Eleven kilometres north of Jaipur, atop a ridge of the Aravalli Hills, sits the honey-coloured Amber Fort — the former capital of the Kachwaha Rajputs before Sawai Jai Singh II founded Jaipur in 1727.
Started in 1592 by Raja Man Singh I — one of Akbar’s Navaratnas — and completed over 150 years, it fuses Rajput military might with Mughal refinement.
The Four Courtyards
You climb (or ride an elephant) from the base to Jaleb Chowk, the first great courtyard where returning armies once assembled for the Raja’s inspection.
The second court holds the Diwan-i-Aam (Hall of Public Audience) — open pavilions of grey stone and red marble with double columns.
The third is where the Rajas lived. Its highlight is the Sheesh Mahal (Mirror Palace) whose ceilings are inlaid with millions of tiny mirrors — a single candle can illuminate the whole hall.
The fourth was the zenana — quarters for the royal women, arranged so that the Raja could visit any wife without others knowing.
Sheesh Mahal and the Magic Flower
The Sheesh Mahal is Amber’s most famous room. Its walls are covered in convex mirror pieces, colored glass and delicate carvings — including a "magic flower" panel that reveals seven different themes when different portions are covered by hand.
The Kesar Kyari and the Lake
Below the fort, on a small island in Maota Lake, is the Kesar Kyari — a saffron-shaped garden that the Rajas once actually cultivated with saffron.
From the ramparts of the fort the reflection of the palace in the lake is what most postcards of Amber capture.
Visiting
The fort is open all days. Elephant rides up the ramp start at 7:30 am and stop by 11 am. Alternatively drive up (10 minutes) or hike up the paved path in 20 minutes.
The nightly sound-and-light show — in English at 7:30 pm — is one of the best in Rajasthan.