It was originally built to protect the Fort of Amer and the palace which was there within the complex. It is very much similar to the Amer Fort architecturally and you can get a panoramic view of the Jaipur City. It has the word’s largest Cannon on wheels along with the huge palace complex and Shubhat Niwas, which is an assembly hall, made for the warriors. It has a museum and an armory in the Fort too. The fort is not just famous for its beautiful architecture, but for the treasure too which according to the legend is buried under the fort. It is said that, in 1970s, the treasure was found and the Rajasthan Government seized it. To protect the Jaipur City from the rivals and the warlords, the Jaigarh fort was constructed.

It is situated on a cape called Cheel ka Teela which means Hill of the Eagles in the Aravalli range. The Amber Fort and Maotra Lake can be seen from the Jaigarh Fort.

Also known as Victory fort, the Jaigarh fort has a length of three kilometers and a width of around one kilometer. It features cannon which is called Jaivana which was considered to be the world’s largest cannon on wheels. There is a well maintained garden in the complex of the fort in the area where the royal family used to stay. There is a passage which connects the Jaigarh fort and the Amber fort and their complex is considered as one.

Location

Located on the peaks of the Aravalli range, it is built over four hundred meters above the Amber Fort. The view of Amber fort and the Aravalli hills are very clear and beautiful.

The Fort is located in the outskirts of Jaipur and is fifteen kilometers away. A diversion between the Delhi-Jaipur highway which goes towards Jaivana cannon near the Dungar Darwaza leads to the Jaigarh fort. This road also leads to the Nahargarh fort and can be approached from the Amer Fort after climbing a steep hill track by reaching the Awami Gate which is near the museum.

History

Built in the eighteenth century, the Jaigarh fort is one of the richest structure made and the city of Amer which was ruled by Kachawahas in the early tenth century. Jaigarh fort became the main cannon at the time of the Mughal’s rule and was used to store stronghold and stone ammunitions. Meatless required for the war were also stored in it. In the year 1658, a lot of wars broke against the Mughal Empire and the outpost of the cannon was protected by the Dara Shikoh till his last breath. His own brother Aurangzeb defeated and executed him. The Jaivana cannon is said to be molded by Jai Singh II who later got the Fort.

Architecture

Made of red sandstones and thick walls, the Jaigarh fort is spread over a huge area of three kilometers and has a width of one kilometer. It has the world’s largest cannon on wheel which is known as Jaivana Cannon. It also has a huge complex which includes the Laxmi Vilas, Aram Mandir, Lalit Mandir and the Vilas Mandir. Apart from the museum and the armory, the tourists can see the massive well maintained garden too which is there in the fort.

The Four Attractions

To enter the fort, one goes through the Dungar Darwaza and the military officials kept an eye on the areas surrounded by the fort by the means of the walkways which are inside.
It is a storehouse for the armory which was used by the Rajput in their times. It includes swords, guns, shields, muskets as well as cannon balls. The museum contains the pictures of the various kings who ruled Jaipur along with the armory.

There is a meeting hall for the warriors in the fort which is called the Shubhat Niwas and is very interesting because it gives the visitor an idea about the conditions in which one of the biggest military strategies were made.

The Subhat Niwas and the museum have a great charm though the people are most attracted towards the fort is the Jaivana which is the world’s largest cannon on wheels and was built in 1720 and it is said to be test fired only once though it looks as if it has been used a lot of times.

The water channels in the fort also attract a lot of tourists. There are three underground tanks and have a capacity of holding over 600000 gallons of water. The water reserve makes sure there is no shortage at the times of war.

Important Battles

The Jaigarh fort was the strongest of all the three Jaipur Forts and was never conquered in any war. Though at the time of Mughal Empire, Aurangzeb killed his own brother who was the protector of the fort, but no other major resistance was seen after that. In fact the cannon was also test fired only once.

Nearby Tourist Attractions

Amer fort, Aravalli hills and the Vijay Garh are the three other tourist attractions near the Jaigarh fort. The fort is on the Cheel ka Teela which looks like a jewel on a crown. It is named after Jai Singh II and its construction remains affluent in the history.

How to Reach

You can reach the Jaigarh fort by taking the Jaipur Bus service which will take you from the Nahargarh fort area through the Amber fort. There are a lot of tour planners who arrange cabs and guides to take you to all the major attractions in Jaipur.

Visitor’s Information

Timings: 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM.

Entry Fees (In Rupees): Indian 35 INR, Foreigner 85 INR