraj Kachhwaha.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bharmal</span> Raja of Amber (c. 1498–1574)

Raja Bharmal, also known as Bihari Mal, and Bihar Mal, was the 22nd Kachwaha Rajput ruler of Amber, which was later known as Jaipur, in the present-day Rajasthan state of India.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">City Palace, Jaipur</span> Building in Rajasthan, India

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hill Forts of Rajasthan</span> UNESCO World Heritage Site in northern India

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kanak Vrindavan</span>

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Prithviraj Singh I, also known as Prithvi Singh I, was the 16th-century Kachwaha ruler of Kingdom of Amber. He was a monarch of strong religious inclinations and during his reign, the Kingdom of Amber became increasingly politically active. He took part in the Rajput alliance against the Mughal emperor Babur, fighting against the latter in the Battle of Khanwa alongside Rana Sanga of Mewar in 1527. Three of Raja Prithviraj's sons successively followed him as ruler of Amber, with many of his descendants also populating the kingdom's highest aristocracy in subsequent centuries.

Khoh, also known as Khogong, was the capital of the kingdom of Amber which was located in the Dhundhar region of Rajputana. Which was located just five miles to the east of Jaipur city and was ruled by the Chanda clan. Rao Chandrasen Chanda abandoned Mahishmati city and established a kingdom here. It was the capital of the Chandas till the 11th century and of the Kachhawahas from the 11th to the 13th century.

Susawat or Susaot is the name of a historical Meena clan during medieval India. They ruled over the historical region of India called Amber.

Dulha Rai was the founder of the Kachhwaha dynasty and also the 1st king from this dynasty who ruled the territory of Dhundhar, with his capital at Khoh in present-day Rajasthan. He started his rule from Dausa which he obtained as a dowry from the Chahamanas of Shakambhari. Making Dausa as his base, he started conquering the region of Dhundhar and soon was recognised as the ruler of this region by the Chahamanas after he successfully suppressed the rebellious Bargujar Rajputs.

References

  1. Wikisource-logo.svg One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain :  Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Amber". Encyclopædia Britannica . Vol. 1 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 792.
  2. Sarkar, Jadunath (1994) [1984]. A History of Jaipur: C. 1503–1938. Orient Longman Limited. pp. 23, 24. ISBN   81-250-0333-9.
  3. Jaigarh, the Invincible Fort of Amber. RBSA Publishers, 1990. 1990. p. 18. ISBN   9788185176482.
  4. Jaipur: Gem of India. IntegralDMS, 2016. 7 July 2016. p. 24. ISBN   9781942322054.
  5. Sen, Sailendra Nath (2007). Textbook of Indian History and Culture. New Delhi: MACMILLAN. p. 167. ISBN   978-1-4039-3200-6.
  6. Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Jaipur"  . Encyclopædia Britannica . Vol. 15 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. pp. 128–129.
  7. Sinha, Amita; Rajora, Neha (2014). "Gaze and the picturesque landscape of Amber, India". Studies in the History of Gardens & Designed Landscapes. 34 (4): 309–322. doi:10.1080/14601176.2013.874305. Amber predates the Kachhawa rulers — Kakil Dev captured Amber from Mina tribesmen in 1037 CE, laid the foundation of the fortification system and built the Ambikeshwar Mahadev Temple. When his great grandson Rajdev shifted the capital from Khoh to Amber, the settlement began to grow. Amber Palace was substantially enlarged by Man Singh in 1600 CE with additions by Jai Singh I and Sawai Jai Singh II until the first quarter of the eighteenth century.
  8. The Times of India (21 February 2009). "Barbarians at Work in Amer?". The Times of India . Archived from the original on 11 August 2011.
  9. The Times of India (5 May 2009). "Three-member Panel to Probe Amer Fort Restoration". The Times of India . Archived from the original on 11 August 2011.
  10. 1 2 "Nahargarh Fort of Jaipur in Rajasthan, India". Travel India. Retrieved 19 July 2017.
  11. "Khathiar-Gir dry deciduous forests". Terrestrial Ecoregions. World Wildlife Fund. Retrieved 29 January 2017.
  12. "Filming Locations for the Best Exotic Marigold Hotel (2011), in India".
  13. "Experience the Best Exotic Marigold Hotel". 11 February 2017.

Further reading

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