Interesting Facts and Quirky Tales of Jaipur

From its rich history to its vibrant culture, there’s always something fascinating to discover in the Pink City.  We hope that these interesting facts and quirky stories add to your Jaipur Adventure.

Jaipur’s UNESCO World Heritage Sites

Jaipur is home to three UNESCO World Heritage sites, each showcasing different aspects of the city’s architectural and historical significance:

• Jantar Mantar: Built in the 18th century, Jantar Mantar is an impressive collection of astronomical instruments that blend science, art, and history. With 20 large-scale instruments, it offers valuable insights into ancient Indian astronomy. The site demonstrates the scientific and technological ambitions of the people.
• The Walled City of Jaipur: Founded in 1727, the capital was moved to a flat plateau with room for expansion and the intention of becoming a commercial and trading hub. The famous “Pink City” wasn’t always pink, though. It was painted in this rosy hue in 1876 to welcome the Prince of Wales (who later became King Edward VII). Ever since, residents have been legally required to keep the city’s historic facades pink—a rule that adds to the city’s unique charm.
• Hill Forts of Rajasthan: Amber Fort is one of six forts in Rajasthan that collectively celebrate the glory of the historic Rajput kingdoms. Each fort has its own story to tell, but all hark back to a turbulent time when invasion was always a risk.

Interesting Facts About Jaipur

Jaipur is full of surprises. Here are a few quirky facts that make the city even more intriguing:

• India’s Oldest Planned City: While Chandigarh often gets credit for being India’s first planned city, Jaipur predates it by centuries. Designed according to Vastu Shastra (the traditional Indian science of architecture), Jaipur is divided into nine blocks with clear zoning for commercial, residential, and royal uses. It’s a city built with both practicality and spirituality in mind.
• Hawa Mahal: The “Palace of Winds” is one of Jaipur’s most iconic landmarks, and its design is genius. With 953 small windows (known as jharokhas) and a narrow façade, the Hawa Mahal was designed to allow cool air to circulate throughout the palace—a clever form of early air conditioning that also gave royal women a way to observe the street life below without being seen.
• Home to an Egyptian Mummy: Yes, you read that right. Jaipur’s Albert Hall Museum is home to one of only six Egyptian mummies in India. The mummy, named Tutu, was around 25 years old when she died 2,300 years ago. A member of a priestly family, Tutu is now the star attraction of the museum. She was acquired or gifted to Maharaja Sawai Ishwar Singh in the 1880s.  There are differing reports on the details, but it illustrates the world wide influence that the Rajput kings had at the time. The other five mummies are in Hyderabad, Kolkata, Mumbai, Lucknow, and Vadodara.

Jaipur’s World Records

Jaipur doesn’t just hold historical significance; it’s also home to some impressive, and eclectic, world records:

• World’s Largest Stone Sundial: The Samrat Yantra at Jantar Mantar stands a whopping 27 meters tall and was built over 300 years ago. It’s still accurate to this day, proving that some things really do stand the test of time.  At the time it was built there was no “Indian Standard Time”, so if you are going to set your watch by Samrat Yantra then you’ll need to convert old Jaipur Time to IST.
• World’s Largest Silver Vessels: The City Palace houses two enormous silver vessels, each weighing nearly 350 kilograms and capable of holding 4,000 liters. There was a third, but it’s now resting at the bottom of the Red Sea (more on that later!).
• World’s Largest Wheeled Cannon: This is the Jaivana Cannon at Jaigarh Fort.  Whilst never of value in the battlefield it has generated it’s fair share of local folklore (you can read about that below).
• World’s Largest Literary Festival: Jaipur hosts the world’s largest literary festival each year, in January or February, attracting authors, scholars, and readers from around the world. This event underscores Jaipur’s role as a center of intellectual and cultural activity.
• World’s Largest Wearable Turban: You’ve heard of big hats, but how about a turban that weighs 35 kilograms and is made of 400 meters of cloth? Major Singh holds this quirky record, proudly showcasing the grandeur and tradition of Rajasthani turbans.
• World’s Largest Biryani Plate: In honour of World Food Day, Jaipur chefs whipped up a vegetarian biryani that weighed in at a staggering 1,500 kilograms, all served on a single plate! The event, held at Jawahar Circle (which claims to be the largest circular park in Asia), fed thousands of people and promoted a scheme to provide mid-day food to tens of thousands of school children.

Why Jaipur’s Silver Urns Crossed the World

Now, about that missing silver vessel at the bottom of the Red Sea…

In the 19th century, a Hindu taboo known as Kala Pani (or “Black Waters”) dictated that crossing the seas would result in a loss of caste and property rights upon return. So, when Maharaja Sawai Madho Singh II was invited to King Edward VII’s coronation in 1901, he faced a dilemma. How to attend this prestigious event, when sailing was the only real option, without falling foul of Kala Pani?

One of the many things I love about India, even today, is that whilst often perplexing obstacles are put in the way there are always those willing to help you find a way around them.  There is even a Hindi word for this: jugaad.  The Maharaja consulted his religious scholars, who devised a clever plan, the taboo would not apply if:

• the family deity travelled with him (and got the biggest suite on the ship)
• daily rituals were performed
• Jaipur soil was liberally spread under his bed
• and he drank only water from the Ganges

The History and Folklore of the Jaivana Cannon

Nestled in Jaigarh Fort lies a relic of Jaipur’s military past, Rajasthan’s record-breaking giant Jaivana Cannon.  It is recognised as being the largest wheeled cannon ever constructed. And it’s story is a blend of history, engineering marvel, and a healthy dose of folklore.

The Stats: Big, Bold, and Beautiful

Let’s start with the facts. It was cast entirely on site in 1720 during the reign of Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II.  It is 20 feet in length, weighs around 50 and is mounted on wheels that are 9 feet in diameter.  It’s cannonballs would have been over 50kgs in weight.

One Shot Wonder

Despite, or because of, its enormous size and firepower, the Jaivana Cannon was only ever fired once. And what a shot it was!

Legend has it that when the cannon was tested for the first and only time, the recoil was so powerful that it caused injuries to several soldiers who were manning it and left a permanent mark on the fort’s stone floor.

But that’s not where the story ends. According to local folklore, that single cannonball travelled a whopping 35 kilometres!  The resulting crater, in Chakku village, became a pond. It is a permanent reminder of the power and legend of Sawai Jai Singh II and his cannon.

So, why was it built?

It is ironic that the world’s largest wheeled cannon has only moved a few hundred metres during it’s 300 years! 

Historians believe that it was commissioned not necessarily for war, rather as a display of power and technological superiority. Sawai Jai Singh II was known for his interest in science and engineering, having also built the Jantar Mantar. Therefore, this was more a statement piece than a practical war instrument.