DAY 7 (2/4): JAIGARH FORT, Jaipur, Rajasthan, India, 2018.11.30

At the exit of Amber Fort, we asked a local visitor for directions to the Jaigarh Fort, the mighty fortress overlooking the Amber Fort atop the Cheel ka Teela (Hill of Eagles) of the Aravalli Range. Built by Jai Singh II in 1726, the main function of Jaigarh Fort was to protect the Amber Fort. Many visitors make the effort up to Jaigarh to check out Jaivana, the super large cannon cast in 1720 by Sawai Raja Jai Singh II of Jaipur. We opted for its supreme views of Amber Fort and Maota Lake. The local visitor advised us to return into Amber Fort and search for the “Tunnel”, a sub-terrain passage below Amber Fort connecting to the trail of Jaigarh Fort. We reentered Amber Fort and descended into the “Tunnel”. The “Tunnel” was dark but full of curious tourists. There were no signage to confirm the destination but we were told that it would eventually lead us to Jaigarh Fort. After several minutes in the dark, the “Tunnel” opened to an outdoor archway passage going uphill.

The “Tunnel” exited to an archway passage between Amber and Jaigarh Fort. The passage was concealed below grade probably for defensive purpose.

The archway passage eventually merged with an uphill path leading to Jaigarh Fort.

Not that many tourists were around on the path. The path was quite exposed. We were a little hot despite it was winter.

After ten minutes of ascending, Jaigarh Fort was right ahead of us.

Looking down, we could see the winding path that brought us up to the fort.

After walking through a tunnel, archway passage, and uphill path, we finally reached Jaigarh Fort, the defense citadel for Amber.

Compared with Amber Fort, Jaigarh was relatively bare and empty.

Most of the interior spaces were off limit for visitors. We wandered around the courtyards before reaching the back gardens.

Despite all furniture were gone, we could still imagine what the spaces would be like when filled with generals and military personnel.

At various lookouts, we could truly appreciate the defensive structure and ramparts that extended way beyond the fort.

As an defensive complex, the back garden of Jaigarh Fort was surprisingly elegant.

We walked on the rampart walls around the garden to enjoy the surrounding landscape.

From the wall, we could also see the Amber Fort down below.

We could also see a number of temples in the town of Amber down below.

From distance, the protective ramparts surrounding Amber seemed like a small version of China’s Great Wall.

Delicate latticeworks seemed to exist everywhere no matter where visited in Rajasthan.

At the other end of Jaigarh Fort, we finally found Jaivana, the large 18th-century cannon cast by Sawai Raja Jai Singh II of Jaipur. After a test-fire in 1720, the cannon had never fired twice.