Jaigarh Fort - Jaipur

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RAJASTHAN - Jaipur The Jaigarh Fort

The Jaigarh Fort is strategically situated at an altitude, on the Cheel Ka Teela (Hill of Eagles). This fort is a unified with the Amer fort by a long formidable wall , second only to the wall of China. The city has grown around the fort and Amer palace. The city formed by Raja Jai Singh  and his descendants and enriched it over the centuries. 

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The two forts are connected by a subterranean passage and are considered to be the escape route for the royals during battle and invasions. Majestically towering over the Amer Fort it is a vantage point. 

      

Of course this passage has been sealed for security reasons.

The fort seems austere compared to the Amer Fort. It had a Diwan- E - Aam ( Court to meet the general Public) and a Jenana Khanna ( Queens quarters). It is presumed that most guards were eunuchs, as there were very few doors, mostly curtains were used as dividers. These guards would spend hours in Jharokas (Balcony windows) overlooking the Queens gardens and report the gossip to the king.

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Jharokha - Balcony windows

                                   

The Water System of Jaipur

     In the Jaigarh fort, great care was taken to ensure an abundant supply of water within the fort. Aqueducts, cisterns, tanks were dug and large and deep reservoirs, called tanks, were excavated in the solid rock to conserve the rain water falling during the rainy seasons. These waterworks were simply not dug here and there but they were dug after a detailed study of the topography of the place for domestic use and irrigational purposes. 

The hydraulic systems of the Jaigarh fort are based on the principles of rainwater harvesting and water conservation. The whole mechanism of the system is comprised of collecting rainwater through aqueducts and carrying it to storage tank with the facility of cleaning the water and its storage in tanks which are provided with the technique of conservation of water having least pollution; it became operational due to gravitational force/gravity. Surprisingly this 18th century hydraulic innovation is based on the manipulation of geographical features of the area without using any mechanical and locomotive device.

INDIAN JOURNAL OF ARCHAEOLOGY VOL. 4/NO. 1/ January 2019-April 2019. Publisher: National Trust for Promotion of Knowledge Mode of Publication: Online (e-Journal) Source: www.ijarch.org

Rainwater is collected in the catchment area, this is on the left of the palace

This area collected maximum rain water which is sent to the fort through a network canals.

  

This fort has a complex water system. Rain water was harvested in structure made in the nearby catchments. Theses were then transported via canals on the west side of the fort. Three large underground tanks stored over 6 million gallons of drinkable water. These were the main water source for both forts.

The  Charbagh Garden cover the water reservoirs and are the final place from where the water is supplied to the city of Jaipur and the Palace. These are cover with beautiful gardens for the pleasure of royalty.

                                  

The influence of the Roman Aqueducts for water management is very evident here. 
 

The Jaigarh Fort was the centre of artillery production for the Rajputs. It is now home  to the JAIVANA CANON. Considered to be the largest canon in the world it was only fired once and has a range of 22 miles. One use requires 100 kgs of gunpowder and canon balls of 50 kgs each. During Emperor Shah Jahan reign, Jaigarh Fort became the worlds most efficient cannon foundries, because of the abundance of the nearby iron mines. The Rajput also built a large ingenious mechanical device that had a precision gear system driven by four pairs of Oxen, the device was used for hollowing out the cannon barrels

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jaivana_Cannon

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jaivana_Cannon

The Jaigarh fort is famous for three things, its incredible water system, its foundry for cannon making and the hidden passage that connects the forts.

Photographs by Jyotika Karve except when mentioned otherwise.

Cliveden - London 2017

The season was perfect to visit The Cliveden House.

 The typical English landscape opened its arms to welcome us to this Hunting Lodge built in 1666 by the 2nd Duke of Buckingham to entertain his mistresses and friends

Cliveden has been the home to a Prince of Wales, two Dukes, an Earl, and finally the Viscounts Astor. As the home of Nancy Astor, wife of the 2nd Viscount Astor, Cliveden was the meeting place of the Cliveden Set of the 1920s and 30s—a group of political intellectuals. - www.wikipedia.org

A large fountain is a visual treat at the end of a lime tree avenue that leads upto the Main House. The Shell Fountain called the "Fountain of Love" was an acquisition commissioned in 1897 by Lord Astor for this site. Sculpted by Thomas Waldo Story, (American, 1855–1915) in Rome.

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It features a large Carrara marble shell supporting three life-size female figures attended by cupids.

 

The fountains has cupids on both sides

 As we walk away from this mesmerising fountain we begin to enter the realm of Royalty and the Indulgence of Kings and queens of the past.

The water Tower / The clock Tower. 

As a functioning water tower it still provides water for the house today. It is made in Roman cement like the rest of the house, and features four clock faces. 

   

 

In 1861, Henry Clutton added this 330 metre, or 100 foot clock tower. A 19th-century winged male figure Le Génie de la Liberté (the Spirit of Liberty) is seen atop. it is gilded with 2 layers of 23,5 carat Gold. It which holds the torch of civilisation in its right hand and the broken chain of slavery in its left. once you enter he House, it reminds one of the flamboyance and extravagance of royalty. 

A walk through the interior reveals silent rooms, panelled halls and winding stairways.

 

Long corridors lined with gilded chest and lamps.

 

Terraces to have your morning tea and entertain.

 

Lawned upper levels to host private parties.

 

Strange niches in the house with multiple water outlets.

 Fine tapestry on all the chairs, with arm rests carved beautuifully.

 Corridor

 waiting area

 

Nooks and corners with valuable paintings

 Portraits of past royalty.

Parterre. ( a level space in a garden occupied by an ornamental arrangement of flower beds)

 

The Duke commissioned both Charles Barry (who had rebuilt the mansion after the second fire) and John Fleming (the head gardener) to produce designs for a complex parterre of flower beds. Fleming's design, which featured two sets of eight interlocking wedge-shaped beds, was chosen and is the template for what can be seen today. The beds were planted with a seasonal mix of bulbs, annuals and shrubs such as gladioli, hollyhocks, tulips, pansies and azaleas. Fleming pioneered this style of planting at Cliveden, which was later to be named "carpet-bedding." - www.wikipedia.org.

 The estate extends to 376 acres (1.52 km²) of which about 180 acres (0.73 km²) comprise the gardens, the rest being wood lands and paddocks. The gardens are listed Grade I on the Register of Historic Parks and Gardens.

The parterre endured in this form until the mid 19th-century when the estate was owned by the Duke of Sutherland and by which time the garden had been neglected. It was described by the Duke's son Lord Ronald Gower as "a prairie...a huge field of grass and wild flowers

The House has priceless tapestry.

It is now a Boutique hotel which keeps the place in pristine condition.

The countless details are a must see .

 

All photographs were taken by Jyotika Karve.
contact me on jyotikakarve@gmail.com
www.97artandideas.com

Information was experienced and inspired by www.wikipedia.org