Pink walls planned in 1727 still gate Rajasthan’s capital
Jaipur, Rajasthan’s capital and largest city, counted about 3.1 million people in 2011—India’s tenth-most populous then. Sawai Jai Singh II founded it in 1727 as one of modern India’s earliest planned cities, later painted pink for a prince’s visit and nicknamed the Pink City on the Delhi–Agra Golden Triangle.
The Kachhwaha ruler shifted from Amber, eleven kilometres away, to ease overcrowding and water stress. Architect Vidyadhar Bhattacharya laid the grid by Vastu Shastra and Shilpa Shastra principles; building began in 1726, formal founding on 18 November 1727. Under Sawai Ram Singh II the avenues were painted a welcoming pink for Albert Edward’s 1876 visit as Prince of Wales—a hue that stuck as the city’s brand. By 1900 the city held about 160,000 people, with metalwork and marble schools feeding industry after an 1868 art school opened.
UNESCO added Jaipur to the World Heritage Cities list on 6 July 2019. Three sites already drew pilgrims of stone: Amer Fort, Hawa Mahal, and Jantar Mantar. C.V. Raman called it an “Island of Glory”; tourist copy still says Paris of India. Geography mixes alluvial plains east and south with Aravalli hills—Nahargarh north, Jhalana east—under a hot semi-arid monsoon climate. Record heat hit 49.0°C on 23 May 1994; freezes have reached −2.2°C. The Dravyavati River, once an open sewer, saw a 47.5-kilometre rejuvenation finished in 2022.
Economy mixes tourism, gem cutting, jewellery, luxury textiles, and IT. District GDP was estimated at ₹1,22,140 crore (about $15.8 billion) in 2020–21. Auto and chemical plants, Mahindra World City, and Asia’s large Bhamashah Techno Hub mark newer industry beside hand-knotted rugs and the Jaipur Foot prosthetic. Hindi dominates, with Dhundari as the local dialect; 2011 religion figures showed about 77.9% Hindu and 18.6% Muslim.
Source: Jaipur
